Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1914-10-09


waited. At last. hours later, It seemed
tread of heavy footsteps without A
finger appeared round the door, crop
ing uncertainty; hand followed 1t, an
ARMAND Leopold Magniff entered and
stood before me, his face convulsed
with pain, yet wearing the eemblance-
of a CHASTITY smile.
Blood dripped from his arms and
breast. and there was a deep slash
across his face and throat. He stood
there, holding for support against the
Intel and, regarding me silently, he.
continued smiling. When at last he
spoke his voice seemed hollow as a.
spectre's.
See what you have brought me to,
Anne" was all he said.
| came to my senses then. | rose to
staunch the blood, to bind his wounds;
but he waved me aside, and then, as
though his sight failed him, he CROPPED
uncertainty for me and found my
arms.
Take me back to my cabin. Anne,''
he whispered. 81 think I'm going to
die"
Summoning all my fortitude placed
my. arm round him. His grasp upon
my shoulder made me vince Slowly.
with staggering steps, led him along
the passage way toward his room, out
| side which group of sailors clustered.
terror-stricken, staring foolishly at one
another and at me. One had a long
cut across his hand; another a blood
stained disadvantage. And on the.
stairs that led up to the deck dead men
were lying, hideously hacked and
MANNED. l looked into the face of the.
one nearest me. In those livid and
twisted features l recognized all that
had been mortal of the Greek Zeuxis.
Leopold waved back the men as they
approached, and we entered his cabin.
Inside, the table was overturned; pill
lows and blankets strewed the floor,
and there were all the signs of des-
perate battle. l placed Leopold upon
the couch and sought to cleanse his
wounds. But he declined all my Efforts
and reckoning to me to kneel at his.
olue, SpOhe III low Whispers.
IT'S no use-I'm dying, Anne" he
murmured. 81 only want your forgive
ness. Don't let me go down to hell
without your pardon, Anne. My love-
for you was the one not wholly self
ish act of my life. You knew that,
Anne?"
nodded, seeing him through mist
of binding tears. When he began to.
speak I understood how my words OF
the evening had wounded him. think
that in my horror and hatred for the
man had overlooked the human quail
tiles that lay buried deep, but existent,
in his heart.
Il am dying, Anne" he whispered,
grasping for my hand and holding it
fast in his, as though seeking to find
some clasp upon that life which was
slowly ebbing away. do you remem-
Der your words last night? That I
could know love no more than a toad
can know beauty? And that seemed
to you the incarnation of all evil?
Well, think you were right, Anne"
| made no answer, but sat silently
beside him, while his grasp frightened
cruelty on mine. knew the struggle
that was taking place in his soul.
81 want to tell you something, An
me-" he said after while 81 was not
quite SO bad as you imagined me to be-.
You always influenced me for good.
Are you glad to hear that, Anne?"
Very glad" l answered.
y always planned, when l had won
you, to turn over a new leaf, as my fa-
Their would have phrased it, I've been
a bad lot, but l was playing for high
stakes, Anne, and-and I've lost. And
now I'm going to make amends. We,
must get you to Paris before the trial.
My hopes, so long abased, leaped up
incredulously again. With Zeuxiss
dead | had not dared to think that any
thing could stay the fate which over
hung my lover. But now-if Leopold
should take the place of the Greek, II
he should confess.
He smiled weakly, as if in anticipae
ton of my thoughts.
i DO you see that little cabinet in the
corner, Anne?" he whispered. Under
that pile of papers near it you will find
a key. Unlock the cabinet and bring
me what you find inside"
| rose and obeyed him. fitted the
little key into the lock and, opening
the cabinet, drew forth a bundle of
manuscript. l placed it in Leopolds
hands.
These papers contain my confess
sion, Anne" he said. Il wrote it once
when under the influence of good
thoughts-of you. Often | have been
tempted to destroy it. But l felt that
if you should escape me and carry out
your purpose it would be but fair to
: give you the means with which to free
your lover, the chevalier These pa
pers will exonerate him completely,
even after l am dead, for they contain
an entire history of the plot to secure
the treaty, and give the names of those
who were behind us. No officers of the
court could read it and condemn your