Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-07-29

lnlS suspense ID Killing me, mur-
INJURED Louise, pressing her hand to her
heart.
"Be patient, love-" says Eugene, striv-
ing TO soothe her.
Harkl What is thatP" she suddenly
exclaimed,
TheIe was n slight noise In the wall
back of them. One of the beautifully
| carved panels was showed aside, and the
wien face and grotesque form ofa dwarf
appeared.
astonishment.
Hist!-yes, lady, it's l." he replied,
coming into the oom.
"And what do you hereP" inquired
Louise, after she had explained to Eu-
gene whom this strange visitor was.
| have come to aid you If ! can, for
l have not forgotten your kind pity
when | was hurt at the Petite Trianon," !"
and his eyes filled with tears of emo
| tion.
Grateful creature! And can you
really help usP" inquired Louise, grasp
ing his hand excitedly.
81 trust so, lady"
But how can you get us out of this
prison-like apartment The door is
locked, the windows barred. i see no
way of escape, unless it is, indeed, by
the passage through which you have
| just come. | never suspected that the
panel could be moved"
Nor does Monsieur de Lanier," said
the dwarf, with n comical grimace.
4" lie has only very recently come in
possession Of this building, and knows
very little about it. | discovered this
secret passage, and trust that it is the
very thing to help us. We had better
start at once, for Monsieur de Lanier
intends TO visit you soon, and when he
comes he must find his prey missing"
But what is your plan, my friend?"
inquired st. Leger.
- 1t is this" replied the dwarf. You
and mademoiselle follow me through
this passage until we reach the door
! which is in the wall of the wine-cellar,
and is so covered by vines as TO be en-
tirely concealed from the outside. In
side this door you will remain while
90 back and assist Monsieur de Lanier
with his toilet, SO that he will not sus-
| pect me. When dressed he will repair
to your room. Discovering your alb
| sence, he will at once cause search 10
| be made. When you are not found on
| the grounds h. will conjecture that you
have taken to the highway, and then,
mounting horses, he and his servants
will scour away on q wild-goose chase.
| After he is gone, / will repair TO you,
and we will bic away in another direc-
| tion."
but suppose Monsieur de Lanier
commands you 10 accompany him7"
aid st. Leger.
"He will not do that-he will leave
me in charge OF the chateau; for his
| servants are new, and he trusts none of
| them"
And the horses2"
There are three which, with this OBJ
! ject in view, i told Monsieur de Lanier this
morning were disabled; so he will no
ask for them. They are sound and swift.
and will carry us TO a place OF safety"
| Il have n friend Mt H who win
conceal Us until we have n chance to
leave the country" said Louise.
VERY well. But come; wo must he
going. Mademoiselle, will you be SO
kind as TO give me your glover
Certainly"
The dwarf took il with a smile.
A half-hour later all was hustle and
confusion at the chateau.
Monsieur de Lanier strobe hither and
thither, his dark, saturnine face full of
wrath. lie cursed the servants one and
and allAand declared that he would
slay with his own hand the person who
had aided in the escape of Mademoiselle
d'Areent and her lover; for, as may be
surmised. he had gone 10 the room in
which they had been confined, and
found ii vacant.
He ordered the building TO be searched
ard the grounds surrounding IL. This
was done, but with no success, except
| haA tttuN al da Nf q l.a nd
on the road leading TO the northeast, n
tiny gauntlet was found.
II was embroidered with the DAT
gent crest, and had doubtless been
.dropped by the lovely Louise.
"Ha! This is something indeed. 1t
shows the way they have takenl" ex.
claimed De Lanier, smiling grimly; and
he added: Hurry, Batiste, with three
horses-you and Jean will accompany
me. Take your pistols, and II Mon
sieur st. Leger resists. shoot him."
And, in n lew minutes, three mounted
men dashed out of the gate and along
the road.
A little later, three other horses GAL
loped away in an opposite direction.
They bore Louise, Eugene and Ia San
terclle.
For hours they dashed along in breath
less suspense, and then, as the distance
widened between them and the chateau,
their fears were lessened, and, allowing
their horses mad gallop TO subside
into gentle trot, they began to con-
| verse.
"How fortunate It was that De Lanier
chose the other road instead of thisr
said Louise.
La Santerelle chuckled.
"He selected the other road. lady, be-
cause he thought you had taken il. You
remember my asking you for your
glover That was a ruse to deceive
him. I purposely dropped it in the
road so that he would think you had
pas ed over the spot. But let us make
haste, for the sky Is becoming tinged
with red, and we must reach your
friends house ere daybreak."
An hour later they were in place oi
safety. In week they had set sail for
America.
Louise felt no regret at leaving her