The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-04-15

into the sea.
He screamed aloud as he struck the
water and then the weight dragged him
into the ice-cold depths. He rippeG
open the sack, convulsively cut the
rope that was knotted TO the shot. and
rose 80 the surface. He had not for
gotten how to swim. He struck out
In the blackness for an islet. Just as
he was losing hope, his knee struck
rock. He staggered TO his feet and
above him rose gloomy mass, his
goal.
At daybreak he flung himself into
the sea and was pulled aboard an out.
ward-bound bark. Each moment Mar.
settles receded further into the dis
lance. He learned from his shipmates
that II was February %, 1920. He had
been shut away from the world for ID
years. He wondered what had become
of Mercedes. Then he thought of
Danglars, Fernand and VillefOrt. A
baleful light fllckered In his hard eyes.
Edmond had fallen in with band
of smugglers. On one of their voy.
ages, he gazed eagerly at a granite
mass rose-hued in the dawn. 1t was
Monte Cristo. A few weeks later
chance brought him to the island.
None of his comrades suspected the
leaping thoughts tina. thronged In Ed
mond's mind. They were simple folk,
easily deceived. Edmond fell from
rock and complained that he was SC
hurt that he could not move. He was
confident. he insisted, that he could
cure himself If he were left here. AT
last they sailed away. When the boat
was out of sight, he leaped to his feet,
seized his pickax, and cried "0pen,
Sesame - He was alone on Monte
Cristo.
Following the clues OF the Abbe's
ancient manuscript, he located the
great slab of rock, overgrown with veg
citation. He slashed at the edges with
his plckax and made hole. With his
horn of powder. he easily blasted the
rock away. Before him was an iron
ring embedded In a fiagstone. He
raised It and saw a flight Of stairs.
With hope mingled with strange mis-.
giving. he descended, broke open q
pas sage into an inner cave. and dug
away the earth over an oak Golfer
bound with iron. He burst 1t open
and there blazed gold coins, bars of
gold, diamonds, rubies and pearls that
glittered in glorious profusion.
When Edmond came back to France,
II was as the count of Monte Cristo-
fabulously wealthy. romantic In APP
pearance, a performer of miracles. His
betrayers had risen to heights of fame
and affluence. Danglars was a
wealthy banker; Fernand an honored
warrior: villefort high in office. Mer.
cedes, believing Edmond dead, had
yielded to Fernand's importunate
pleadings and had married him.
Zealousiy did the count OF Monte
Cristo devote his days and nights to
ruin these three. Usually 1t was In
his own unrecognized personality that
he dazzled Paris with his feasts, his
extravagances, his prodigal OUTLAWS,
Everyone paid court to this mysteri.
Gus stranger who rained gold about
him. Sometimes he disguised himself
now as the Able Busoni, now as the
Italian Zazxone, now as the English
Lord wilmore. now as Slnbad th
sailor.
He tortured Danglas, Fernand
villefort, methodically and yet 30
skilfnily that they did not know the
hand that directed the blows that fen
upon them. Piece by piece Danglars
fortune was Topped away. At last ne
was beggared. the bitterest blow that
could have befallen him. Fenald, en-.
meshed slowly In revelations of his
guilty past. finally blew out his brains;
villefort, his crimes dragged into the
light of day. went raving mad. Mer
cedes, made poor. but happy In the
love of her devoted son. lived on. pen.
itent.
Yet were there those whom Monte
Crlsto rewarded. The noble Morrei,
HIS former employer. was saved from
by mysterious English
man who presented him with notes he
could not meet. And on the uninhabit
ed island of Monte Cristo. Morrefs
son. true and tried as his father
learned that villefort's daughter, the
girl who had remained fine through all
still lived She stood be
side him on the pinnacle of the island
and they looked with blurred eyes
into the distance. where each moment
a shin grew fainter and fainter. II
was hearing from their sight the man
who had once been Edmond Dantes
With him was the radiant Haydee. the
mysterious princess. whose beauty had
outshone all the beauties Of Paris. Tn
her love Edmond had at last forgotten
all that he did not now want to re
Copyright 1918. BY the Post Publishing
Co. CThe Boston PosO. Copyright in the
United Kingdom. the Doninions. its Col.
onies and dependencies. under TIE copy.
right art. by the Fost Publishing 20.
Boston. Mass. Z. g A. All rights 80
served