The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-06-20
CHAPTER K.
CASTOR SAUvERAND EXPLAINS

lnStlncClVely, Don Luis TOOK
step back, drew his revolver, and
aimed it at the criminal:
Hands up!" he commanded
Glands up, or / fire
Sauverand did not appear to be
put out. He nodded toward two
revolvers which he had laid on g
table beyond his reach and said
"There are my arms. l have
come here not to fight, but tc
talk"
Glow did you get inf" roared
Don Luis, exasperated by this dis
play of calmness. "A false key
l supposed But how did you gel
hold Of the keyf How did yor
manage it,"
The other did not reply. Dor
Luis stamped his foot:
"Speak, will your Speak! Il
not"
But Florence ran into the room
She passed him by without his
trying to stop her, flung herself
upon CASTOR Sauverand, and, tax
ing no heed Of Perenna' s presence
said:
why did you comet You
promised me that you wouldn't
you swore it to me. Col"
Sauverand released himself and
fored her into a chair.
"Let me be, Florence. l prom
ised only SO as to reassure you.
Let me be-"
"No, I will not!'' exclaimed the
girl eagerly. cts madness!
won't have you say a single word.
Oh, please, please stop!"
He bent over her and smoothed
her forehead, separating her mass
Of golden hair.
"Let me do things my own way
Florence" he said softly.
She was silent, as though dis.
armed by the gentleness of his
voice; and he whispered more
words which Don Luis could not
hear and which seemed to con.
vince her.
Perenna had not moved. He
stood opposite them with his arm
outstretched and his finger on the
trigger, aiming at the enemy.
When Sauverand addressed Flor
ence by her Christian name, he
started from head to foot and his
finger trembled. What miracle
kept him from shooting9 By what
supreme effort of will did he stifle
the jealous hatred that burnt him
like fire. And here was Sauve-
rand daring to stroke Florence's
hair!
He lowered his arm. He would
kill them later, do with them what
he pleased, since they were in his
power, and since nothing hence
forth could snatch them from his
vengeance.
He took Sauverand's two revol-
vers and laid them in a drawer.
Then he went back to the door, in
tending to lock it. But hearing a
sound on the first floor landing, he
leaned over the balusters. The
butler was coming upstairs with a
tray in his hand.
"What is it now9"
can urgent letter, sir, for Ser
geant Mazeroux.'
Sergeant Mazeroux is with me.
Give me the letter and don't let
me be disturbed again"
He tore open the envelope. The
letter, hurriedly written in pencil
and signed by N of the inspec-
tors on duty outside the house,
contained these words:
Look out, sergeant. CASTOR SAWYER
and is in the house. Two people liv-
ing opposite say that the girl who is
known hereabouts as the lady house
keeper came in at half-past one, be-
fore we took up u posts. She was
next seen at the window of her lodge.
A few moments after, a small, low
door, used for the cellars and stu
ated under the lodge, was opened, evil
IDENTIFY by her. Almost at the same
time a man entered the square, came
along the wall, and slipped in through
the cellar door. According to the de-
scription 1t was CASTOR Sauverand. So
look out. sergeant. At the least alarm,
at the first signal from you, we shall
come in.
Don Luis reflected. He now un-
derstood how the scoundrel had
access to his house, and how, hid
den in the safest Of retreats, he
was able to escape every attempt
to find him. He was living under
the roof of the very man who had
declared himself his most formida-