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VOL. I.
JOHN H. SEALS, | raoPRnrroR
ATLANTA, GA., SATURDAY, XOV. 27. 1875.
TERMS,
XO. 28.
[For The 8unny South.]
THE SIGHT I WATCHED WITH THEE.
BY GUILLERMO.
I stand beneath a threatening shy,
And storm-fraught clouds are trooping by.
Darkening the waning day;
I stand alone, and what reck I
Of cloud's or wind's wild minstrelsy?
My thoughts are far away.
I miss the hand whose touch so soft
Has stilled my restless spirit oft; «
I miss the clear, calm eyes;
I miss the voice whose low tones seem
An echo heard in some sweet dream
Of songs in Paradise.
I look back on those vanished hours—
As children upon stream-borne flowers,
They've scattered wantonly;
And fraught with deep, heart-thrilling pow’r,
Comes back to me, in this lone hour.
That night I watched with thee.
Hast thou forgotten how we stood
Amid the holy solitude
Of that still, summer night—
With solemn moonlight falling through
The vine-leaves wet with trembling dew,
And crowning thee with light ?
We spoke—ah! not of hope and joy.
Or passion dim with the alloy
Of sorrow and despair.
We built no castles fair to see,—
The future was a mockery
To think of save in prayer.
We spoke of those grown cold in youth,
Because their wealth of love and truth
Must bloom and fade alone,
Like garlands thrown 'mid glaciers bare,
To wither in the freezing air,
Where stiffening torrents mean.
Then, amid tears and deepening gloom,
We rolled the stone from the cold tomb
Of the long-buried past,
And shared in its most sacred sense
An hour of purest confidence,
isst. - j
And self-forgetful then you sought
To charm away the bitter thought
That wildly came to me;
Your dear band clasped mine closer yet—
Your low voice bade me not forget.
But bear unmurmuringly.
Forget! I am forgetting all,—
My withered heart—my life’s gray pall—
The future that I see
Stretching before me, void of light,—
All save that summer moonlit night
On which I watched with thee.
i Colonel John Burton, and I don’t live in Ala
bama, U. S. A., when I’m at home !”
He resolved to do a little planning and plot
ting, and in a few minutes he struck the table
with his list and whispered:
| “ That’s the shingle exactly ! I’ll get a French
detective to follow him and trip him up and
! and turn him over to me!”
He pulled the bell, and when the bov answered,
said:
“Tell the clerk to send out and get me a de
tective !”
During the half hour which elapsed before an
officer appeared, the Colonel laid more plans,
and chuckled a good deal as he arranged in his
own mind how “his boy” was to be brought to
his soberness.
The detective was a keen-looking fellow, and
a very polite man. ”
“You wanted to see me !” he remarked, as he
opened the door in obedience to the Colonel’s
“come in.”
“ Or I shouldn’t have sent for you,” replied
Burton.
“State your desire, if you please,” continued
the Frenchman.
“ What I wanted to see you about was this,"
said the Colonel. “ I’ve got a young man here—
a regular square-built American—who can fight
like a tiger, and who’s smart as a whip; but he’s
got into bad company, and I want you to help
nie^et him out.”
“ How ?” asked the official.
“How! Why, follow him around and see
where he goes, what he does, who meets him,
and what for. You can do that, can’t you ?”
“Icould follow a bird,” quietly answered the
detective.
“ That’s a whopper, but I’ll excuse it, and also
pay you well if you do your work right. Come
up closer, so that I can whisper my plans. ”
WALTER WRITES HIS NAME IN BLOOD DRAWN FROM HIS OWN ARM.
[Written for The Sunny South.]
WRITTEN IN BLOOD;
OR,
The Midnight Pledge.
A Story of the Last Napoleon’s Iteign.
CHAPTER X.
Walter Travelick had a great deal of romance
and tender sentiment in his nature, and beauty
and admiration could lead him where compul
sion would not have moved him a foot.
He was stirprised and startled at Queen Imo-
gene’s words of entreaty and at her earnest, lov
ing look; but after a moment, surprise gave way
to admiration. No woman could have been more
graceful, no face more beautiful, and the bare
thought that she loved him threw him off his
balance. She saw what was passing in his mind,
and she continued:
“These men are nothing to me—nothing more
than members of my band. We are banded to
gether for a purpose, and we are all to labor for
its accomplishment. Some of these men I do
not even know by name; but all respect me, and
although you find me here, you have no right to
question my character.”
“ These men were willing to become my mur
derers,” replied Walter.
“They were only prudent in desiring to save
their own lives,” she answered. “No higher or
nobler purpose ever actuated men, and God grant
that we may accomplish it!”
