The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-15
- .,nIE
. oy Rafael Sabatint

Q b Rafael Sabatini

Confined from our Last 1SSue.)
NJ. de La Tour d'Azyr stood there
by the table very erect and digni-
fed. ready to perish as he lived
without fear and without deception.
Andre-Louis came slowly forward
until he reached the table on the
other side and then at last the
muscles of his set face relaxed. and
he laughed.
you laugh" said NJ. de La Tour
d'Azyr, frowning. offended.
you have surprised me into it. l
give you three minutes, monsieur.
in which to leave this house. and 10
take your own measures for your
safety"
Wait, Listen," Madame was
painting. She flung away from An
dre-Louis, as if moved by some
premopition of what was coming.
"Gervais! This is horrible!"
Horrible, perhaps. but newt
able. l am q man in despair, the
fugitive of a lost cause. That man
holds the keys of escape. Besides,
between him and me there is a reck-
oning to be paid"
! His hand came from beneath his
coat, and it came armed with
a pistol.
/ Nine. de Plougastel screamed,
! and flung herself upon him. On her
knees now, she chung to his arm
with all her strength and might.
vainly he sought to shake himself
free of that desperate clutch.
But Andre-Louis had taken ad-
vantage of that moment OF NJ. de
La Tour d'Azyr's impotence to draw
! a pistol in his turn. Stand away
madame"
! Far from obeying that imperious
command, Nine de Plougastel rose
to her feet to cover the Marquis
with her body. But she still chung
to his arm, chung to it with I'M
suspected strength that continued
to prevent him from attempting tC
use the pistol.
He is your father, Andre! Ger
vais, he is your son-our son! The
letter there on the table
o my Cod" And she slipped ner
vously to the ground, and crouchet
there sobbing at the feet Of NJ d.
La Tour d'Azyr.
/ CHAPTER XIII.
Across the body Of that convul
sively sobbing woman, the mothel
of one and the mistress of the other
the eyes of those mortal enemies
met, invested with startled, ap
palled interest that admitted Of III
words.
/ M. de La Tour d'Azyr was tn
first to stir. Into his bewildere'
mind came the memory Of some
thing that Nine. de Plougastel ha
. said of letter that was on tn
table. He came forward, unhin
dered. He walked unsteadily pas
this new-found son of his, and too
, up the sheet that lay beside tn
: candle-branch. A long moment h
. stood reading it, none needing hin
: NJ. de La Tour d'Azyr read tn
f letter slowly through. Then yer
: quietly he replaced it. Then Il
t stepped back to Nine. de Plougas
: tells side and stopped to raise he1
) why was l never told? Why di
t ysu tell me that this child had die
: a few days after birth?"
| Il was afraid. l l though
5 it better so-that nobody. nobod.
: not even you, should know. Their
: was Plougastel; there was my fan
Y lily"
Through the windows open to tn
garden came from the distance tn
l faint throbbing of drum to remin
e them of what was happening aroun
4 them. At last Andre-Louis began I
, speak, his voice level and unuttel
l ably cold
e IN. de La Tour d'Azyr," he sal,
= Il trust that you'll agree that tn
e disclosure alters nothing since
effaces nothing Of all that lies b.
tween US. And yet . Oh, bl
what it avail to talk! Here, moi
sieur, take this safe-conduct whic
: is made out for Nine. de Plouga
4 tells footman, and with it max
; your escape as best you can. In r.
n turn l will beg of you the fave
h never to allow me to see you I
: hear of you again"
o The Marquis rose slowly to h
q feet again. He came slowly forwar
!, his smouldering eyes scanning h
a sons face
you are hard" he said griml
f But l recognize the hardness.
:, derives from the blood you bear.
: Spare me that" said Andr
Louis.
. M. lie La Tour considered hi
d gravely, sadly, in silence for a M
q ment
! He turned to Nine. de Plougaste
% Goodbye, Therese." His vol
! broke. He had reached the end
!, his iron self-control
! He held her face between h
hands an instant; then very gent
kissed her and put her from hi
a Standing erect, and outwardly cal
- again, he looked across at Andr
. Louis who was proffering him
G sheet Of paper.