Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-09-03
CHAPTER xxxliI.-(contlnued.)

he safe: none followed. and. leaning
against the damp blocks Of masonry.
breathing hard, as man weak from
fatigue. loss Of blood. he sought 70
recover his strength It returned only
TOO slowly: the passing lassitude an
noyed him; for the moment he forgot
te had but recently come from the
y dungeon and the hardships that sap
tient to move on. Z:
# Several moments he yet stood.
breathing deep; then. starting away,
set himself to the task OF crossing
i the Val stretch Of beach between the
Mount and the distant lights OF . ship.
EN- The sandy plain had never seemed
4 60 interminable; before him. his shad-
ow and that Of my lady danced ever
illusiyeIy away; behind, the great rock
Y gave forth a hundred shooting flames.
while. as emblematic OF the demolition
of 40 much that was beautiful. higher
than saint with helpless sword on ca
@thedral top, cloud OF smoke belched
up: waved sidewise like q monstrous
funeral plume. A symbol. 1t seemed
10 fill the sky; to move and nod and
Haunt its ominous blackness from this
4 majestic outpost Of the land. Walk
ing in vivid crimson glow, the Black
Seigneur gazed only head. where now.
on that monotonous desert; the rim
Of the sea on sudden obtsuded- AZ
lie advanced, sparkles red a. rubies--
i laughing lights--leaped In the air; It
the same time seethinE murmur
nte n
Toward those leaping bright points
and the source OF that deep.sounding
cadence, the young man stumbled for
ward more rapidly, less cautiously,
also. 1t may be; for while he was yet
come distance from the waters rim.
his feet fell on sand that gave way
beneath them. He would have sprung
/ back, but felt himself sinking; strsve
TO get out, only to settle the deeper!
The edge Of the lise. with safety be-
\ yond, well he could see. where the
satin-like smoothness OF the treacher.
Gus slough merged into q welcome
silk-likes shimmering Of the trustWor-
thy; sands. That verge. however. was
remote; out Of reach OF effort OF his
to attain; his very endeavors caused
him to become the more firmly imbed-
ded. Had he cast my lady aside. pos
sibly could he have extricated him
self: but with her. an additional
weight. weighing him down
Loudly he called out: only the sea
answered. Now were the clinging par
sticles ct his waist; he lifted my lady
higher; clear OF them! Once more
raised his voice-tl1is time not In vain!
; Mon capitaine! Where are your"
q. Here" II 81
I'VE don't see you"
You won't soon, unless
The end Of line struck the sand.
The night had almost passed it,
last black hour. like pail. lay over
the sea, where, far from the Mount. .
ship swayed and tossed. In the mar
row confines Of her masters cabin, the
faint glimmering Of q lamp revealed
4 man bending over q paper. yellow
and worn; the, lines 70 faint and deli
cate. they seemed almost to escape
him!
B How strange, after All these years. the
sight Of your acknowledgement now, to
Be writing you! Yet isSit meet-to say
farewell! For that which you have heard.
mon ami, 10 true. am going to die. You
say, you heard was not we'll; answer
what really you heard; the question. mon
ami. beneath your words! And.
dying, 1t is well with me. have wronEed
no soul on earth-excspt you, my friend.
and you forgive me. had hoped
the years would eKacs that old memory.
You say they have not. It u wise.
you are going away. * ~
The reader paused; listened to the