She spoke with such enthusiasm as showed
that her whole soul was in her work, and Walter
asked:
“What is the purpose?”
“To rid France of a tyrant and give her a
republic!” she answered, rising up in her excite
ment.
“How?” he asked.
“By striking down Napoleon the Third, and
calling upon all true Frenchmen to rise, throw
off the yoke, and set up and maintain a free gov
ernment !”
She was royally beautiful as she drew herself
up before him with heightened color and flash
ing eyes, and the young man's admiration in
creased each moment.
“My father and two of my brothers are in the
council chamber there,” she continued, “and
another brother is on guard outside. The Le-
Clercs have never bowed to tyrants when they j
could strike a blow for freedom, and they never !
will! We come from a line of famous soldiers, ,
Fome of whom have led armies into battle and
dictated to the rulers of kingdoms, and the name
may again become world-known.”
“The law of France regards you as conspira
tors,” said Walter.
“Yes; and if captured, we would be carted to
the guillotine or sentenced to New Caledonia.
Therefore, we are secret and cautious; we must
be so up to the very moment when we can stand
on the public squares of Paris in broad day and
proclaim France a free country. We are living
lover a powder magazine. We may be captured
;any hour; but we shall go forward with our work
until we are betrayed aud overpowered, or until
it is completed. Will you join us?”
Travelick had caught a portion of her enthu
siasm. She was a patriot in his eyes, and he
could sympathize with her purpose and hope
the band success. But he had not lost his cau
tion, and asked:
“In case I do?”
“You will meet with us.—you will work with
us,—you will have my full admiration !” she an
swered.
“ Imogene, may I love you ?” he asked, taking
her hand.
She was Queen no longer. Her eyes fell—she
blushed and stammered:
“You are brave; 11—like you very much.”
“If I join your band, I can see you often,—I
shall have the right to call on you,—our love
may lead to marriage?” he queried.
She did not answer by word, but let her eyes
reply.
“ I will join!” said Walter, after struggling for
a moment with the thought that he was desert
ing his own country's banner and leaguing his
fortune with those of conspirators and political
outlaws. The president of the Red Band had
failed to terrify him into becoming a brother,
but Queen Imogene could lead him.
“They will give you a hearty welcome,” she
replied, her face wearing a look of relief and
satisfaction. “Come with me.”
He followed her back into the council cham-
j ber. Not a man had left his place, and each face
wore the same stern, determined look as when
he last saw them. He stood in the center of the
room with Queen Imogene, and she raised her
I voice and announced:
“Brothers of the Red Band, the American will
join us. There is no force; he willingly enrolls
his name, and will obey all orders given by your
Queen.”
The men rose to their feet, and in chorus ex
claimed:
“We welcome the new brother!”
“Aye, you will find him. brave and gallant,”
she replied. “He will now take the oath.”
The President rose up and read from a paper a
most solemn oath, binding Walter, who repeated
each sentence after him, under the most terrible
penalties, to become a true and faithful member
of the band—to obey all orders, and to peril his
life whenever it was required to advance the pur
pose of the band. Should Walter prove faith
less to his oath, he would subject himself to
assassination; and as he repeated the words after
the president, he saw that there would be no
escape for him while the band hung together.
If he felt like hesitating, he had only to turn his
eyes to the radiant, earnest face of the strange
and beautiful girl beside him to give him firm
ness and deeper determination.
“Brothers, he has taken the oath that all of
you have repeated before him !” exclaimed the
Queen, as the president finished and sat down.
“Welcome! twice welcome!” repeated the
men, rising again.
“The pen and the lance!” whispered the
Queen to the president, and he handed them
to her.
“Remove your coat!” she whispered to Trav
elick, and he obeyed without hesitation.
“There, give me your arm!” she continued,
and she rolled up the shirt-sleeve until the arm
was bare above the elbow. Then, taking up the
lance, she whispered:
“ I shall draw only a few drops of blood—just
enough to dip the pen in.”
She touched a vein with the point of the lance,
and the blood started out and trickled down the
arm. Seizing the pen, she wet it in the blood,
handed it to Walter, and said:
“Write your name on the list; all have done
so before you!”
He complied, and Queen Imogene held the
paper up and exclaimed:
“ See, brothers of the Red Band ! He has writ
ten his name in blood,—he is a full member !”
“Welcome! thrice welcome!” said the men,
rising and waving their hats.
