Cmrifbt. 1901 kr Tkc Bobto-McnUl Co. glass windows, she saw at last him she sought; in one of the chapels, near the white marble monument to her mother, was his Excellency; but, not alone! Before him stood, or hall crouched, the man Sanchez, who now -was speaking. “Shall I ring for your Excellency’s servants and have the noise stopped?" Grotesquely he bowed, the while watch ing like an animal studying its prey, “Beppo! Where are you—fat rascal? Consign these swine to the gibbets! What! You can't obey because your ears have been cut off and your throat slit? That’s too bad!” Fiercely the man laughed; then waved his arm toward the window, as if calling the Governor’s attention to the sounds ol demolition; the abrupt breaking ol glass! Patter! Patter! Merry little bullets, presents from the people, your Excellency! Metayage, your High ness!” Still the other said no word; a tig tire, so motionless and white, it seemed but a wraith pausing at the side of its own “narrow' house.” A louder clamor without; a more vivid brightness of the red, yellow and purple hues, like a sudden wealth ol strange flowers strewn on the marble floor, and again Sanchez laughed. “Too bad! But 'tls I who must pay first! Who owe so much! Has your Excellency his strong box with him? Ah, he leans on It! Such a fine one, all of marble! Not easily broken into—or out of! Eh, your Ex cellency?” Swinging back something bright. “Full payment, this time! Not coppers, or round bits of lead, bul steel, beautiful steel!” .Held to the spot by the abrupt ter tot and fascination of the scene, th« "H«re Is Something That Belonged to Your Father.” Governor's daughter had made ac sound, fearful of hastening the inevi table; but at the moment the man, with a last taunting word, launched forward, a cry, half articulate, burs! from her lips. It was drowned by an other voice, loud and commanding, which rang out from the entrance to the church. “Sanchez!” Perhaps the call disconcerted him; robbed the old servant’s eye of its cer titude; his arm of its sureness, for the blow aimed at his Excellency the Int ter was enabled to evade. At tli« same time, as with singular agility hr moved aside to save himself, the hand the Governor had been holding to his breast, shot out like an adder, it struck viciously; stung deep—full In the side of his tormentor. “That for your metayage!” But a momentary expression of sat isfaction was, however, permitted his Excellency; the petty tragedy became overshadowed by the greater! "The Bastile! Our Bastile!” And again a shower of bullets, di rected in hatred, fell upon the church, because its windows were priceless; shone with-' saints of inestimable value! In the chapel, an aumbry and a piscina were struck; around the Governor, glass began to clatter and break Into bits on the pavement, when suddenly he wavered; hi3 hand sought his heart, then felt for and clung to the monument, as If abruptly seek ing support. \ "Why did you do it, Seigneur?” As my lady, exclaiming wildly, ran to her father, Sanchez, from where he lay, looked up to his master. “Call out, I mean? Not that it mat ters much now!” His implacable glance, swerving to the Governor, lighted with satisfaction. “The people have paid. And ’twas I—showed them the way!” “It was you, then—who broke faith in the negotiations for the exchange of prisoners?" A smile came to the face of the old F«’v: n\ “I had to,” he said simply, “i al-ue am to blame. No one knew-; except, perhaps, the poet, who may have surmised! It was treachery for treachery!” with sudden fierceness. “You could not have done it, nor your father, nor any of the seigneurs be fore him!” The young man seemed scarcely to hear; his glance had again sought my lady. “But I am only a servant—and in totaling with a viper I used its own tricks! Did you think 1 had forgotten those stripes? Or the blow he gave your father—in the back?” A moment Sanchez’ hand fumbled at his coat; drew out a bag of oilskiii. “Here is something that belonged to your father. I took It from his breast the day he died, think ing some time—I can’t tell what—only it contains a letter from the former lady oft he Mount! When my master got It. be told s>> to pack a tew be THE NORTHWESTERN’S BIG AUTO CONTEST CLOSES > y _ ___ __ MONDAY, APRIL 7th, 1913 Jf you aye ip the Office by 9 o’clock p. pi. op the closipg day you may cast all the votes you have, but the door of the office will be closed at exactly 9 o’clock. The Biggest and Best Prize ever given by a Sherman County Institution Candidates Notice Any Candidate who desires may have a representative to watch the count and see that everything is done properly and everyone given fair treatment. Prize To Be Awarded At Close 0 Contest The