Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 239: what you’re looking at

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

232 THE ARGOSY. “Come here!” said Cavara in an awful voice to the man who had hit him with the stone. In the midst of absolute silence, and with a terror stricken face, the burly rufhan, who would have cut another man’s throat, came up to his master like a whipped cur. As the fellow reached him, Don Alonzo whipped out a revolver, and with an oath, brought the weapon crashing down on his skull. Without a sound the man fell like a log. Two or three comrades started forward to pick him up. “ Leave him, you dogs!” shouted their captain savagely, as he wiped the blood from his face. ‘“ The first man that touches him I will brain as I did him!” Without a murmur the men obeyed, and the whole cavalcade was again in motion, leaving the poor wretch, dead or dying, where he had fallen. “You have answered my question, captain,’ murmured the lieutenant with pale lips. “ The members of your band are a lot of wild beasts, and you are the kon tamer.” A gleam of sardonic humor flashed over his companion’s features. “You are a man of discernment, Count Rignault,” he said drily, “ but here our ways part. Adios until tonight.” CHAPTER XIV.—A NotTE FROM THE COUNT. THERE was much commotion at the chateau the next morning when the men servants were informed of their dismissal, and no doubt in some cases the complaints heard were sincere and just enough, for not all of them were guilty of treachery to their mistress. But that could not be helped; the only safe way was to ship them all. | This was not a very easy matter, for many were disposed to be ugly, but the presence of the faithful Peters and the two stewards (determined looking fellows both), precluded any attempt to raise a row. The men, one and all, called loudly for Louis, whom they regarded as their chief, and whose absence they could not understand. However, in the course of the forenoon the English servants were duly installed in the house, and what they lacked in numbers they made up in zeal. The countess fully expected a call of protest from the marquis regarding the change in servants, but none came. Marie hardly knew what to make of it, but Cottrell gave it as his opinion that the count, for his own good reasons, had prevailed upon his father to ignore the matter for the present at any rate. The American was right in his surmise, as was afterwards shown. ° The day passed quietly enough; there was no sign of the count, and, stranger still, there was no sign of Jean Daron. Cottrell began to grow un- easy about his prolonged absence, but as the countess did not seem to notice it, he said nothing on the subject, not wishing to alarm her unnecessarily. For all that, the man’s disappearance weighed heavily on his mind, and when night fell and he went down to the beach to meet Struthers. as he landed, it was the first thing he spoke of. GONG OOO ceo