Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-01-26

entreaty, when he laid his finger on his lip with
hurried gesture, tripped his foot over astone,and
fell heavily to the ground, shouting as he fell;
I"Stop, Madamoiselle Blanche, stop! Treason |!
Treason!
"Braye Martini Inuttered the girl, as she saw
the action, "good old mani" and in an instant she
had cleared the sallyport, and was at liberty.
Her lover swung her to the embroidered saddle
of the palfrey, placed the reins in her hand, and
1crying, ride, ride for your life, towards St. Eli
enne, Blanche, ride!' he turned the horses head
and gave it lash on the croupe with his own
bride rein that sent it up the wood road sharp
igallep.
Before he could mount, however, the salIyport
flew open, and three men rushed upon him, sword
in hand. In second his rapier was out and cross
led with their clashing blades. Three passes,
and the boldest of the three went down never to
rise again, run through the body from breast to
shoulder! A rapid feint, another pass, quick as
the fire from heaven, and the blood spouted from
the shoulder of the second, and his sword arm
Ipowerless. The third man stood on thrust, which
he parried, threw away his weapon, and rushed
back into the court, impeding half dozen other
vassals who were rushing with pike and musket
to the rescue.
/ Raoul turned, vaulted to his saddle, buried his
spurs rowel deep into his horses flank; the cleft
sod flew into the air, and he was gone like thun-
derbolt on the traces of his flying mistress, un-
harmed by scattering volley which ratified after
him unheeded
| In an ordinary circumstance, the escape of the
lovers might have been deemed secure, for before
horses could have been saddled and men mount
ed, they would have gained SO great start as to
render pursuit unayailing; but it SO happened,
that most of the guests having come on horse
back, stables were even filled to overfowlng, and
noble and swift animals were standing in the
courtyard, caparisoned and ready, so that ten min
utes had not elapsed after their flight was known
before fifty horses, as fleet and fresher than his
own. were spurring in headlong pursuit
Awayi away! Raoul soon overlook the palfrey,
and plying his heavy hunting whip, drove it on at
+ a tremendous pace up hill and down dale, still
crying out words of encouragement to the brave
girl, whose spirits, terminated by the hopes of
escape and the presence of her lover and kindled
by the excitement of the race, had filled her eye
with light and her cheek with color.
Calamity did she ride leaning back in her sad
die, and holding er.beast we'll together with the
rens, and now shaking it boldly at the leap of
some falling tree rain-washed gully. Away
away and for awhile they gained on their pursu-
ers, and their hearts were elated.
But ere long the palfrey began to fail, its fanks
abored, its eyes rolled its nostrils were injected
with warm blood Its foam hung in streaks of
ropy salaver from its clung jaws, it drew every
breath with deep ruckling groans.
"For life! dear girl! for life!' cried Raoul de
vertade. ."Hold him up yet. Spur him up yet
awhile--for life! for life! If once we may cross
the Poire we are saved. have force of fifty
lances there, and the kings mandate to stay this
marriage, and bring you before him.
And at these words, she shook the beast again,
and held him ON his legs with marvellous skill, !
and for SO slight hand with strange power.
They crossed ridge, and in the vale beneath
them the young Loire; here wild mountain
stream, scarce thirty feet in width, but very deep
and rapid, lay outstretched like an azure riband
with yellow horse road running beside, ten or
twelve miles in long perspective, at the end OF
(which lay the bridge by which alone they could
cross, and the walls of ST. Etienne.
For life! for life! but fainter grew the palfrey's
efforts, his leaps were shorter each one than the
ed too, at every stride and, if not upheld by the
sure hand of that splendid horsewoman he must
have fallen half an hour before.
| But now the laundering clang of their pursuers
hoofs, and their fierce shouts, came fast and fire.
quent on their ears; and at the same instant
Raoul saw by convulsive shiver which ran thro'
every limb of the poor palfrey, that its race was
run.
"Clear your foot from the stirrup, Blanche"
he CRIED, sand spring when / catch you.'
And without stacking his space he threw his
reins loose, took his sword, which he had not
time to sheath, between his teeth, and finging
his right arm around her body, swung her, as she
sprang to meet him, across the saddle bow before
him. She was securely, easily seated, with her
arm wound round his neck, in moment And
| it was time, for the next moment her horse fell,
as if he had been shot, and rolled over on its
fanks in the death agony.
A long and protracted shout from their pursuers
hailed this event as certain prognostic of sue
cess; and in TRUTH though RaouPs Andalusian
was beast often thousand, the double burden he
now bore, and the long distance he had been rid
den in hot haste before that race began, told
on him fearfully;at every stride the pursuers gain
ed on them.
They were now laundering along the road,
which here ran close to the river, following its
every curve and winding; and as they turned the
salient angles of its course, they might mark the
approach and note the brandished weapons of the