Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-06-18
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cut the run. Gates Of the great city
were not Of kind to submit lightly;
curses and blows were exchanged;
knives cleaned and swords flashed.
Amid a scene Of confusion, the cause
OF it stayed not to witness the out
come; running down the sloping way,
soon found himself on the sands; then
keeping to the shadows. passed around
the corner of the wall.
Here, for the time concealed was
he safe; none followed, and, leaning
against the damp blocks Of masonry,
breathing hard, as man weak from
fatigue, loss Of blood, he sought to
recover his strength. 1t returned only
TOO slowly; the passing lassitude an
noyed him: for the moment he forgot
he had but recently come from the
dungeon and the hardships that sap
elasticity and vigor. He was impa-
tent to move on: looked at my lady
and sudden fear smote him! How
white she appeared! Had she His
hand trembled at her heart; blank
dismay overcame him; then joy At
that instant he thought not of the gulf
between them; was consciouS only fe
held her-slender, beautiful-in his
arms; that she seemed all his own,
with her breath on his cheek, her soft
lips so close. Above sounded the mad
ness Of the night; the cracking or
flames; the Incorporate voices IN
the angle Of the will, with darkness
blanket around them. he pushed back
the hair from her clear brow, bent
over. closer-suddenly Strengthened.
"Pardi!" he muttered, flush on
his face. "Am I, then, like the others,
pillagers. thieves"
Several moments he yet stood,
breathing deep; then, starting away,
set himself to the task Of crossing
the vast stretch Of beach between the
Mount and the distant lights OF ship.
The sandy plain had never seemed
go interminable; before him, his shad-
ow and that of my lady danced ever
illusively away; behind, the great rock
gave forth hundred shooting flames,
while, as emblematic of the demolition
or so much that was beautiful, higher
than saint with helpless sword on ca
,hedral top, q cloud of smoke belched
up; waved sidewise like monstrous
funeral plume A symbol, 1t seemed
to fill the sky; TO move and nod and
flaunt its ominous blackness from this
majestic outpost Of the land. Walk
ing in vivid crimson glow. the Black
.Seigneur gazed only ahead, where now,
on that monotonous desert, the rim
Of the sea on q sudden obtruded. AS
he advanced, sparkles red as rubies-
laughing lights-leaped in the air; at
the same time a seething murmur
broke upon the stiffness.
Toward those leaping bright points
and the source Of that deep-sounding
cadence, the young man stumbled for
ward more rapidly, less cautiously,
also, it may be; for while he was yet
some distance from tfv~water's rim.
his feet fell on sand that gave way
beneath them. He would have sprung
back, but felt himself sinking; strove
TO get out, only to settle the deeper!
The edge CT the lise, with safety be-
yond, well he could see, where the
satir-like smoothness of! the PREACHER
Gus slough merged into a welcome
sllk-like shimmering of the trustwor-
thy sands. That verge, however, was
remote: out Of reach of effort Of his
10 attain: his very endeavors caused
him TO become the more firmly imbed-
ded. Had he cast my lady aside, pos
sibly could he have eNtricated him
SELF but with her, an additional
weight. weighing him down
Loudly he called out; only the sea
answered Now were the clinging par
ticles at his waist; he lifted my lady
higher: clear Of them! Once more
raised his yoice-this time not in vain!
Mon capitaine! Where are you?"
"Here!,"'
I'VE don't see YOU"
You won't soon, unless"
The end Of line struck the sand.