The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-08-16
THE SECRET OF SAREK
- BY MAURICE LEBLANC -

I
on the left, on the right. You'll take
this kid with you, I'll take the other
and We'll meet in the lists You'n Dc
the seconds. so to speak, OF yours and
I'll be the second of mine, 50 that all
! the rules will be observed"
Veronique shut her eyes, for she did
not wish to see her son, who would no
doubt be maltreated, led out to Mg'ht
like a slave. She could hear the
creaking of two sets OF footsteps fol-
lowing the two circular paths. VorBln
was laughing and speechifying.
The groups turned and advanced in
opposite directions.
Don't come any nearer" Vorsld or
dered. Let the two adversaries take
their places. Halt, both Of you. Good.
And not a word, do you hear7l II
either OF you speaks, l shall cut him
down without mercy. Are you readyf
Begin!"
SO the terrible thing was commence
Ing. In accordance with Vorski's win.
the duel was about TO take place be-
fore the mother, the son was about TO
fight before her face. How could she,
do other than look. She opened her
eyes
She at once saw the two come 10
grips and hold each other on. But !
she did not at once understand what
she saw, or at least she failed to IN
. NNAoNthiAd lNo tlAtAlN AhNtllAlllBs eilb otAN
the two boys. IL was true; but which
Of them was Francois and which wasa
Raynold?
oh" she stammered, its horriblei
-. And yet no. | must
be mistaken. It's not pos
She was not mistaken. The two
boys were dressed alike in the same
velvet knlckerbockers, the same /,
white flannel shirts, the same leather
belts. But each had his head
wrapped in red-silk scarf, with two
holes for the eyes, as in a highway
mans mask.
. Which was Francois? wh5oh was
Raynold?
Now she remembered Vorsld's mex
phcable threat. This was what he
meant by the program drawn up by
himself, this was to what he alluded
when he spoke OF little play OF his
omposing. Not only was the son
lighting before the mother but she.
did not know which was her son.
1t was an Internal refinement Of
cruelty; Vorsld himself had said 90.
No agony could add to Veronique's
agony.
The miracle which she had hoped
for lay chiefly in herself and In the
love which she bore her son. Because
her son was lighting before her eyes.
she felt certain that her son could
not die. She would protect him
against the blows and against the
ruses of the foe. She would mako
the dagger swerve she would ward of
death from the head which she
adored. She would inspire her boy
with dauntless energy, with the will
to attack, with indefatigable strength,
with the spirit that foretells and
SEXES the propitious moment. But
now that both of them were yelled,
on which was she 10 exercise her
good influence. for which to pray,
against which to rebel?
She knew nothing. There was no
clue to enlighten her. One of them
was taller, simmer and lither in his
movements. Was this Francois? The
other was more thick-set, stronger
and stouter in appearance. Was this
Raynold? She could not tell. Moth
ing but a glimpse of a face, or even
a fieeting expression, could have re-
vealed the truth to her. But how was
she to pierce the impenetrable maSk7
And the fight continued, more ter
rible for her imam If she had seen
her son with his face uncovered.
"Bravo!" cried VorskI, applauding
an attack.
He seemed 70 be following the duel
= like a connOiSseur, with the affecta-,
ton OF impartiality displayed by a.
good judge Of fighting who above all
things wants the best man to win,
: And yet IT was one of his sons that
? he had condemned to death.
Facing her stood the two accom-
plices. both of them with brutal faces
, pointed skulls and big noses with
spectacles. One OF them was eX-
: tremely thin; the other was also thin,
/, but with aSswollen paunch like a
leather bottle. These two did not
{ applaud, but remained Indifferent, or
perhaps even hostile, to the sight
before them.
. inEly. well PARTED! Oh. you're a
!. couple OF sturdy fellows and I'm won
! dering to whom to award the palm"
. He pranced around the adversaries.
n urging them on in hoarse voice in
: which Veronique, remembering GER
r tain scenes in the past, seemed TO
A recognize the effects OF drink. Never
4 theless the poor thing made an ef-
q fort 70 stretch out her bound hands
toward him; and she moaned under
n her gag:
i, Mercy! Mercy! I can't bear It.:
d Have PITY"
: 1t was Impossible for her martyr
s dom to last Her heart was beating
e so violently that it shook her from
v ne0d 10 lOOls ana Sne was on Ino
: point of fainting when an Incident
II occurred that gave her fresh life. One
q Of the boys, after a fairly stubborn
: tussle. had jumped back and was
d swiftly bandaging his right wrist.
g from which few drops Of blood were
: trickling. Veronique seemed TO re-
member seeing in her sons hand the
% small blue and white handkerchief
h which the boy was using.
81 It's Francois" she murmured-
o YES yes, it's he It's you, isn't
= II, my darling? I recognize you now.
% The other Is common and heavy.
: .. It's you, my darling! OH
. my Francois, my dearest Francodsl"
. In fact, though both were fighting
~ with equal flercenesS. this one dis
"a played less savage fury and blind
~ rage in his efforts. It was as though
= he were trying not so much to kill his
A. adversary as TO wound him and as
though his attacks were directed
=, rather to preserving himself from the
. fdeath that lay in wait for him.
n Veronique felt alarmed and stam-
" mered. us though he could hear her;
= tnon't ororn him NV dn rIirpf IIota