Time To Hustle If you hustle you can't lose, ask a few of your friends for five and ten year subscriptions and see how quick your count of votes goes up. J. W. Burleigh Proprietor Contest Manager, Care Northwestern .ong'ngs—that we were going—never to return!” Sanchez’ voice broke off; again he strove to speak; could not; put cut his hand. Mechanically the Black Seigneur’s closed on that of the old servant; even as it did so, the latter’s fingers clutched suddenly; ceased to move. In the church now all was silent, but without arose discordant i sounds, cries, harsh and Vengeful, for the Governor! Starting, the Black Seigneur gazed about, toward him they were clamor ing for, now lying still, at the base of the monument. Then releasing the fingers, that seemed yet to hold him, the young man sprang forward, as my lady threw herself wildly, protcctfng ly, over her father. At that touch, the Governor's eyes op,ued; met hers; the Black Seigneur's! Nearer the door, now rang the shouts. His Excellency seemed to listen; to realize what they meant; to him—his daughter— "The Governor! The Governor!" “Tremblez tyrans! Trembles!” An ironical flash lit up, for an In stant, the dying eyes. lie, soon, would be beyond reach of these dogs—ca naille! But she? His gaze again rested on the Black B-signeur; in that tense, fleeting second, seemed reading his very soul! * “Et la belle comtesse, sa fllle!” cried the menacing voices. A tremor crossed the Governor’s face; his pale lips moved. “Forget! Save her!" An instant his eye3 lin gered persistently on ths young man; then passed to his daughter; as they did so, slowly the light, more human md appealing than any that had ever shone there before, went out of them. My lady’s fair head dropped tintil it lay on her father’s breast; uncon scious, she seemed yet to shield him with figure Inert. But only fer a mo ment! “Et la belle comtesse!” Stooping, the Black Seigneur snatched the slender form to his breast; ran back to ihe altar. There, looking around him, as one who mado himself familiar with the place, his glance apparently found what it sought —a small stairway, entrance to the crypt. At the same time Le started to descend, the people swept into the church. CHAPTER XXXIII. On the SaVds. A man, bearing ia his arms the mo tionless form of a woman, paused later that night In the shadow of a low stone hovel, near the lo..er gate of the Mount. As he crouched beneath the thatch projecting like the rim of an old hat above him his eyes, eager, fierce, studied the distance l.e had yet to traverse from the end of the nar row alley, where he had stepped, to the open entrance at the base of the rock to the sands. The goal was not ar; bat a few moments wou*d have sufficed to reach it; only between him and the pcint he had so leug been striving to attain, an obstacle, or group of obstacles, intervened. Before a bonfire of wreckage of stuff—furniture ana household goods—several ragged, dissolute fellows sat with bottles be fore them, drinking hard and quarrel ing the while over a number of glitter ing gems, gold snuffboxes and trinkets )f all kinds. “This bit of Ivory for the white stone!” “Add the brooch!” “Not I! Look at the picture! Her ladyship, perhaps!” “They have not found her?” “No; for all the searching! But she is somewhere; can’t have escaped from the Mount. And when the drabs and trulls lay hands on her!” “Ay, when!” casting the dice. The man, peering from the alley, hesitated no longer; behind sounded the footsteps of others, and gather ing his burden more firmly, he strode boldly forth toward the group and the cate. At his approach, their talk— .a Jargon of "thieves’ Latin” that ■macked more of the cabarets of Paris than those of the coast—momentarily ceased; beneath lowering brows, they stared hard. “What have you there, comrade?” said one. “Look and see!” answered the man in a rough tone. “Poor booty! A woman!’quoted an other with a harsh laugh. “You’re easily pleased. As if wenches were not plentiful enough on other occa 1 slons, without wasting time on a night like this, when diamonds and gold are to be had for the searching!” “And silver plates and watches and rare liquors!” cried a third in knaves’ argot. “Every one, however, to his taste; An you prefer a light-of-love to light such as these have,” juggling with the gems, “you but stamp your self a fool.” “You’re welcome to your opinion, my friend!” The man with the bur den spoke bruskly. “Good night!” “Stay; why such haste? You seem not a bad fellow. Set the wench down. We’ll have sight of her, and, perhaps," with coarse expletives, “if she’s a pretty face, and a taste for this fiery liquor the old monks laid down, we’ll find a gewgaw or two to her liking!” But