Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 249: what you’re looking at

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

242 THE ARGOSY. trunk, proceeded to examine the contents of the envelope he had taken from Louis. It contained two papers; one of them was inscribed as follows : I, René Rignarlt, agree to pay to Don Alonzo Cavara one hundred thousand francs on the day that I shall take legal possession of the estate of Marie, Countess de Villiers. The other paper read: MON CHERE CAVARA: THE devil's luck 1s mine. I was badly wounded in that scrimmage the other night _ aud your cowardly rascals left me behind; so I cannot pose as my cousin’s rescuer, as I lad intended. My plan was to have offered to save her life and honor if she would at last accept ny hand in marriage ; if not, I had decided to leave her to your tender mercies. Perliaps after all it is best as it is, for I really believe I hate my haughty cousin more than I love her. As for you, I should rather imagine her high and mighty bearing would appeal to your taste ; but beware of the soft little thing—she has claws and knows how to use them! When she is aroused not even the iron will of a Don Cavara could tame her, However, that’s your affair—not mine. Do with her as youwill. Only sce that she never returns to France and the Chateau de Frenoir/ Please destroy this note assoon as read. R. R. This brutal letter had a strange effect on Cottrell. He did not rave or stamp about in impotent rage, but he turned pale under the brown stain, and a look appeared in his eyes that had never been seen there before. It meant that the gentle, chivalrous man had been aroused to a point where all mercy was banished from his heart. He was now the unrelenting btoodhound, and 1f Louis had been with him then, nothing could have saved him from the vengeance of this monomaniac, for such he had become. Passively and collectedly he set his brains to work on the best means of taking advantage of the capture of the document that was to sell Marie into slavery, and worse than slavery. There was something awful in the calm fury of this man which spoke only through his eyes and his set lips as he strode along the trail which grew more rough with every step. Unconsciously he increased his pace, dtsregarding the scratches and bruises his headlong gait caused him. Cottrell was enough of a woodsman to note the signs about him telling of the recent passing of Cavara’s band. Only when night fell did he stop, and then from sheer exhaustion. It was about three o'clock of the next afternoon that he came in sight of his destination. The trail suddenly opened upon a great clearing of several acres extent, and at the farther end of it, perched half way up the side of a rocky peak, was the old castle, once the stronghold of a Spanish noble, and now the lair of the brigand chief Don Cavara. At first Cottrell could see no way of gaming access to it, for the rock was almost sheer, but as he drew nearer, he perceived steps cut in the solid stone. Half way up this flight was a chasm, spanned by an imposing drawbridge, flanked by two turrets, where lookotts could be posted in time of danger. As Cottrell boldly made his way up the steps toward the drawbridge, he found it drawn up against the archway. Not a sound was heard, and not a moving thing was to be seen as Cot- trell toiled up the primitive steps. Just as he reached the chasm a voice stud- denly hailed him in Spanish from one of the turrets. GONG OOO ceo