The Argosy, March 1907 — page 132: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

704 and peacefully that I did not dream there was any danger. Then he stared at Baron Duval with a fixed stare. I did not think that that meant anything. He has a habit of looking at strangers that way; but suddenly he sprang at the king’s secretary as a cat springs at a mouse and then—then it was all over in a minute.” “‘Humph!” exclaimed the physician. “You must not think of it, your high- ness.”’ | “But I cannot help thinking of it, baron. And the strange part of the hor- rible occurrence is that the young mon- ster seems to have recovered some of his memory. While he was choking the life out of poor Baron Duval he was yelling that he would ‘kill the French- man.’ He knew that he was a French- man. He mentioned my name, too.” ‘“Ha!” exclaimed the king’s surgeon, his AMiterest aroused. ‘‘ That is remark- able, your highness. Can you remember exactly what he said?” “He said something about the French- man having tried three times to kill him, and now he was going to kill the French- man. He spoke also of driving the king from his throne and saving the Princess Cornelia.” ‘““A most remarkable symptom,’ said the surgeon, “I should like to see this young man. Where is he?” ‘““My men have locked him up in a cellar where he is out of harm’s way,” replied the princess with a shudder. “TI suppose I must hand him over to the police now.” ; After the baron had administered a soothing potion: to his patient he went down-stairs and bade some of the serv- ants take him to where Willis was con- fined. There was a small iron grating in the cellar door and through this grating the eminent surgeon gazed at the unfor- tunate ensign. Willis was sitting dejectedly on an_ empty wine cask. As the face of the baron peered through the bars he jumped to his feet and said in a calm, dispassionate voice. ‘‘T suppose you have come to take me away. I am ready for you. Come on! You need not fear. I am not armed and I will go with you peacefully.” ¢ THE ARGOSY. - The king’s physician understood Eng- lish and was surprised to hear this ra- tional talk. ‘ He’s saner now than’ he was before,” he said to himself. ‘‘ He seems to know what he’s talking about. It’s a most remarkable case. Most remarkable. “Do you know what you have done, young man?”’ he asked sternly. “Yes,” replied Willis sullenly, “I have killed Lieutenant Duval.” The straightforward answer surprised the surgeon. | ‘Why did you kill him?” he asked. “He deserved it,” replied Willis. ‘He tried to kill me three times. The first time, fairly and squarely in a duel he forced me into. The second time, he sent me an infernal machine. The third time he lured me to a cave and his hired thugs did their best to kill me. He again deserved to die, but I did not mean to- kill him. I don’t know how I came to spring at him in that way. I don’t seem to be able to remember anything that occurred before that terrible minute. All I can remember is seeing him stand- ing there before me with a wicked grin on his face. “Then suddenly all the hatred that there was in me urged me forward and I rushed over to him and seized him by the throat. I must have gone suddenly crazy, I think. However, I’m not try- ing to dodge the consequences. I’ve com- mitted the crime and I’m ready to take my medicine. What’s the penalty for committing murder in this country?” ‘“ Hanging,” answered the baron’ grimly. The ensign sighed. “ All right,” he said resignedly. ‘So be it.” 3 ““He appears to be quite sane,”” mused the surgeon. “At all events, whether he’s sane or not sane, his memory has come back to him. It’s a most remark- able case.” ° ‘I ask only one favor,” said Willis, through the grating. : ‘And what may that be?”’ inquired the baron. ‘““T would like an audience with the Princess Cornelia as soon as possible.”’ “Why do you wish an audience with the princess?”’ asked the king’s surgeon sharply. GoOmichbooks.co m ;