Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-02-06


1t is strange" he answered. "But
come-you are going now"
Monsieur SazaracI" she cried
sharply. "Why do you not speak?"
of what?" he said simply. in no
wonder.
an l DO not know" The stars
showed the paleness of her face, her
luminous eyes wide up to him. The
wen OF silence that had been woven
ABOUT her was mesh that neither
tears nor challenge had yet pierced.
Il, too, am a nameless ghost" he
smiled the ghost of man who
might have been Come, nowI Mon
sleur Sazarac bids you respectfully
but firmly, to go. You will obey
monsieur Sazarac is accustomed to
Delng obeyed. The hands of Mon
sieur Sazarac have been stained with
the blood of those who chose not TO
obey. Is that enough about Monsieur
Sazarac, Mademoiselle?"
He turned away to her little tent.
She heard him giving instructions to
the silent black steward who had
been charged to her service.
The tiny light against the unseen
forest shore was growing palmer. She
heard a brushing in the coarse grass.
Raoul de Almonaster drew out of the
starlight and stopped by her with a
comment. Apparently he did not no.
tice Monsieur Sazarac at her tent see
ING TO her fnyu ha1op
He came to you, did he not?" MUIR
INJURED Raoul. ut is the last moment.
gave him this to speak to you,
Louise"
"Why, what should he speak?" she
whispered. "But then-he would
not !''
The younger man misinterpreted.
HE loves you, and he would not
speak. Eth, well! 1t is my honor to
keep from him-and from you. 1
was his first conf1dant-from the very
first. When he was about to chal-
lenge Carr, because of you, 1 offered
to second him at the Oaks. From the
first, he spoke of you-and he had my
pledge Of honor. All, but l did not
know then who the lady was-the
pawn of his game at Maspero's-the
lady he must retrieve from the Gena-
rom Monsieur Sazarac-at the part
Ing of the paths, one on to peace, even,
perhaps, to honor for wounded name
chose this to serve you, though he
knew it meant the abyss opened for
him Is not that a love, Mademoselle
that would hold the friend Of Sazarac
to his honor?"
''Tell me-" she whispered swiftly,
"the ragged fellow in the emperors
cabin-his jests, his love-"
"a dead man, telling neither love
nor jests-" Then the young man
turned holly on her. "See. here! The
boat is making readyl Well, If
SaZarac has your heart, Louise, will
not gol"
"Oh, no!-no-now she breathed.
Monsieur"
The figure of Monsieur Sazarac
doomed against the stars before them.
Pardon" he said smoothly. "It is
the time for the longboat."
ut is damnable !" De Almonaster
| sprang to grasp his sleeve: "Sir, a
woman's part for mel / will not go 4!
Il will not gol"
Monsieur Sazarac looked from him
to Mademoiselle Lestron intently. 1t
was as open to them as blown rose
| to the sunshine-De Almonaster would
| not creep away, saved by a woman's
skirts among the Spaniards, and ever
after see in her eyes that she was
| holding in memory another man who
died for her.
Monsieur Sazarac smiled, rubbed his
childrenr p
There is the boat" muttered De
Almonaster sullenly. "The blacks at
the oars, and Clark at the tiller. The
| tide is coming Quit is an easy pull.
Here is my handkerchief for the truce
| flag on boat-pole." He bowed quiet
| ly: "Mademoiselle Lestron is going
| to the Spanish captains care"
"Sir?" said Sazarac coolly. You
| to that boatp'
A stealthy slur of steel and leather
came In the silence. They saw the
point of De Almonaster's rapier flash
dimly and then held to the sand.
'Monsieur Sazarac, / had the idea
long ago that, at some hour, you and
| should fight. 1t was as inevitable
as anything could be. 1t was written
| by these stars at the birth of each
| Of us as it was written that we
each should love a woman whom it
| has been given US in our lives, to pro-
tect. Mademoiselle Lestron to the
boat-then, draw, with me, Mon
sieuri'
The older man did not stir. Twice,
then. in so short a time, he must de-
cline a challenge because Of her! 1t
was very odd-he laughed slowly.
Mademoiselle had seemed dumb for
the moment. Then she sprang, with
hand raised before De Almonaster's
blazing eyes and impetuous arm.
"Weli, then" went on Monsieur
Sazarac quietly, "first, the lady for
/ xrbo,,, VIC ynuSt fichf-fO fhe lOnphOat