Show benm akle ouse by opie read illustrated by R H GoMric coal abl hk TM th akil ikil syndicate ine inc CHAPTER XII 13 draco drace was far too disturbed in mind to sloop sleep and before the sun was high he walked out alone in the garden to biuso upon his fits situation slowly lie ho paced ills is way along the path someone spoke and lie he turned to face the man batoche Ilat ocile monsieur Alons leur a note drace took the paper and hastened into tile the summer house the note was brief but full in the expression of what had befallen nadine something to throb with the telling of it As soon as you can my lovo love one you must come boroo to me to take me from the man I 1 thought my father but who Is the awful bruto brute yesterday lie he called nip mp a she wolf and told me I 1 om am not hla his daughter and when he told me my heart light for then I 1 have not within we roe the murderers wood blood come not alone virgil for tony will he be here and both of them watch I 1 nin am locked r prisoner in my room and tomorrow they take me to memphis to make mt niec marry monsieur boyce but I 1 tear not so io long as I 1 know you comee come quickly drace slipped up to his room buckled on JIM pistol found a rope looped it with a hang bang mans noose and tucked it beneath tits his coat nadine was not Str Sti daughter now he was free to net I 1 swift t was he to answer the appeal but lie he was waa sot set against her ber caution ca the advice to bring someone with him it was his fight alone the execution of his oath which was not dead like the autumn leaf but fresh like ithe the new leaf in the spring he would shoot tony the dog and then string ingup UP his in master a ster no one saw him not even the watchful cycle and ho he hastened toward willow head not having found a boat at the landing never bad tho the river seemed so ao broad the current sa so swift at last his canoe touched in among the cane roots at the islands edge lie he leaped ashore hut but was cautious in the cane tin nn indian in stealth as he approached the house he heard not a sound unsound saw no smoke issue from the chimney y perhaps the wolves were in wait for him to snap him but he was now in till full view and he ran at the top of hla his speed but near the house ho he halted peering about looked in atthe at the door of the main room found it deserted then walked softly around to the barred window nadine spoke before he recognized nihed herr her standing in the twilight of her prison my heart was loud to tell roe me you would come virgil and you brought no one with you but of that there was no need now he stood in silence looking nt at her his strength exerted against a bar at the window to tear it loose but tile the wrought tron nails nafis were too long and lie he could not budge them 14 s fix virgil I 1 Is it lying there acting upon tier her suggestion and with no caution now against making a noise he cut the bars awny and helped her through tile the window nadine lie said auld ray my oath must now b bo kept ills ilia firms arms about her ile he stood press inn ing her close and never had lie he felt so so strong and nd surely never so determined tier her eyes half closed tier her head fiend on his ami she did not speak site she looked ba as if she were at rest and dreaming ile he ki kissed ased tier nud and her eyes illi blushed shed wide 1 I have come to hank the monster that called you n she wolf when I 1 buve told you yes and now you will listen early kurlai 1 thought I 1 heard tony and my illy I 1 menn S cepho a 6 vette eo 90 cut lafit stellio vas not walking with the tha strong man but was dragged out in the ns for oon c uuie in the night come the lie strange nire stroke and estepho was paralyzed 11 nadine I 1 what ore you 1 I nm saying that you must listen tony canie to the window and told me MUM was happen I 1 ask him film to let roe me put but he would not for he wants annta to please estepho till the last on oil re no count of the money that nay 1 be some where hid bid ile he went for the doctor loc tor and he canie but has gone awny again for I 1 hear him say he can do no good the old man was out in his hid chair where etere he so often idt bit and we will a 0 blin for it will ilot abot he be for oner I 1 lot let us ua forget all find and bo be kind whan death was come virgil yes but where is tony now nowr 1 I think lie ho Is looking for tho money let us go now to the poor old man you forgive eti easily nadine how can wo we not forgive when the heart say we must virgil lie he use ilse roe me for the trap which I 1 will explain all to you but lie give me the chance to be with yoland youji you and nd for coir that I 1 thank him film and for not being my sure bure enough fattier father I 1 I 1 come with xue tue it 1 I 1 I 1 old estepho sat jn ill ills clint chair elm asleep but oa ns they alicy approached him lie he opened his film eyes boded at nadine then hen it fit brace verl ver strong an A I 1 kill you if I 1 be not struck down like tho the boef beef at an tony kill you it if cohere he hero but I 1 send him off for something ah ti tie the e lechle gel site she linte me inc now monsieur 11 she sat said rc 1 cannot annot ind tt it in ili my lily henrt heart to linte hate it la Is the polson maily times you were kind und find I 1 remember them lie ile boded tits head fiend and through fits tangled looked up tip fit at drace ire alre gleaming through brushwood dut but he spoke to nadine turning upon tier her a less lesi malIgn tint glance the paralyze it begin down here an creep creel ill up when it touch the beart I 1 was RO go I 1 say ally just now that tony lie ho would kill tile the strong mon monsieur lie ile would not lie ile be scared when I 1 was done your name loeble gel pursued estepho 4 was walton the daughter of a northern man who live in the same