The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-08-17

one whom she calleu ho'
son was beginning to lose strength.
Certain signs proclaimed a reduced
power OF resistance, while the other
on the contrary. was gaining in eager
ness and vigor. Francois retreated
until he reached the edge Of the
arena.
III, you, boyv" grinned Vorsh'
you're not thinking OF running
away, are you? Keep your nerve
damn IL! Show some pluck! Remern-
Der the conditionsv
The boy rushed forward with re-
newed zest; and it was the others
turn 70 fall back Vorski clapped nus
hands, while Veronlque murmured:
ITS for me that he's risking ms
life. The monster must have UoIu
him, Your. mothers fate depends on
Won. III YOU win, she's saved Ana
he has sworn TO win. lie knows that
II am Watching him. He guesses that
il am here. lie hears me. Bless you'
lmy darling!' 49,,
It was the last phase OF the duel
| Verunique tremblcd all over, exhaust
ed by her emotion and by the TOO Vlo-
]
Once again her son lost ground ana
Ionce again he leuped forward. but,
! in the final struggle that followed ne
! lost his balance and fell on his BACK,
with his right arm caught under MS
body. 80,
His adversary at once STOPPED,
pressed his knee on the others chest
and raised his arm. The dagger
cleaned in the air.
"Helpl Helpl" Veronique gasped,
Twenty seconds, thirty seconds
pas ed. with his outstretched leIt
hand, Francois checked his adVeI-
sary's attempt. But the victorious
arm sank lower and lower. the Dag
ger descended, the point was only an
inch or two from the neck.
Vorsk stopped. Just then he was
behind Raynold, so that neither Ray.
mold nor Francois could see him; and
The was watching most attentiveiy, as
Though intending TO intervene az
lsome given moment. But In whose
flavor would he intervene? was II
his plan to save Francois?
Veroniuue no longer breathed; hei
eyes were enormously dilated; sh'
hung between life and death.
The point OF the dagger touched tht
neck and must have prlcked th'
UeSni out uuly very ohSh'ty'
, was still held back by Francois
: resistance.
Vorskl bent lower He stood Over
the fighters and did not take hi
Ieyes from the deadly point. suddenly
he took q pen knife from his pocket
opened it and waited. a few NOR
seconds elapsed. The dagger con
: tinued to descend. Tnen quickly IN
; gashed Raynold's shoulder with tn
blade OF his knife.
The boy uttered cry OF pain. HI
grip at once became relaxed; and, a
the same time, Francois, set free. hi
right arm released, half rose, re
. sumAd the offensive and, without see
ing Vorski or understanding VIVA
; had happened, in an instructive i'm
\ pulse Of his whole being escape
from death and revolving against hi
adversary, struck him full in tn
face. Raynold in his turn fell lik
n log.
All this had certainly lasted longe
than ten seconds. But the inoiden
was so unexpected and took Neron
iuue so greatly abaok that, not real
, iz.nR not knowing that she ought
4 rejoice, believing rather that she wa
mistaken and that the real Francoi
was dead, murdered by Norskl, tn
and lost consciousness.
= A long, long time elapsed. Thel
y | gradually. NCrOnique became awaI
2 &C certain sensations. She heard IN
q clock strike four; and she said:
IT'S two hours since Francois die,
n For It was he who died"
d She had not II doubt that the du
4 had ended in this way. Norski wOul
/. never have allowed Francois to be III
| fn OF In 10
And so 1t was against her own chill
. that she had sent up wishes and Il
the monster that she had prayed!
. Francois il dead" she repeatc
e, 'Vorski has killed him"
The door opened and she hear
N Vorski's voice. He entered, with a
" unsteady gait:
= "a thousand pardons, dear lady. hi
ia think Vorsh must have fallo
n asleep. It's your fathers fault Vel
D unique! He had hidden away in h
D cellar some COMPOUNDED Saumt
- which Conrad and Otto discovere
and which has fuddled, me n oil
But don't CRY; we shall make u
for lost time Besides every
: thing must be settled by midnigh
r. He had come nearer; and he no
exclaimed:
G. what Did that rascal OF Nofs
i, leave you tied up? What a bru
that Vorski isl And how uncon
o. Portable you must be! Har
is it all. how pale you are! l say, lor
te here, you're not dead, are your Thu
TT would be nasty trick TO play us
MT He took Veroniques hand, whiC
in she promptly snatched away
a. "Capital We still loathe our lit
r Vorski! Then that's all right nj
there's plenty OF reserve strengt
tie You'll hold out 20 the end, VeroniquC
s. He united the bonds that fasten
H. her to the balcony, carried her
tu the sofa and loosened the gag Sigh
,el "Sleep. my wcnch," he said. &c
nd what rest you can. You're on
ce half way to Golgotha yet; and 4
last bit Of the ascent will be q
hardest
\ he went away testing
More hours passed. Nothing,
seemed TO NerOniqne, could a
I'd longer save her from the end
which she CraVCd with all her hea
od She no longer hoped for the int
~ yention of which Otto had spoken,
e' reality she was not thinking at G
as Her son was dead; and she had
~ lot, 1kt nit Nr