Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-06-07
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ILUSTRATIONS By RA/ UAfT=RS

thrust. At the sting Of it, a tremor
ran through him, while cowardice, his
besetting quality, long covered by
growl and egotism in his strength and
hideousness to terrify, alone shone
from his unprepossessirg yellow fea
lures.
"You were brave enough with the
soldiers at your beck!" went on de-
termined voice whose ironical accents
in no wise served to, alleviate his
panic. when you had only mounte.
bank to deal with! But get up!" con-
temptuously. and" as the bunch.
back obeyed, his crooked legs shaking
in the support of his misshapen frame.
into the wheel with you'll"
1.-The WHEEL" stammered the dwarf.
"Why-what-"
ITO take a little Of your own medi.
cine! Pardi! What voluble fellow!
In with you, or"
With no more words the hunchback.
staggering, hardly knowing what he
did, entered the ancient abbots ma.
chine for hosting. But as he started
to walk in the great wheel at the side
Of his captor, a picture Of the past
the times he, himself, had forced pris-
oners to the wheel, stimulating with
jeer and whip-arose mockingly be.
fore him, and the incongruous present
seemed, in contrast, like black wax
ing dream.
That it was no dream, however, and
that the awakening would never oc.
cur, he well knew, and inadvertently
though fearfully he eyed the rope, COM
ing in over the pulley at the aperture;
to be wound around and around by a
smaller wheel, attached to the larger,
and-drawing up what?
An linking Of the sort Of merchan-
disc to be expected, under the circum-
stances, could but flash through his
mind, together with more vivid con-
seriousness Of the only course open for
him-to cry out, regardless Of conse-
quences! Perhaps he might even have
done so, but at that instant-as if the
other had read, the thousht-came the
cold touch Of a bare blade on his
neck; and with a sudden chill, the
brief heroic impulse passed.
More stealthily now he began to
study his companion in the wheel,
while a question, suddenly occurring,
reiterated itself in his brain. This
man-who was he? And what did he
know Of the mountebank, or his, JAG
ques', dealings with the clown? That
his captor was no soldier Of the rock,
or belonged there. the hunchback felt
by this time assured, and growing
suspicion Of the others Identity
brought home with new force to the
dwarf the thankless part chance, per-
haps, had assigned to him in that
nights work. And OF the full realiza-
tion Of the consequences, should his
surmise prove corTect-what must ul-
timately happen to himself in that
event, when unwilling cooperation at
the wheel should become known-al-
most had he again reached the des-
perate point Of calling out; but at
that moment turn in the wheel
brought to the level Of the aperture,
the car. In it, or clinging thereto,
were a number ofsfgures who, as soon
as the rope stopped. sprang noiseless-
~ to the platform.
"Seigneur, We hardly dared hope"
eve obeyed orders, but"
Gazing through the spokes of the
wheel, and listening to their whispered
EXPLANATIONS, any lingering doubt as
to who his captor was could no longer
be entertained by the hunchback.
These newcomers took no pains to
conceal it; even when the dwarfs
presence became known to them and
unceremoniously was he dragged forth
they displayed contemptuous dis
regard Of him as factor to interfere,
not calculated to dull the edge Of his
apprehension! Too late now might he
regret that pusillanimity that had
caused him to draw back from an i'm
mortal role; already was the car again
descending!
1t came Up loaded; went down once
more, reappeared. On the little plat
form now were more than a dozen
men assembled, but to Jacques this
force looked multiplied. Amid the
confusion OF his thoughts, vaguely
could he hear orders given; caught
something about the need for quiet,
haste, overpowering the guard; then
saw the door open, and the men, like
shadows, go out; leaving him alone.
No; with two black figures; ominous;
armed He could see the glitter OF
their weapons, and yentured to move
his thick tongue, when, hercely 81
fenced, ne crouched down; waited
with hands clenched, an interminable
period; until family from afar sound
ed the note of a night-bird.
Roughly jerked to his feet, between
them he walked to the door; heard il
close; stepped out into the night
Many times had he made his way be
tween wheel-room and guard-house
but now the route seemed strange
and, looking around near the struc