The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-11-10
CHAPTER XIV.
IN THE SHADOW.


all--you and yonder pretty cidevant.
Gods blood. but this is pleasant mo-
ment!"
He stopped and looked into my eyes,
then burst into a roar Of laughter.
For me, 1 meant" he cried. holding
his sides. For me-not for you. Come
tylook at It from my standpoint. Be
large minded enough to look at 1t from
my standpoint. Could anything have
been more perfect, more complete, more
| admirable In every way? 1t tempts me
| almost to believe in Providence"
could only stand and stare at him
and wonder numbly whether he were
| man or devil.
You wonder how I know your" he
continued. True, l have never BEFORE
| had the supreme pleasure of meeting
you thus, face to face, and OF con-
| versing pleasantly with you as l am
| now doing: but know you perfectly,
nevertheless. The nation has a sharp
eye for it's enemies, and 1t never sleeps.
moment Of your fight"
But I had shaken off my stupor ana
got something of my boldness back.
| "Nonsense!" I said, CONTEMPORARY.
II am not fleeing. / am on my way to
join the forces at Thouars. You mis-
take me for someone else"
| He looked at me and nodded, while
his smile grew and broadened.
| mot bad" he commended. But 1t
| Is useless for you to lie. Even IL you
were not ->rnay, your fate Is none
| the less assured. / can well under
| stand your reluctance to part with
life," and he cast a leering glance
toward the still form on the cot. you
must have found life very pleasant re-
Gently. But do not despond. You are
leaving your mistress in tender hands.
She will not want for affections"
What Is the charge against me?''
demanded controlling as we'll as I
could the wrath which devoured me.
THE charger" he repeated neg
ligently, "Oh. I do not know-there
are a dozen charges. / have not yet
determined which / shall use. But
what does 1t matter. Between our
selves, I will tell you, citizen. that
| have decided upon your death be-
cause you are in the way" and again
You would, them" i said, real
izing that must keep my calmness,
| murder patriot in order to be more
| free to wrong a woman"
"a patriot" he sneered. Perhaps
not-but I would murder an aristocrat
for far less cause than that"
| II am not an aristocrat." I protested
80 you persist in that farce?" he
queried coldly. Really. you grow
wearisome. Perhaps you will explain
| then, how you happen to be wearing
the clothing of that traitor, Pasde-
loup?"
My tongue refused to answer and
he laughed again as he noted my
confusion.
II recognize it. every stitch" he
went on evenly" every stitch except
| the shoes. And / even think l can
guess where you got those! More
than that I can have you identified
In moment Perhaps you remem-
Der Sergeant Dubosq. whom YOU ell
| countered on the road from Tours
readily" even in this guise. for he has
an excellent memory. Shall 1 sum-
| mon him?"
saw that it was useless to per-
sist.
mo" answered, don't disturb the
sergeant"
You admit, then, that your are
Tavernay?"
YES" answered boldly why
| not? I have committed no crime
You have opposed the nation"
I'm what way? BY trying to es-
cape?"
You have abetted the nations
enemies"
/
Come this is childish?"
You have murdered two patriots.
he went on inexorably.
"Two?" / repeated with start.
zone you stabbed last night"
TT was his life or mine"
"The other you shot few mo-
ments ago."
"To defend a woman's honor"
| A sudden light blazed In his eyes.
You pretend 1t still exists" he
sneered.
gave him look, which had looks
that power, would have scorched and
shrivelled him where he stood. But
instead of shrinking he came very
close to me and stared into my
eyes fiendish grin upon his lips.
Really, Citizen Tavernay." he said
at last, ut would appear from your
countenance that this surprising thing
is true, and yet 1 can scarcely believe
II! Have you taken a vow? Are you
but no matter! I thank you. my
friend, for your forbearance. A APP
plaud your virture, which is really uni
que, even in this age OF virtue. Never
theless, you must agree with me that
your death Is more than ever neces-
sary. Indeed, l find you already one
too many!" and he glanced toward the
cot with meaning unmistakable.
What a brute!" / murmured, con-
tCIhPl CNtiy otiCi
What brute This IS your whole
life, then! You think of nothing but
vileness! might have guessed as
much by looking at you! But one victim
has already escaped you----"
Eyes," he broke in his face sud-
denly contorted with rage: IF knew
the wretch who fred that shot, he
would have been in hell long ere this!"
"She died in her husbands arms"
I continued, seeing how the words
stung him, happy, his lips on hers.
OF you, she had never so much as
heard the name: during her whole
life, not once did she SO much as
think OF you. For her you have never
existed-never will exist! She has
escaped you'll"
60 on!" he said hoarsely licking
his lips with a purple tongue. Body
of God, go on"
guish, great drops OF sweat stood out
across his forehead. he was CULVER
ing under the blows / dealt him, and
vet he seemed to get kind OF fear
full pleasure from them. And In that
instant I saw how he had been con-
sumed by hopeless passion; how he
had beaten himself against lofty
wall which he could never hope to
scale; how he was at this moment
eating hts heart out--and / might
have found 1t in my soul to pity him,
II had not so loathed and hated
him for the evil it was still in his