Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-06-20
LINK BY LINK.
A THRILLING STORY OF THE
rRANOO-PRUSSIAN WAR.
by MAURICE LEGRASD
CHAPTER III.
A TERRELL RISK.
eddin0 feast was over.


.CTSHE wedding feast was over.
~ A fairer day had never shone on
fairer bride. Great had been
the festivities, and carried on with UNI
.ceasing gayety, while the tireless feet
of the young men and maidens danced
with uniagging ardor. and mirth waved
high and reckless. The mill had been
deserted all through the days hot
hours. The old mother had gone TO
the bridal feast, the farm laborers had
been holiday making. In the quiet
twilight there was neither sound nor
voice to waken the echoes or to dis
turb the stiffness.
AS the long shadows fell from the
swaying branches, as the gloom deep
,ened round the old gray house and
through the quiet chambers, a mans
figure crept stoalthily beneath the
hedgerows and gidel velvet-foo.ed
into the deserted kitchen, his clothes
were dusty and di-ordered, his face
darkly flushed; his eyes glanced from
side to side as is in deadly terror
Through the sweet summer air camo
the echo of glad voices, the ring OF
girlish laughter. He started and
shook in every limb, as though the
fear and horror so long struggled with
had now completely mastered him.
"What to do now?" he muttered as
he stood there in doubt, while the
stars looked through the open case
ment, and the roses nodded in the
evening breezes.
With sudden impulse of despera-
ton he stole up the narrow stairs, and
crept into the room which Rose
Michel had decorated for the coming
OF the bride. He hurriedly concealed
himself in one of the Oaken presses
just as footsteps sounded below, and
the laughter and welcome to the new
made wife rang out on The evening
air.
1.-The women come first, he thought.
"She will save me! She must!"
Presently "a light football came up
the stairs; u radiant girlish figure,
candle in hand, stood on the threshold.
She came in with the laughter on her
lips, and the light in her eyes, that
had echoed her farewell to the merry
group below, came in and went
straight up 10 the table, whore the
oval glass reflected her glad young
beaury, and the deadly and ominous
herbs threw their poisonous fragrance
around. AS her eyes fell on them
she started and turned pale as death.
"Who put them there?n she cried,
half in wonder, half in terror. As
the words left her lips the old carved
press suddenly opened and man
sprung out and threw himself at her
feet.
Terror held her silent. Her lips
parted, but no sound came.
you here!' she cried, at last.
He caught her hands and poured
out rapid, eager words, words that
paled her cheek to the hues OF death,
and robbed her beauty of all its glad
and joyous youth. Ills this thing
true?" she gasped.
II swear it is! AS you hope for
happiness. as / look for pardon, by
every claim, by every right l possess
over you, Ninette, you must save me
now
"But he-my husband?" the pale
lips faltered.
IF you breathe word, you know
the consequences. Hasten from this;
there is not u moment to lose. VIII
you do what askp"
Heaven help NO." she moaned, 81
have no choice"
Then come. Our time is short; a
few moments more and he will be
here"
Follow me-" she said calmly,
though her ashy cheeks and quivering
lips showed the terror that held her
IN its bondage. She stole down the
stairway, the man following her like a
shadow. With the shrinking motion
and covering step OF guilt or fear they
hurried through the dusky paths.
"Quick, quick; / hear their voicesp
cried the man, as he seized her arm in
rough grasp.
THAT is the place, the girl whis.
pered, pointing TO boat-shed in the
heaviest shadows OF the willow-trees.
ssLie there till / come. / will row you
to the ruins half mile further up the
river. No one ever goes there; the
people all say they are haunted. You