Part 46 (2/2)

”I thank you, sir In this d--d hole I had lost count of tiue, had been watching the prisoner very closely for the last e that had co those few seconds while he, Chauvelin, had thought hi The pose was certainly the old familiar one, the head erect, the hand clenched, the eyes looking through and beyond the stone walls; but there was an air of listlessness in the stoop of the shoulders, and--except for that one brief gleam just now--a look of more complete weariness round the hollow eyes! To the keen watcher it appeared as if that sense of living power, of unconquered will and defiant er fear that alo kindled in hiue sense of adazed, Blakeney slowly turned his eyes full upon hiave a triu smile he met the wearied look, the pitiable appeal His turn had come at last--his turn tonoas no longer the last phase of a long and noble martyrdom; it was the end--the inevitable end--that for which he had schemed and striven, for which he had schooled his heart to ferocity and callousness that were devilish in their intensity It was the end indeed, the slow descent of a soul frohts of attempted self-sacrifice, where it had striven to soar for a tiether and dragged it doith them into the abyss of submission and of irreparable shaned in the narrow cell for a few moments, whilst two human jackals stood leah he was, had becoe that had coh of hopeless exhaustion had once more rested both his elbows on the table; his head fell heavy and almost lifeless doard in his arms

”Curse you, man!” cried Heron almost involuntarily ”Why in the na?”

Then, as the prisoner htly, and looked on the other two men with dulled, wearied eyes, Chauvelin interposed calht has been wasted in useless obstinacy, Sir Percy

Fortunately it is not too late”

”Capet?” said Heron hoarsely, ”tell us, where is Capet?”

He leaned across the table, his eyes were bloodshot with the keenness of his excitement, his voice shook with the passionate desire for the crowning triumph

”If you'll only not worry me,” murmured the prisoner; and the whisper came so laboriously and so low that both men were forced to bend their ears close to the scarcelylips; ”if you will let me sleep and rest, and leave rave, hly; ”if you will only speak Where is Capet?”

”I cannot tell you; the way is long, the road--intricate”

”Bah!”

”I'll lead you to hiive rowled Heron with a sht enough”

”I cannot explain; the way is intricate; the place off the beaten track, unknown except to me and my friends”

Onceof the hand of Death, overspread the prisoner's face; his head rolled back against the chair

”He'll die before he can speak,” muttered Chauvelin under his breath

”You usually are well provided with brandy, citizen Heron”

The latter no longer deue It had been hell's own luck if the prisoner were to die nohen he seeive in He produced a flask from the pocket of his coat, and this he held to Blakeney's lips

”Beastly stuff,” murmured the latter feebly ”I think I'd sooner faint--than drink”

”Capet? where is Capet?” reiterated Heron iues from here I must let one of my friends know; he'll communicate with the others; they must be prepared,” replied the prisoner slowly

Heron uttered a blasphemous oath