Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-16
THE ISLE OF STRIFE
GEORGE c.. SHEDD

eUopyrieht, 1912. By Smsn, Nsynsrd q O,

anu ucSCrlOeO the manner IN winch MS
former employer was shaved. clothed and
fed.
(Which would you prefer" asked, "to
be valet or to have $500 cash?''
Both" he answered, without hesita-
ton.
There are good pickinss, suppose. in
service?"
Eth? Sometimes"
II will give you $500 to free me-"
His eyes flashed. then narrowed. st
is a risk-five hundred Is little
1T Is much"
"something-but not equal to the posi-
ton of valet
II don't want you for a servant"
Surprise grew on his dirty face. But
yes. Did 1 not please you yesterday"
I laughed. Villainous as I knew him
to be, constituencies as he was, his I'M
pudence was captivating.
You We're well enough" I answered.
What you want to be my valet for
can't imagine
Monsieur, observe. I am weary Of
Pilon and Descarte, who are sons Of pigs.
without wit. You are q good master.
You will buy new watch; you are
wealthy. We shall live comfortably to-
gether. away from the smell of fish,
"I'll give you $500 to free memo more. "
Five hundred and the valetship mon
sieur."
No"
Pardon. but yes"
On his tw1tching smiling face saw a
look Of determination. A great idea had
come to him. AS DUrville dreamed OF
empires, SO Esper now dreamed of a serv-
ice where there would be many fine OPP
portunities for sly pilfer1ng. Esper my
valet! 1t was absurd, ridiculous, and
yet to him it was anything but absurd
and ridiculous; he had me at a disad-
vantage and could press his demand and
he knew-shrewd. rascally mfnd!-that he
dealt with a man Of honor. My word
once passed. it would not be broken.
Then I grew grave. It was not a laugh
ing matter. My life was in the fellow S
hands: he could dictate, and life. even
with such valet, were better than death
in the water.
IT will make It a thousand" offered.
For an instant he hesitated. But imag-
nation had poured its magic fluid into
his mind he beheld splendid visions Of
purloined stickpins, coins, cigars. wines.
even jewels: he had caught vision OF
Aladdin's cave.
mo. the five hundred and the other"
"You little shrimp, you wry-faced
scoundrel!' / exclaimed.
"Ha, that is like NJ. Cardinal now he
answered, with admiration. M. Cardinac
was witty gentleman-you, too. will be
a pleasant master to serve"
Such imperturbability was beyond fur
Their attack AS for him. he had gone Off
on another line OF thought.
That Ptlon. what Joke on F1lon 1t
Will be! He will twirl his mustache and
baw1 oaths. Let him. You agree mon
sieur?' A hand without pushed the door.
You agree?' he repeated again. anx-
iously.
versation was cut off. Presently Senior
Del Hervalle, too, put in an appearance.
He bade me good evening. then turned
to the three men and plunged into dis
cussfon of the nights plan, which though
carried on without mention Of my name
was sufficiently clear to convey under
standing to my mind. A fog had, it APP
peared, rolled UP over sea and island, as
had been predicted by Pilon, enveloping
the shore, which was not thick enough.
however. to warrant the risk of attempt
ing to bear me captive along the street.
Unfortunately for their enterprise the
house which we occupied had no rear
door, the one which had originally formed
an entrance there having been sealed by
a previous householder. PilOn grumbled
we should have to wait another hour, at
least, for fishermen were still moving
here and there at doorWays. The envoy
interrupted him. In the meantime, Pilon,
he stated. should make ready a boat;
Senior Del Hervalle would go himself with
him, and afterward drink a glass Of wine
observe our passing down to the sea:
after which he would follow to observe
that the boat put off successfully. And
Esper looked over his shoulder at me.
smiling a question with his crooked
smile.
It was no longer a mooted point IN my
mind Of accepting Esper as my valet de
chambre; to that now I would gladly con-
sent to gain my freedom. consent to that
and far more. Our talk, however, and
on the subject Of master and servant
would now be waste OF breath. There
was but an hour left for me to live dur
ing which / would be held prisoner and
guarded with vigilance. Against Pilon and
Descarte, what could Esper do. even II
he were so minded, to accomplish my
release? Pilon had my revolver. Des-
carte was a powerful creature, who would
not be stopped from earning his wage.
Only on the street or at the boat was 1t
possible that my escape could be effected
at that it would require the killing of
Pilon and Descarte, and, mayhap, Senior
Del Hervalle, indeed. q piling up OF
slaughters Of which little Esper. or any
other rascal. might we'll be proud. But
knew that so vast an enterprise was
beyond him.
Del Hervalle and his three rascals talk
ed on. Depression settled upon my mind.
Outside was fog, inside the walls despair.
Two candles. which Pilon had brought
awhile before and stuck by their own
grease on a stool, cast an imperfect light
throughout the attic. The room was too
big for the feeble beams: in the corners.
in the angles Of the chimney. In tho high
peak of the roof. the shadows lurked and
lay. or jerked and duttered whenever the
br1ny night air pulled through the hole In
the window and started the candle flames
dancing. 1t was not a pleasant thing to
think that I might have been lounging
in big chair before the fireplace in Stag
Lodge. fierce resentment blaZed up in
my heart against the fate that roped me
tn ha
had gone to Forge two years before.
where first I met the little fat French
man, I had thought the world dull
place. Since then 1t had proven exciting
enough. My acquaintance with the man,
and the world, too for that matter, would
end tonight. and whether or not tomor-
row would continue to be dull or be ex-
citing / would neither know nor care l
had always been rather fond Of the sea,
but by daylight: and had always hoped
To imagine oneself washing around in
seaweed, with curious fishes staring at
one, and crabs scuttling among ones ribs,
and Holsters playfully tapping ones grin
ming teeth that cannot eat them-ugh!
Then. too. how would Pilon proceed to his
task Of preparing me for burial? I Won
dered If he would stand over me as lay
bound in the bottom of the boat, and II,
before he slit my throat, twiriing his
mustache, he would deliver himself OF
number Of boastful remarks. which L
might take IL l wished as life's exOrdium:
or would he being in hurry to get back
to bed and Sleep finish the matter with
dispatch? BY the time l had fed on
these reflections l was In desperate
state Of resolve. / would put up final
fight. The rope must need be unwound
in order to permit me to walk, for the
villains could not conveniently carry, kill
and bury me attached to chair. The
moment Of loosing my bonds should be