Part 21 (1/2)

The president spoke again

”Are there any here who are against the election of Constantine”--I could not catch the other na Polish one, I think--”to the place on the council, vacant since the murder of our comrade, Vladiuessed as he spoke that the man who found Cassavetti's body was noithin five paces of him!

Not a hand was raised, and the man who had not voted stepped on to the dais, in obedience to a gesture from the president, and took his seat in silence

A hoarse rim quietude of these men was more fearful than any amount of noise could have been, and, as the president raised his hand slightly, a dead silence fell

”Remains now only that we do justice on the murderess of Selinski, the traitress who has betrayed our secrets, has frustrated many of our plans, has warned more than one of those e have justly doo them--with the result that they have escaped, for the present We would not condemn her unheard, but so far she is obdurate; she defies us, endeavors once more to trick us If she were other than she is, or rather than she has been, she would have been re since, when suspicion first fell upon her; but there are uilty without the evidence of their own eyes and ears; and therefore we have brought her here that she may speak for herself, defend herself if that is possible It will rest with you to acquit or condemn her!”

He spoke quite quietly, but the cool, deliberate nity of his tone was horrible; and somehow I knew that the ainst the prisoner, although he had spoken of ”many of us who love her”

The man beside me touched my arm, and spoke to me in French

”Do you understand him?”

”Yes, do you?”

”No”

There was no tinal from the president, a door at the side near the dais was opened, and a wo her by an arm They released her, and she stepped back a pace, and stood against the wall, her hands pressed against it on either side, bracing herself like a royal creature at bay

It was Anne herself, and for a moment I stood, unable toale The feeble lathen, and to concentrate itself on her face,--colorless save for the vivid red lips,--on her eyes, wide and brilliant with indignation, on the bright hair that shone like a queenly crown Wrath, and scorn, and defiance were expressed by the beautiful face, the tense figure; but never a trace of fear

They were all looking at her, as I was, in silence,--a curious hush that lasted but a few seconds, but in which I could hear the beating of e hammer

The spell was broken by a cry fro forward towards her, shouting in English: ”Anne! Anne! It is I, your father!”

I was only just less quick; we reached her al her with our bodies, and covering those nearest us with our revolvers

”Father! Maurice!” I heard her sob ”Oh, I knew, I knew you would come!”

”What is this devilry?” shouted Anthony Pendennis in French ”How cohter here? She is a British subject, and you--you shall pay dearly--”

He got no further Our action had been so swift, so unexpected, that the whole crowd stood still, as if paralyzed by sheer astonishment, for a few breathless seconds

”Spies! Traitors! Kill the forward, revolver in hand

Those words were his last, for he threw up his arot hiether, like a mob of furious wild beasts They were all armed, soeons they call ”killers,”--a short heavy bar of lead set on a strong copper spring, no bigger than an ordinary round office ruler, butupjust above us, and hurled it aave us a se, for the other laht did not reach us, but only served to dionists I felt Anne sink down to the floor behind h whether a shot had reached her or she had fainted I did not know