New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-09


magnificent boar had been lodged IN a copse AT the
foot OF the forest road. An answer was sent down
accordingly that the Marquis would drive MN cary
in the morning and that he should be turhel IL pos
slble toward the chateau.
In the morning therefore, very early, the whole
household was astir. The ladies were mounted
and divided into parties cantered down the road
and along the forest paths TO those points where
according to the advice of their seN eral attendant
cavaliers, the hunt wOnld most hkely De seen 10
advantages. The Marquis, 10 was added, had Oeen
down at a still earlier hour to rouse the BOAR
Every now and then distant horn sounding over
the waving autumn forest told that tle sport had
begun.
The ladies' were gay and delighted and those OF
the gentlemen who. like Monsieur Cacotte. wete noS
much accustomed to country life and scenes, shared
their enjoyment to the tull. And indeed u Sc emeH
morning out of tairyland. FROM every Drahcn
and spray upon which the leaves, tinted Win a
thnusand collrs were trembling already TO thelr
fall hung sparkling estOOns of fairy lace the my Sue
rous gossamer web when IN sineio , nrEm,
wreathes a hole forest with magic covering
" bch the first hour of sunlight as soon destroys
Yellows browns and puppies formed the back
ground of this dazzling network or tairy suNeI
which crossed in all directions the forest rides: .
But though the morning was so lovely the laules
grew tired of riding up and down waiting LOT Ine
HINT The horns became fainter and more distant,
and il became evident that the chase had drnteu
to the eastward 49,, =, -;.ooa
some 2 said Mademolselle de Frontenac' smiling,
To n youug man. almost boy, who had with the
utmost devotion remained at the side OF herseli ana
a very pretty girl, her companion; why 90 you
Stov 6ere Yon are not wont 10 desert the chase
What can have happened TO the Marquis and the
The boy looked rather sheepish, and replied to
| the latter part Of the question only.
fancy that the boar has broken out IN spite OF
the piqers and that the Marquis mas thea 10 tgru
| him They nave probably lost HIM IN the forest.
But is not that very dangerous stu que pietty
girl. If they do not know where the boar 49, he
| NAV burst out upon us at any moment.
| The boy looked ut her though much pleased.
THAT is quite true he said. :, 1t was one reason
| why stayed :, hi,
| opinion This is what bad happened.
When the MARQUIS arrived at the cover. very soon
after sunrise he found that the boar ungraclOusly
| refusing to wait his opponents convenience hll
broken coz err and wOundng one OF the pqaeuTS no
attempted to turn him, had gone down the valley;
He was described As an unusually me anilndl anu
the dogs were upon his track; ,,
The course which the boar had taken lay through
the thick OF the forest. II was rugged and uneven
and ne could only be pursued on loot. After some
distance had been traversed the scent was suddenly
crossed by large sow. who, as frequently nap
/ Dened apparently with the express purpose OF d.
| vertinp the pursuit from her companion. crossed
Immediately in front Of the dogs, and went crashing
down through the cOpplce 10 the Tlght MOst Oh the
| hounds followed her. and the RqHeWs Win Few
! exceptions. followed the dogs. The Marquis, how
| ever succeeded in calling of some of the oldest
| hounds and accompanied by two or three ptqaenFs
| followed the original chase. Some distance iarther
/ on. however the boar had taken TO the wafer ana
| the scent was lost. At the same time the horns
sounding in the valley to the right, showed that
the deserters had come mp with their quarry, ana
distracted the attention OF both pqHeurs ana dogs
| The former OF opinion tudL tnc UOdr ndu
| simply crossed the river and taxing the do1s
| across they made cast on the opposite bank.
| where the dogs ran backward and forward baylng
| dlscou ,Olatey The Marquis, however, believing
tLat tho boar had followed the course Of the stream
for nj least some distance. kept on the LETT bank,
and forcing his way round one or two eraggy points,
found ut last the spot where the boar, apDar
| antIv hut a few moments before had scrambled mp
the bank He sounded his horn, but either from the
baying of the dogs, or the noise ard excitement IN
! the valley below. he was dlsregarded anu pushing
| aside the branches before him, the Marquis found
| himself at the foot of a ravne down which noun
| rain torrent was rushing to join the river below
| The bed of the ravine composed OF turf over
strewn with craggy rock, and on either side rugged
| cliffs ont of the assures Of which lofty oaks and
chestnuts had grown for centuries, lowered up TO
The MARQUIS waited for a moment. but hearing no
| repl VITO his horn, he entered the ravlne alone
| As he did so. the strange shapes which the hang-
! inc roots and branches of the trees assumed might
| seem to beckOn and warn him back; but on the
other hand. thousand happy and pleasing OBJECTS
| through the trembling leaves birds OF many colors
fitted from spray to spray butterflies and bright
! The chase was evidently before him-why should
| he turn backf
| Some fifty Yards up the valley the rocks retreated
on either side, leaving wide ana open grassy space
| down which the torrent was rushing ana over
which fragments of basaltlc rock. spit from the
| wooded cliffs above. Were strewn AT the summit
of this grassy slope standing beneath bare escarp-
ment of basalt. the Marquis saw the boar;
Its sides and legs were stained with mud and
| SOIL but the chase had been very snort anu the
animal seemed to have Turned 10 Day more OUT OF
curiosity and interest than from terror or exhaus-
ton ID stood smiling tine air and painting with
excitement its hair brstllng with anger, us Whlte
| and polished tusks shining IN the sun.
When the Marquis saw tins superb creature
standing above HIM on the turf, glow OF healthy
and genuine pleasure passed over MS race. ne
swung his horn round far out OF reach behind ms
lack and drew his long and iewelled knife. The
boar and he would try this issue alone.
For some seconds they stood facing each other.
Then the posture of the Marquis cha aged lneXplic
ably He rose to mis- full height his gaze was liked
as If by fascination upon long range OF low rocks
above him the lett and an expression oil surprise
which did not amount to anxiety even, came into
his face Then be dropped his knife. threw his arms
up suddenly over his head, and falling backward,
rolled over and lay motouless upon the uneven
turf in an uneasy posture, his mead lower IMAM MS
Limbs A puff OF white smoke rose from the rocks
above. and the reyerbeIatlng echooi huntng-plece
struck the rocks and went on sounding alternately
from side to side down the valley. -,
The boar startled at the shot, and sun more,
probably by the sudden fall OF his adversary, crept
into the thicket and while man might count
sivtv an awful silence fell upon hill and rock. and
wood The myriad happy creatures that hlled the
air with murmur and with life, became Invisible
sound Then a terrible inquire, habiled IN the cos
tune of the chase, but trembling IN every umD ls
with a palsy, rose from behind the rocks upon the
left With tOttering and uneven steps, II staggered
down the grassy SLOPE and stood beside the fallen
man The Marquis opened his eyes, ana when ne
saw this figure he tried TO raise himself from the I'M
easy posture in which he had fallen. When he
found it was impossible. "a smile OF lndescrlDably
serene courtesy formed itself gradually upon his
face.
intervals, that was scarcely fair! Make my re,
grets TO the Maruulse Monsieur Cae0tte-wnl
speak to you-about- my-wil.
Them the smile fading from the lips his head fell
back into the uneasy posture IN which u mad Ial
and the Marquis Jeanne Hyacinth de St. Palaye
resi- cd in peace upon the blood-stalned grass.
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