Then they came forward and congratulated
Travelick and shook hands with him. The faces
which he had seen look so grim and murderous
were now covered with smiles, and every brother
seemed elated over his having become a mem
ber. After 'a brief recess, the council was called
to order by the Queen herself, who took the chair
night and his continued absence, but he was
without one, and he became confused as the
Colonel pressed him for particulars. He finally . .
explained that he turned into an alley, was pur- 1 week,” replied the official; and he went away to
CHAPTER XH.
Colonel Burton’s idea was that his young
friend had fallen in with a lot of roysterers, and
might be led into bad ways if he could not be
made to see his conduct as others saw it. Real
izing that all men like to give advice, and that
few like to receive it, he had declined to push
Walter to the wall, and had taken another
course.
If Walter found out thAt he was being watched
would mend his ways at once. This was the
Colonel’s theory when he sent for the detective,
and he said to the official at parting:
“Don’t crowd him too hard, or he’ll turn and
fight, and like enough discover that I employed
you. If he and I go out together, follow us; if
he goes alone, follow him. Stick right by until
you know all about the case.”
I shall be able to tell yon at the end of a
sued a long distance, and finally, when finding j make some preparations,
himself safe from the assassins, had discovered : “Now, then, I’ll have that young man on his
back, in spite of his smartness,” chuckled the
that he was lost.
“Lost! and why didn’t you take a carriage
and come to the hotel when morning came?” ex
claimed the Colonel.
“ I—I didn’t know exactly what to do !” stam
mered Walter.
The Colonel looked at him earnestly for a mo
ment, and then continued:
“Boy ! you have been up to some strange
behind the desk and said: j dfeviltry, and I know it! I thought the roughs
“We will hear the report of the committee on had stabbed you in the back as we ran, and I
police.” turned around and dropped three of the crowd.
One of the members arose and reported that , I've had the police looking high and low for you,
the existence of the Red Band had not yet come and I’ve nearly worried myself sick over your
to the knowledge of the police, and that they j absence. Now, then, I want to know just where
were safe to go on with their plans. you’ve been !”
“It is well,” replied the Queen. | “I’d rather not tell,” answered Walter, after a
! pause.
| He did not want to tell his friend a deliberate
CHAPTER XI. : lie, and he had decided to leave the affair a mys-
Two hours before daylight the meeting of the j tery to the Colonel’s mind.
Red Band broke up, and the members left the j “Well, I’m blowed!” exclaimed Burton, sitting
building by various ways until Queen Imogene down on the edge of the bed. “ I can’t say you
Colonel, as he sat down for a smoke; and he
never once dreamed that he had cast the shadow
of the guillotine across the young man’s path.
The detective was Dupont, one of Napoleon’s
secret spies, and the Red Band had more feai of
him than of any other five officials in Paris. He
had exaggerated but little when he said that he
could follow a bird. He had discovered and
broken up half a dozen bands of conspirators,
been the death of several political plotters, and
there were men who grew pale and trembled as
they found Dupont’s keen glances upon them.
It was noon before Walter’s sleep was broken.
He dreaded to meet the Colonel again, having a
guilty conscience, and only for one thing he
would not have returned at all after joining the
band. He had accepted several hundred dollars
as advance salary, and he could not pay it back
yet, and he would not speak of his desire to
ieave until he had the money in his hand. It
was to come from Queen Imogene, who knew
his situation, and who was to hand him the
and Walter Travelick wore alone. I ran away through fear, for I’ll swear that you | money.
“We will now go,” she said. “I desire your j peppered ’em good and strong. I accept your j The Colonel chatted on this subject and on
escort home, that you may know where I reside, ! statement that you became confused and ran into j that after Walter joined him, and not a word was
and because I have more to say to you.” ' the alley, and that they pursued; but something I spoken in regard to the immediate past. At
She led the way through a dark and narrow happened to you after that—some adventure or j three o’clock that afternoon, Travelick had
hall, up a short flight of steps, through several other which you v/ant to conceal. Will you tell promised to meet Queen Imogene at the base of
vacant rooms, and finally opened a door front- ! me, or won’t you?” j the Column \endome, when she was to hand
ing the street. Having made sure that no one' “I had rather not,” answered Travelick. j him the money and detail new plans. The young
was lurking around, the two stepped out and j “Very well, my boy,” continued the Colonel, j man feared that he could offer no reasonable ex-
moved softly away, meeting no one until they going over and laying his hand on Walter’s cuse for absenting himself from the hotel for an
were several squares away from the building. shoulder. “You refuse to trust me, though I j hour or two, but his anxiety was suddenly re-
Having become a brother, and being bound feel like a father toward you, and I haven’t slept lieved by the Colonel, who said:
by a solemn oath to work with them, Walter was an hour since we parted. Very well, I repeat, j “ Well, now, it s my turn to sleep, or, if I can t
free to rejoin his friend, the Colonel, but he but I’m going to get to the bottom of this devil- i do that, I’ll write a letter or two. lou may go
must not leave Paris without permission. Queen try—mind that! I’m going to keep my eye on ; out for a walk, or kill time any way you can for
Imogene had work for him to do. The other you after this, and if you try to run your neck a couple of hours.”
