The Argosy for May — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRIMSON HARVEST: By ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE, Author of ‘‘ From Flag to Flag,” “‘ On Glory’s Trail,” ‘‘ With Sealed Lips,” etc. A story of Paris in the Reign of Terror, with an American for its central figure and his sweetheart in the grip of powerful foes. —_ SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTERS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED. ACCOMPANIED by Shadrach Bemis, an old ex-scout and trapper, a young American, Jack Braith, sets sail for France with the purpose of claiming the title and estates of his late granduncle, the Vicomte de Chevreuse. He knows nothing of his French relatives except of his cousin, Etienne de Chevreuse, a wild youth who is said to resemble him greatly in looks. On the voyage he meets and falls in love with Mlle. Elise de Peérier, who, with her father, is taken aboard from a sloop wrecked by a privateer after a narrow escape from being kidnaped by the privateer’s mysterious captain. Arrived in Paris, where the Revolution is raging, Braith, Bemis, and De Périer take lodging at a small hotel in the Rue St. Honoré, Two weeks later Mlle. de Perier fis ab- ducted by some unknown enemy; but Bemis succeeds in tracking the cab in which ‘she lis carried off to a convent in the suburbs. place and demands to see the abbess. amazement. Under the guidance of Bemis, Braith goes to the Her words of greeting leave him dumfounded with CHAPTER VI rCAnTEEK A NEW MYSTERY. HAT the abbess said that so an- noyed me was merely this: “Citizen Braith.” How did she know my name? I peered forward through the_ half- light to scan her pallid face. Indistinct- ly as I could see it, I was none, the less sure I had never before looked upon her. “Citizen Braith,”’ she repeated, as I did not speak, ‘‘ you wished to speak with me?” “Ves,” I made shift to reply, pulling myself ‘together, and blurting out my message awkwardly enough. “I ‘wished to see you about Mlle. de Perier.” She inclined her head, surprise. ‘Mlle. de Périer is here?”’ I went on. “Certainly, Citizeness Périer is here,” she answered, apparently astonished at my question. “Mother,” I pleaded, awkward in my hopeless eagerness, “I have come for her. Won’t you let me take her away? I beg it of you. Her old father—” “Tet you take her away?” echoed the abbess. | * Began April ARGOSY. but with no “Yes. Back to her father. I do not ask why she—” ‘But, citizen,” she interrupted, “ it” is not necessary to entreat. Your order is sufficient. As you well know, the citizen- ess has been detained here only subject to your wishes. Now that you are ready to remove her, there can be no obstacle to her departure. I hardly expected you so soon. But—” 3 I did not hear the rest of the sentence. The room seemed to whirl around me. Was I dreaming? Here I had come, prepared to beg, threaten, intrigue. Yet Khad hoped little of my quest. And at my: first-word I found the door of my wishes flung wide open. - Surely, of all the day’s many tangles, this was the most mystifying. My first thought was that in the gloom the abbess had mistaken me for another. But, no. She had called me by name, had said Elise was at the convent await- ing only my word of release... Mad and impossible as it all seemed, I was not idiot enough to spoil my advantage by prying into its reason. ~ ‘‘T thank you, mother,” I said, as coolly as I could. ‘ And if I may trouble you to have Mlle. de Périer ready at once, I Single copies, 10 cents. Mother, 250 DOOLK (CO)