Part 45 (2/2)

Chauvelin made no reply Like a feline creature on the prowl, he atching the prey that had so nearly succuhastly The effort to speak, to laugh, to appear unconcerned, was apparently beyond his strength His cheeks and lips were livid in hue, the skin clung like a thin layer of wax to the bones of cheek and jaw, and the heavy lids that fell over the eyes had purple patches on them like lead

To a system in such an advanced state of exhaustion the stale water and dusty bread , and Chauvelin hih he was, could hardly bear to look calues were torturing in order to gain their own ends

An ashen hue, which seemed like the shadow of the hand of death, passed over the prisoner's face Chauvelin felt co that was almost akin to re did not last--the heart had been too long atrophied by the constantly recurring spectacles of cruelties, massacres, and wholesale hecatohteen months in the name of liberty and fraternity to be capable of a sustained effort in the direction of gentleness or of pity Any noble instinct in these revolutionaries had long ago been drowned in a whirlpool of exploits that would forever sully the records of hu of a fellow-creature on the rack in order to wring from him a Judas-like betrayal was but a conitude to weigh upon their souls

Chauvelin was in no way different froues; the cri to serve the Government that had committed them, and his ferocity in the present case was increased a thousandfold by his personal hatred for the man who had so often fooled and baffled him

When he looked round a second or two later that ephe; he had onceif ashen-pale face of his unconquered foe

”Only a passing giddiness, --”

At the airily-spoken words, at the smile that accompanied the almost supernatural, weird, and iDeath with his tongue in his cheek, about his laugh that appeared to find its echo in a widely yawning grave

”In the naht his clenched fist crashi+ng down upon the table, ”this situation is intolerable Bring it to an end to-night!”

”Why, sir?” retorted Blakeney, ”ht you and your kind did not believe in God”

”No But you English do”

”We do But we do not care to hear His name on your lips”

”Then in the name of the hom you love--”

But even before the words had died upon his lips, Sir Percy, too, had risen to his feet

”Have done, man--have done,” he broke in hoarsely, and despite weakness, despite exhaustion and weariness, there was such a dangerous look in his hollow eyes as he leaned across the table that Chauvelin drew back a step or two, and--vaguely fearful--looked furtively towards the opening into the guard-room ”Have done,” he reiterated for the third ti God whoth yet to smite you in the face”

But Chauvelin, after that first moment of al-froid

”Little Capet, Sir Percy,” he said, lance with an imperturbable smile, ”tell me where to find him, and you may yet live to savour the caresses of the land”

He had meant it as a taunt, the final turn of the thu hed the full consequences of the taunt

The next moment he had paid to the full the anticipated price Sir Percy had picked up the pewterfrom the table--it was half-filled with brackish water--and with a hand that treht at his opponent's face

The heavy ainst the stone wall opposite But the water was trickling froed his shoulders with a look of benign indulgence directed at his enemy, who had fallen back into his chair exhausted with the effort

Then he took out his handkerchief and calht a shot as you used to be, Sir Percy,” he said ly

”No, sir--apparently--not”

The words caasps He was like a man only partly conscious

The lips were parted, the eyes closed, the head leaning against the high back of the chair For the space of one second Chauvelin feared that his zeal had outrun his prudence, that he had dealt a death-blow to a e of exhaustion, where he had only wished to fan the flickering flame of life Hastily--for the seconds seeuard-room