members of the band were all residents of Paris, into a halter, I’m going to be on hand to cut the | Walter was thus free to keep his appointment,
many of them under the ban of suspicion, while rope. Paris is a big city and a wicked one. It He stopped in the office of the hotel for a mo-
the American could go anywhere unquestioned j is full of adventurers and conspirators and two- j ment before going out, and a little sharp-eyed
and unwatched. legged devils, both male and female, and you man rose from his chair, lit a cigar, and passed
Queen Imogene had decided in her own mind are just the right age and make-up to fall in with i down to the street behind the young man. Wal-
that she would delegate him to strike the grand them and get yourself guillotined.” | ter beckoned to the driver of a carriage, the lit—
blow, which should, in her enthusiastic estima- The Colonel had nearly guessed the young j tie man beckoned to another,
tion, give France her liberty. The mission was man’s secret, and he spoke so bluntly that Wal- “ To the Column I endome, said waiter, as
one of greatest peril, and would require nerve ter was almost alarmed. To become an active he entered the carriage.
and daring beyond that possessed by any other member of the band, he must leave Burton, but ; “Keep them in sight, said the little man
member of the band. * he found himself not only without a reasonable his driver; and the two vehicles rolled away
During the long walk home she whispered her excuse, but under new obligations to remain. from the curbstone. ^
plans to Travelick, and though he hesitated at “ You are a brave young fellow, and full of At three o’clock, Valter stood at the east base
first, he finally caught her enthusiasm, and fight and git-up-and-git,” continued the Colonel, j of the column, and in a moment or two, a lady
forced himself to believe that the success of his “and I’d hate to see your head drop into a bas- j passed near him and gave him a quiet signal. It
mission would earn him undying fame in the ket. Paris is full of spies and informers, as ; was Queen Imogene, but so disguised that the
memory of the whole world. well as conspirators, and if the police get a hint j American would have passed her by without rec-
“ You shall strike the tyrant down, and I will once, they’ll dog you to your death. I like you, j ognition. He followed her, and the little man
proclaim the freedom of France!” exclaimed the and I want you to come up to-night; and as I j was there to follow him. It was Dupont, the
excited girl, and Valter promised to become an said along back, I’m going to keep an eye on j spy, and there was a dangerous smile in his eyes
assassin for her sake. you.” ' as he walked along. That square was no place
He carefully noted her residence-place and its Nothing further was said about the affair. The for lovers to meet, and he knew that the lady
surroundings, and in the gray of the morning Colonel had his theory, and he had expressed , was not of the vile class. She walked a distance
he entered the hotel which he had left two even- his opinion. Valter had preserved his secret, ! of two squares, and entered a little confectionery
ings before in company with the Colonel. The and he was glad enough to have the subject store. Valter followed her in, and when Dupont
clerk and a few early-risers in the office recog- dropped. He had had no sleep of any account ] passed by, he could not see either of them. An
nized him at once, and there was no little ex- for two nights, and he was glad enough to drop | old woman sat looking out of the window as she
citement. A boy dashed up the stairs and into his old room and seek rest. waited for customers, and she was alone,
aroused the Colonel before Travelick could pre.- The Colonel was puzzled—more than puzzled. “I’ve learned something new, muttered the
vent, and Burton had tumbled out of bed and Vhere could Valter have gone? Vhat sort of! detective as he crossed the street. “Iheres
was dressing as the young man reached his room, company had he found to detain him? Vhat more deviltry afloat, and there s where it is be-
“Ha, ha !” shouted Burton, rushing forward; ' mischief had he engaged in? Burton asked him- | ing planned.”
“blazes and drum-sticks! but I thought you self these questions, and then he blurted out: j He was certain that the lady, who was a stran-
had been dissected before this !” j “Confound him, I say ! He’s fallen among a I ger to him, had entered the shop, and also cer-
Valter had been trying to invent some reason- lot o’ scallawags, and if I don’t find out all ' tain that Valter had followed her; and he se-J
able story to account for his disappearance that about ’em in less’n a week, then my name’s not | cured a position where he could watch the door.
INSTINCT PkINT