The Mena weekly star., 1916-06-08

! SOAb Ok way, lOul tcdi 0dpldiu AT maud, and make me feel that earth quakes were the most trivial occur rences possible"
 They are at least more frequent than the seismographs would have us suppose Captain Arnaud."
 What does that meanY' ! He turned his heavy lightless eyes to her face. She met the interrogation quite calmly, her hands clasped in front of her with prim precision.
 T mean that I know something of what has happened" she said.
 For instanceY
 T know what happened at the Villa Bernotto's."
 It was very silent in the shadowy room. Arnaud had not moved But over his white, marked features there quivered the first signal of re- awakened consciousness.
 How did you know?' he asked quietly.
 T can't tell you. guessed. Some thing you said made me understand that you hated Mir. Farquhar,"
 You know his name?"
 T know him."
 "WeHg"
 T was in Lhe dark-I am still. But was almost sure of one thing. And it was who warned the patrol"
 You wanted to trap me-"
 T wanted to save you both" i He turned away from her then with a trembling gesture of incredullty.
 You wanted to save me from what from murder? Was 1t worth while !? Don't you know what l am? Ask my wife. She can tell you-a drunkard, an opium-smoker, dissolute-"
 "A madman. Captain Arnaud"
 How do you know that? I have been trying to hide it from everyone. But you are right. I am mad-ob- sessed. They say some mad people suffer tortures from the knowledge of that I am mad, and l am in hell I can see the days that are to come horrid misshapen horrors, crowding along the path and waiting to spring on me"
 He caught hold of her by the hand, and his quiet, terrible voice dropped to whisper. "Ioday nas--a redsfaced deyil-you know, like the one you saw that night. l drugged myself so that should not wake until it had gone. But you cannot cheat the devil with opium. I went out on to the plateau. Farquhar was there Poor Farquharl My heart was sick for him. They had torn my bullet out of his shoulder, and he held himself like man. 1 wanted to let him go, but I knew 1t was no good to try, so I sent him and dozen others over the plateau at the double. You understand--it was mile or more, and he looked as though there wasn't a drop of blood in him. He fainted-over the body of comrade whom he had tried to help. l mar veled that he had gone so far. The sergeant ordered him up, but he did not move. He was unconscious. But that did not count; he had disobeyed orders. We are very severe with that sort of thing in the Legion. had him strung up in the crapaudine. Do you know what that is, mademoiselle? We strap a mans wrists and ankles to- gether behind his back and leave him like that for day or two. out of doors, with a quarter of an hours interval here and there to break the monotony. It used to be a very favorite punish ment in the Legion. The good Gen eral Negrier abolished it, but now and again we revive it. I revived 1t. Rich ard Farquhar is out there now, on the plateau, and perhaps he will not live to see the morning. And he saved me he saved" The terrible dry whis- per ended suddenly. Arnaud put his hands to his head with a movement of pathetic helplessness.
 Miss Smith-I-I am afraid have been wanderlng-talking nonsense. You-you don't think am altogether mad, do you?"
 "No, no-Captain Arnaud-only worn out-exhausted Come. 1 want you to lie down on this sofa here, and I shall put the lights out. You must promise me to try and sleep. On your word of honor"
 My word of honor? Oh, don't think that's worth much nowadays. But I'll do anything you ask"
 T only ask of you to sleep and for yaf sha ansxvarod
 He nodded, yielding to her like a, sick child, his eyes following her move ments with an humble gratitude. She arranged the pillows beneath his head, and he took her hand and kissed 1t, diff fidently, apologctically.
 "I hope you don't mind. expect If you knew what I was-what I had done, you would shrink from me"
 "No, Captain Arnaud, if you were the devil himself I should not shrink from you.'
 "I don't believe you would. You'd comfort him-you'd tell him there was hope for him yet-that he wasn't al-