The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-09-21

TO MRLEEsR."
had finished he folded the paper and
placed It under his watch. At the final
moment, before the shot was fred, be
would ask Jean TO take 1t. His eyes
fell on his watch dial, and a cry burst
from his lips.
1t lacked but ten minutes Of the 6nal
hour.
Above him he heard family the sharp
barking of dogs, the hollow sound OF
mems voices. A moment later there
came to him an echo as of swiftly
tramping feet and, after that, silence.
jean" he called tensely. "Ho. Jean!
Jean Cr"isset"-
BE caught up the paper and ran
from one black opening to another.
calling the Frenchman's name.
AS 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. no movement
outside, and Rowland stilled the beat.
ing of his heart to listen. Surely Crois
set was there. He looked again at the
watch be held in his hand In four
minutes the shot would be fred. 4
cold sweat bathed bis face. He tried
to cry out again. but something rose
in his throat and choked him until his
voice was only gasp. He sprang
back to the table and placed the note
once more under the watch. Two min
utes! One and half! One!
With sudden fearless cry be sprang
into the very center of his prison ana
flung out his arms with his face 10
the hole next the door. This time his
voice was almost shout.
Jean Croisset, there is a note under
my watch on the table. After you have
killed me take it to Meleese. If you
fail shall haunt you TO your grave"
Still no sound. no CLEAN of steel
pointing at him through the black nper
ture Would the shot come from be
hind?
Observation-Disclosures
He counted the beating of his watch
up to twenty. A sound stopped him
then, and he closed his eyes. and a
great SILVER passed through his body.
1t was the tiny bell of his watch
tinkling of the hour of six!
Scarcely had that sound ceased to
ring in his brain when from far
through the darkness beyond the wall
Of his prison there came creakine
noise as If a heavy door had been
swung slowly on its hinges or a trap
opened. then voices. low, quick. excited
VOICES. the hurrying tread of feet. a
dash of light shooting through tho
gloom, They were coming, After al!
it was not to he private affair. ana
Jean was to do his killing as the hang
mans job is done in civilization-be
fore crowd. Howland's arms drop
ped TO his side. This was more terri
Die than the other-this seeing and
hearing Of preparation. in which be
tancied that be heard the click OF
Croissets gun as he lifted the hammer
Instead 1t was a hand fumbling AT
the door. There were no voices now,
only strange moaning sound that he
could not account for. In another mo
ment 1t was made clear to him. The
door swung open and the white robed
figure of Meleese spranE toward him
with a cry that echoed through the
dungeon chambers. What happened
lhen-the passing of white faces be
yond the doorway. the suhdued mur
muir of voices--were all lost to How
land in the knowledge that at the lasI
moment they had let her come to him.
that he held her in his arms and that
she was crushing her face to his breast
and sobbing things to him which he
could not understand. Once or twice
in his life he had wondered If realities
might not be dreams. and the thought
came to hin now when he felt the
warmth OF her hands, her face. her
hair and then the passionate pressure
of her lips on his own He lifted his
eyes. and in the doorway he saw Jean
"ro1sset and behind him a wild, beard.
ed face-the face that had been over
hin when life was almost choked from
him on the great north trail. And be-
yond these two he saw still others,
shining ghostly and indistinct in the
deeper gloom of the outer darkness.
He strained Meleese to him, and when
lie looked down into her face be saw
tater beautiful eyes flooded with tears
T and yet shining with great Joy. Her
lips trembed as she struggled TO speak.
Then suddenly she broke from his
arms and ran TO the door. and Jean
CR,isset came between them, with the
wild, bearded man still staring over
his shoulder.
"M'seur. viii you come with u.s."
said Jean.
The bearded man dropped back into
the thick gloom. aud without speak.
ing Rowland followed Crolsset, his
eyes on the shadowy form of Me
leese. The ghostly faces turned from
the light. and the tread Of their re-
treating feet marked the passage
through the blackness. Jean fell back
beside Rowland. the huge bulk of the
bearded man three PAGES ahead. a
dozen steps more and they came to