The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-10-23
mon assasin?" satirical voice inter.

vi ner own IOr JuQglnS!"
Unmindful Of ironical incredulity.
she related how she had been forced
to take refuge In the wheel-house:
how, when Sanchez had seen her.
alarmed she had fed blindly down
the passage; waited, then hearing
them all coming, at a loss what else
to do, had opened the wheel-house
door; run into the store-room! What
she had seen from there, disconnect.
edly, also she referred to; his res
cue Of the others; his remaining be-
hind to bear the brunt-as brave an
act as she knew Of! Her tone became
tremulous.
who betrayed me?" His voice,
bold and scoffing, interrupted.
She answered. 1t was like speaking
TO some one In tomb. The soldier
you bound gave the alarm"
From LShiEd Ike bars came a mock
Ing laugh.
"You don't believe me?" She caught
her breath.
Believe? OF course"
You dont!" she said, and clung
tighter to the iron grating. "And ]
can't make you'll"
why should your Lady3hip want
to? What does it matter?"
But 1t does matter!" wildly. when
your servant accused me that day In
the cloister I did not answer nor
deny; but now"
Your Ladyship would deny?"
THAT betrayed you at Casque?
Here? Yes, yes!"
"Or at the wheel-house when you
called to warn the soldiers?"
You were about TOTO throw your.
self over!" she faltered.
And your Ladyship was apprehen.
sive lest the Black Seigneur should
escape?"
"Escape" she cried. ut was DEATH"
And the alternative? My lady pre-.
ferred to see the outlaw taken-die
like felon on the gallows!"
mo; no! It was not that"
What then?" His eyes cleaned
bright; her own turned; shrank from
them. A moment she strove to an.
swer; could not Within the black
recess faint light from the flicker.
Ing candle played up and down. So
complete the stiffness, 80 dead the
very air. the throbbings Of her pulses
filled the girl with suffocating sense
OF her own vitality.
Il spoke to my father to try to get
your cell changed" she at last found
herself irrelevantly saying; "but
could do nothing"
II thank your Ladyship! But your
Ladyship's friends will be far away.
Your Ladyship may miss something
amusing!"
Il did not bring thsm-did not want
theIa to come!"
Nor"
Her figure Strengthened.
Perhaps. even. they are not aware
-. are hr.a."
They are not, unless"
"Elise!" From afar loud call in.
terrupted; reverberating down the
main passage. was caught up here and
there. Elise! Elise!" The whole
underworld echoed to the name.
IT promised to meet them at the
guard-house," she explained hurriedly.
And hardly knowing what she did, put
out her hand. through the bars.
toward him. In the darkness a hand
seized hers; she felt herself drawn;
held against the bars. They bruised
her shoulder; hurt her face. The chill
OF the iron sent a shudder through
her; though the pain she did not feel;
she was cognizant only Of a closer
view OF figure; the chains from him
to the wall; the bare. damp floor
then, OF voice low, tense, that now
was speaking:
Your Ladyship, indeed, found
means to punish e. presumptuous fel-
low, who dared displease her. But
ma fol! she should have confined her
punishment to the offender. Those
stripes inflicted OH him, my old SER
want! Think you knew not It was
my Lady's answer to the outlaw. who
had the temerity to speak words that
offended"
You dream that! You imagine
that"
The warmth Of his hand seemed to
burn hers; her fingers, so closely i'm
prisoned. to throb with the fierce beat.
Ing Of his pulses.
u do not want you to think-I can't
let you think" she began.
"Elise!" The searchers were draw
Ing nearer.
She would have stepped back, but
the fingers tightened on her hand.
They will be here in a moment"
Still he did not relinquish his hold;
the dark face was next to hers; the
piercing. relentless eyes studied the
agitated brown ones. The latter
cleared; met his fully an instant. "Be-