The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-07-10


could enjoy now, and this only because her
skill in dealing with horses was too,useful to
be set aside. She was delayed at the town,
and night had fallen when she started home
She was not afraid however, and drove
swiftly on, thinking with ever increasing re-
sentiment of her wrongs and justifying to
herself her conduct in regard to the peddler
Soon she reached place where another
road merged into the one she was travelling
As she made the turn she was surprised to
see freight reddening the snow far in among
the pines, and she halted Duke to look;
Presently curiosity got the better of her; she
alighted and led Duke into ain open space in tho
woods on the further side Of the road, where
she Ted him; then she crossed the road and
walked cautiously towards the light
Peering through the trees she saw man
sitting on a fallen tree before fire and a
horse tied near by, saddled and ready for
mounting Suddenly the man sprung up and
listened attentiyely to sound that was now
plainly to be heard--the sound of hoofs
galloping down towards the main road He
ran out, while Annette shrank behind a
gigantic pine, and just as she was about to
make her way back to the wagon, he re-
turned, and with him q small company of
French soldiers, leading their horses
"A bitter nightip exclaimed their leader,
IN French MO time for a f,,nitlass arrand
hone for vour sake Elbs tbat wa find
youny Woodmrv
uFllisp Annette listened hreathIassly as
the man spoken to replied:
mo fear He il safe at his fathers housa
as the letter. brought to your general said
| was there this morning, disguised as a ped
dler, and sold him some tobacco. spent the
dav bia;ng nom. and to-,;obt I no ~. h,a,, l.;
the stable and loosed all t5a borsas into the
woods He cannot escana Won have onIv
40 ri,le there. three miles further and cant
pre him. -
4, sJt l. wall. lat ne losa No Time ), ,yas en-,
reply. and In a few minutes tbe hoofs RANG
on the f,ozen snow Of the road Headline 10 the
village
Annette stood rooted tn the snot with bor-
ror This then ,yas ha, ravanoas Nfadon,
Woodbury. WINS "a lose NOT n,era ,vorld,,,
goods hut her only child aud the results ~
Annetta,s vindictiyenass ,yers h, fall nno,,
Paul. who had been nothing but kind 10 her
What would she not give now to have spoken
the words of warning a few hours agol
81 shall have killed himl Oh. what shall
do--what shall doln she moaned to herself:
and. with tho question the answer leaned
She flew to Duke, embarrassed him with
trembling but swift fingers. and, springing
on his back, rode across the road and into the
woods. leaving the wagon. She knew what
she must do. The sources house Law ON the
edge of the village, and these woods adioincd
his lands, There was a path through them,
rough and difficult even for a person on foot.
but which shortened the distance by two
Between the sources fields and the woods
was n deem rayine. which had been rudelv
/ bridped over two wears before in order 10
haul some timber which the squire had
bought, Annette knew the path and she
knew Duke. She urged him to his best, aud
Off they dashed through the solemn pines
the moon, lust risen. making the shadows
still more dense. and the path uncertain and
full of obstacles Oyerhaneinp branches
struck and bruised her, Duke stumbled and
faltered sometimes. the minutes dragged like
hours. and the awful thought never left her
that she might be too late.
Al last she raached tho ravina and hare ~
the bridge. Duke showed himself reluctant 10
cross II WINS dark but Annette nroed him
/ ON I,af then tl,e snoon sl,ona through n ,.ift
m the trees showing Annetta the cause of
Dulse,s hesitation and her own deadly naril
shopld she cross The bridge dis,lsed Of late
had fallen away. and there was but one
plank left Of IL. reaching from side To side
Annette uttered an involuntary cry Of
despair: her heart seemed to stand still
Then. summoning all her courage she once
more urged Duke on. and MS she felt him
step out, she closed her ewes and sat motion
less. One plank-wide and securely fastened,
but covered with snow--between her and
tlaatb. and not only her own death but an
others by her fault
How long that terrible passage lasted she
could. never tell, but at last the hollow echo
of Dukes steps ceased and, with joyful
whinny, he tossed up his head and darted
across the field. Soon they reached the house
and Annette saw, with throb of relief, that
she was on time, for everything was Quiet
She left Duke tied and burst open the sitting
room door.
"Fly for your life," she gasped to Paul
"The peddler was spyl The French soldiers
are coming TO take YOU: | heard them in the
wood Duke is tied by the we'll. Take him
and gy to Concordp
And. ms he began to speak. she tainted Mt
his feet.
The soldiers coming some minutes after
his escape. ransacked tho house, but were
Obliged TO leave In angry disappointment.
promising the SOY that be should pay dearly