town with mr dracos father near cincinnati cin elm nati iati you tin an your mother were carried off by my men but your mother she fall from the horse just as we come to our camp and she die about her neck was a purse with money and papers one cite that thai tell where more money Is burled after the war I 1 go back and dig up tip this money but I 1 keep lt it for you for your dowry tt it Is here hurled burled under the hearthstone now now I 1 beg you to go fo for father you know where he live quick for it creep up yes I 1 will go virgil will stay to keep keel you company let me go with you drace arnce plena fearful that sonic harin might befall her no my love one site alio gently op posed him you must stay here for no harm van ran come to me now stay here and am he be kind to him for kind Is the will of the one above you will yes she kissed hissed him fondly and the old wolf eyes yes closed that they might not 9 01 0 no mercy marcy bowlet now eee now she me was ready to go virgil steadied the canoe for her nud and gently shoved it off she threw him a kiss and rounding ng n green cape rat raised ae I 1 her paddle into the sunlight and flushed flashed ulin adieu draco drace ret returned timed to stephos chair the old shagging his fits brows fit at him film then thinking of tile the rope still but antly beneath hiscott his hl sont coat ho he tore it out tand nd throw threw it away nature he reflected lind u usurped his task and lie he could anfelt turn over to tier her hit hin cl claims alms A all slight ight noise behind him film he looked quickly about find and there a few feet behind him nt at the edge of the cane stood tony upon him the vision of dracos countenance came it seemed with a startling flash instantly he fell backo back through the cao cano fringe into tile the bayou loudly he cried for help oil oh monsieur implored the old man please help he p heem ile he cau can no swim an lie die bafo hoes sinz sins they was forgive hep tile the po do wretch monR monsieur leur 9 monsieur virgil threw off his coat and hla ps pt tol belt odd and leaped into the w anter A moment before lie he would have shot the beast now he save hi him tony was waa not in sight but go soon D he nrose swimming and drace saw knife in fit his hand blind in the abc atc J was ns its much nt at home hoino as aa a ile ho dived find virgil knew now G it was hla his alin aim to beneath hani hl ni ta with the knife to rip him us a swi tilmer ripa a crocodile hut in u i 1 water the strong man inn young dra hns at home too and I 1 turning abo willi ath a quick swirl lio waited TJ came up and now they calne e town tor ti 1 l each other like ilko revill and treading idIng wilter water shonia ders up virgil tonys lea i wrist wrenched lila fits firm linic ati I 1 helpless solved him bythe by lie till left hand steel gripped about eliou tile ru nna derous right wrist wilst tile the knife hand no mercy now I 1 fire find v their ganiel down gasping dova doai 1 I 1 the hend head beneath tile the sur fuce th 1 lhand still out striving to blowis the blind annd opened tile 1 unite alte dropped tile hall annd closed linly opened iva wai 1 1 s limp draco drace turned loose lifs hs arl grin the body sunk virgil s aum ashore and came drip i out of the cane the old man spoke whar he 1 if I have drowned him monsieur was vas vor ver stron gill pl if I 1 had brought him to the shork shore lie ho would hav have L s sneaked a chance to t murder me ho he was waa tile the bad man yes yea H ought be dead yes yea I 1 was to keel beant ile ho keel the roan man here not long 0 go o twice he be RO go keel you fin an once lie snap the pistol I 1 set act the trap for you to be stabbed in the water then there be no blood to tell the th tille now I 1 amso am so see sor will mons monsieur eur pull me into the house housea 4 no you would reach for a pistol to shoot roe me stay where you are arc monsieur have still suspicion W i wait I 1 p I 1 I 1 virgil put on ills his coat his belt nol ani sat down on the grass the old mita man was silent his eyes closed ho he might ho he dead but no matter more lhnn as an 1 hour dragged by tile the breeze moaning in the cane virgil nrose arose and stood near the chair estepho opened his eyes but was silent virgil sat down again and waited the wind tangling the tops of the enne pi he heard the canoe coming colln vi fattier father ws was kindly and soft of voice for many a despairing JJ wretch he had held the cross crosa at sight of him old stephos eyes ivere still hard time wears granite away yf I 1 but does not mellow it not yet had j lie granted mercy and for no pity could lie he hope father this la Is the man I 1 gwim crould jj keel heel I 1 hate heena he etti the carpetbag r P alro alre I 1 I 1 it to IB not true said virgil stand fe ins ng near IT fought against the carpet K hagberg in june in new orleans when r they were hanging n man I 1 cut him down how gre great atcon can be an instant ch change angel t theold the old wolf eyes eyen dewed soft oil oh monsieur I 1 was that man mail i they hang filing me I 1 hear of the lie brava roan mail but I 1 not know it was you please forgive me tek the gel an I 1 know you be kind to her she love you for you she would die monsieur I 1 beg you not to think to so hard of me no my beetle gel eel you must not cry 1 I did not know you said draw drace A cloth was about your features think not of it now listen to the one who has come with a message of pence peace and forgiveness the priest devoted himself to hit his J sacred offices the wind moaned soft ly in the cane the priest spoke presently to virgil she must not stay here take hr away and I 1 will see that everything shall be done I 1 nadine stood with coat pulled close about her face and into his heart she spoke the sun Is low virgil 11 but you leave me now no more THE END |