the man made no answer; was Th© Black Seigneur Gazed Only Ahead. -’oout to pass on, when the speaker noticed for the first time the woman’s hand, white red trial!, liarg'ng limply "What’c this? More jewels?” His ex clamation was caught up by the oth ers. “Not so fast, comrade'.' This ">ats a different face to the matter. down the booty, and,” springing to h,a. feat, “veil see what :t’a worth." . “I’ll act step’”,.The man looked at J ts him stcicily. "On the Mount is, or should he, plenty for all! Go seek for yourself!” “Pardi!” softly. "Here’s one dares speak his mind! “I speak plainly,” in a tone of au thority, “and you -would do well to heed!" “Perhaps,” interposing. “What say you, comrades?” Evil smiles illumined evil faces; they, who had Just been on the point of blows among themselves, now re garded one another with common un derstanding. One weighed tentatively that delicate weapon, a spontoon; a second stroked his halberd, as liking to feel the smoothness of the shaft, while a third reached for a gleaming "Folard’s Partlzan." And in the glare of the fire every implement showed sign it had been used that night. The point of the spontoon was as steel crusted o’er; the ax of the halberd might have come from a boucherie; the blade of the “Partlzan” resembled a great leaf at autumn-time. This last wavered perilously near the uncon scious burden; had the man made a movement to resist, would have struck; but the black eyes, only, combated—held the blood-shot ono3. Though not for long; again the weap on seemed about to dart forth; the man about to hurl himself and his bur den desperately aside, when, Trom above, came the sound of hoarse laughter and singing, and simuliane otisly a number of peasants, Cretans by their dress, burst into view. “Kb, cockatoo, what now!” Many or those ncw-comers were hurt; few free from cuts; but nonej thought of stanching th-eir wcunrin. Their principal concern seemed for articles they carried—heavy, light; valuable, paury—spoils from the high! Two staggered beneath a gi\.at chsst stamped with the arms of the Mount and its motto, and appeared anxious 10 hurry—perchance toward the forest on the snore where they might bury ’ their treasure. Others had in their arms Imposing pieces of silver; VEs'm and a massive surtout de table that had once belonged to the Cardinal Du bois. A woman, gaunt, toothless, wore a voluminous bonnet a l’Argus, left at the Mount by one of the ladies of the court; and waved before her a fan, set with jewels. She it was who called out: “Eh, cockatoo!” shrilly. “Who would you be killing?" “A selfish fellow that refuses to ■hare!” answered be of the halberd, as If little pleased at the interruption. "Refuses to share, does he?” she repeated, and, swaggering down, peered forward; only to start back. “The Black Seigneur!" “The Black Seigneur!” Those who accompanied her—a rough rabble from field and forest— gazed, not without surprise, or uncouth admiration, at one whose name and fame were well known on that north ern coast; but these evidences of rough approval were not shared by the alien rogues. On my lady’s finger the gem sparkled; held their eyes like a lure. Black Seigneur, or not, they , muttered sullenly, what knew they of ner he had with him; whose hand was hot that of cinder-wench or scullery, maid? Let them look at her face! She might be a great lady—she might be the Governor’s daughter herself! "The Governor's daughter!" All, aMh^ «»nght at the awed. __J “3LnoooceceoeoooooooeGOGC< I will call sales in any part of Sherman County. Phone or write, Jack Pageler Loup City, Nebraska S. A. Pratt Billiard and Pool Parlors Finest Brands ot Cigars, with such leaders as Denbys, Havana Sticks, B. B s., and other choice smokes. Your patronage appreciated First Door, West of First National Bank Loup City, Nebraska, Call The One Way Round Trip BUBUNGTON & Colonist rates west Homesekers rates SowhCBatnd DON.T FORGET The free Government lands .n the big corn country Wyoming For any informrtion desired‘rcgarding rates and (sleeping c^rs to all points. Call or phone J. A. Donielson; Agent, Loup City, Neb. | Burlington ! Acute For Insurance or TREES of any kind try F. E. BREWER I have a nice line of Norway Poplars, home grown. Loup City, Nebraska BOB’! win?] ^ and Improper ^ -reatment ol disease ► .means loss of time. > money and health Consult a rell&LJc Specialist, one who is not afraid to use his own name, and permanfiril Jmjsii*'^s and .-***i DO , BE DECEIVt J doctors who * “*' Thero is no lor Piltt or kurort ' dsv curs for niiriini np DIPII rr|™« daciaei. PI , n, MASTER SPECIALIST, Chronic and Private Diseases. Piles and Rupture curtd without an operation. 606 tor 8lood Poison TEN YEARS IN GRAND ISLAND