Part 34 (1/2)

Ffoulkes had to smother a cry of horror, which surely must have drawn the attention of that fiend on hirossed in the enjoyment of his own devilry As it is, he ran out of the stuffy eating-house, for he felt as if its fetid air must choke him

For an hour after that he wandered about the streets, not daring to face Marguerite, lest his eyes betrayed so his very soul

That enty-four hours ago To-day he had learnt little else It was generally known that the English closely watched, and that his trial would come on within the next few days; but no one see restive, de that trial and execution to which every one seemed to look forward as to a holiday In the meanwhile the escape of the Dauphin had been kept fro for their lives, had still hopes of extracting fro-place, and theat this end orthy of Lucifer and his host of devils in hell

Froleaned that sa, it seemed to him that in order to hide their defalcations Heron and the four coe of little Capet had substituted a deaf and dumb child for the escaped little prisoner

This miserable small wreck of humanity was reputed to be sick and kept in a darkened room, in bed, and was in that condition exhibited to any ht to see him A partition had been very hastily erected in the inner room once occupied by the Simons, and the child was kept behind that partition, and no one was allowed to co fairly well Heron and his accomplices only cared to save their skins, and the wretched little substitute being really ill, they firmly hoped that he would soon die, when no doubt they would bruit abroad the news of the death of Capet, which would relieve thehts, such scheendered in human minds it is almost impossible to conceive, and yet we know from no less important a witness than Madame Simon herself that the child who died in the Temple a feeeks later was a poor little iht hither from one of the asylums and left to die in peace There was nobody but kindly Death to take hiiant intellect that had planned and carried out the rescue of the uncrowned King of France, and which alonebroken on the rack of enforced sleeplessness

CHAPTER XXVI THE BITTEREST FOE

That sa announced his intention of gleaning further news of Armand, if possible, went out shortly after seven o'clock, prouerite, on the other hand, had to make her friend a solemn promise that she would try and eat some supper which the landlady of these reed to prepare for her So far they had been left in peaceful occupation of these squalid lodgings in a tu the house of Justice, the griuerite would watch ide-open dry eyes for as long as the grey wintry light lingered over theh the darkness had set in, and snow, falling in close, small flakes, threw a thick white veil over the landscape, she sat at the openlong after Sir Andrew had gone out, watching the few sht that blinked across from the other side of the river, and which came from the s of the Chatelet towers The s of the Conciergerie she could not see, for these gave on one of the inner courtyards; but there was aon those walls that held in their cruel, grim embrace all that she loved in the world

It see, irresponsible, light-hearted adventurer--as the prey of those fiends ould revel in their triumph, ould crush him, humiliate him, insult hiht break the indomitable spirit that would mock them even on the threshold of death

Surely, surely God would never allow such le into the hands of those preying jackals! Marguerite--though her heart ached beyond what huuish on her husband's account was doubled by that which she felt for her brother--could not bring herself to give up all hope Sir Andrew said it rightly; while there was life there was hope While there was life in those vigorous li ain the better of the immortal soul? As for Armand--why, if Percy were free she would have no cause to fear for Arret and longing If she could only see her husband; if she could only look for one second into those laughing, lazy eyes, wherein she alone kne to fathom the infinity of passion that lay within their depths; if she could but once feel his--ardent kiss on her lips, she couldsuspense, and wait confidently and courageously for the issue

She turned away fro bitterly cold From the tower of St Gerht Even as the last sound of the historic bell died away in the distance she heard a tily

She thought it was her landlady, come up with more wood, mayhap, for the fire, so she did not turn to the door when she heard it being slowly opened, then closed again, and presently a soft tread on the threadbare carpet

”May I crave your kind attention, Lady Blakeney?” said a harsh voice, subdued to tones of ordinary courtesy

She quickly repressed a cry of terror Hoell she knew that voice!

When last she heard it it was at Boulogne, dictating that infamous letter--the weapon ith Percy had so effectually foiled his enemy

She turned and faced the man as her bitterest foe--hers in the person of the asped

”Himself at your service, dear lady,” he said siht of the laainst the dark wall beyond He wore the usual sable-coloured clothes which he affected, with the pried with narrow lace

Without waiting for permission from her he quietly and deliberately placed his hat and cloak on a chair Then he turned once more toward her, and made a movement as if to advance into the room; but instinctively she put up a hand as if to ward off the calaed his shoulders, and the shadow of a smile, that had neither mirth nor kindliness in it, hovered round the corners of his thin lips

”Have I your permission to sit?” he asked

”As you will,” she replied slowly, keeping her wide-open eyes fixed upon hihtened bird upon the serpent whom it loathes and fears

”And may I crave a few moments of your undivided attention, Lady Blakeney?” he continued, taking a chair, and so placing it beside the table that the light of the lamp when he sat remained behind him and his face was left in shadow

”Is it necessary?” asked Marguerite