The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-11-15


In Howland's breast there grew
slowly a feeling of sympathy 70
the Frenchman. Must that h
had not understood was clear t,
him now. He understood why Me
leese had not revealed the names
of his assailants at Prince Alder
and Wekusko; he understood VIII!
she had fled from him after his alb
duction, and why Jean had 81
faithfully kept secrecy for he
sake. She had fought to save hin
from her own flesh and blood, and
Jean had fought to save him, and
in these last minutes of his life
he would liked to have had Crois
set with him that he might have
taken his hand and thanked him
for what he had done. And be-
cause he had fought for him AND
Meleese the Frenchman's fate was
to be almost as terrible as his own
1t was he who would fire the ia
tai shot at six O'clock. Not the
brothers, but Jean Croisset, would
be his executioner and murderer.
Tho minutes pasesd swiftly, and
as they went Rowland was astond'
ished to find how coolly he await
ed tho end. He even began to de-
bate with himself as to through
which hole the fatal shot would
, be fired No matter where he
/ he stood he was in the light OF
the big hanging lamp. There
was no obscure or ShadoWy cor
ner in which for few moments
I he might elude his excutioner
He even smiled when the thought
occurred to him that it was pos
sible to eXtinguish the light and
crawl under the table, thus gain
ing momentary delay. But
what would that delay avail him!
He was anxious for the fatal min
ute to arrive, and be over.
There were moments of happi-
ness when in the damp horror OF
his death-chambe there came be-
fore him visions of Meleese, grown
even sweeter and more lovable,
now that he knew how she had
sacrificed herself between two
great loves-the love of her own
people and the love of himself.
And at last she had surrendered
to him. Was it possible that she
could have made that surrender
if she, like her brothers, believed
him to be the murderer of her
father-the son of the man-fiend
who had. robbed her of mother?
1t was impossible, he told himself.
She did not believe him guilty.
And yet-why had she not given
him some such word in her last
message to him
His eyes travelled to the note
on the table and he began search
ing in his coat pockets. In one
of them he found the worn stub OF
ter that he was oblivious to the
passing of time as he wrote his
last words to eMleese. When he
had finished he folded the paper
and placed it under his watch. Al
the final moment, before the shot
was fired, he would ask Jean to
take it. His eyes fell on his
watch dial and a cry burst from
his lips.
1t lacked but ten minutes of the
final hour!
/ Above him he heard family
the sharp barking of dogs, the hol
low sound of mems voices. A mo-
ment later there came to him ar
echo as of swiftly tramping feet
and after that silence.
JEAN he called tensely. "Ho
Jean-Jean Croisset-"
He caught up the paper and rar
from one black opening to anoth.
er, calling the Frenchman' name
CAS- you love your God, Jean
as you have hope of Heaven, take
this note to Meleese!" he pleaded
"Jean--Jean Croisset-'
/ There came no answer, nc
movement outside, and Rowland
stilled the beating of his heart tc
/ listen. Sunrely Croisset was
there! He looked again at the
watch he held in his hand. In
four minutes the shot would bt
fired. A cold sweat bathed hi.
face. He tried to cry out again
but something rose in his throa
and choked him until his voice
was only a gasp. He spraine
back to the table and placed the
note once more under the watch
Two minutes! One and a half
One!
With a sudden fearless cry Ii,
sprang into the very center o
his prison, and flung~out his armi
with his face to the hole next tn,
door. This time his voice was al
most shout.
Jean Croisset, there is a not,
under my watch on the table. AZ
ter you have killed me take 1t Il
Meleese. If you fail shall haun
you to your gravel"
Still no sound-no CLEAN Of
steel pointing at him through the
black aperture. Would the sho
come from behind?
k-tick-tiek-
| He counted the beating of hi
watch up to twenty. A soun,
stopped him then, and he close,
his eyes, and a great shiver passed
through his body.
II 1t was the tiny bell of his watcl
tinkling off the hour of six!
Scarcely had that sound ceased
Il to ring in his brain when from far
through the darkness beyond tn,
wall of his prison there came
creaking noise, as if a heavy doc