Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-07-11
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4 THRILLING STORY OF THE
FRANCO PRUSSIAN WAR.
nY MAUKICE LEGRAND.
CHAPTER VI.
FLED!

Gin the ruined tower man sat alone.
81 Through the darkness the star
light shone. 1t fell on the bare
cold walls, and lit up the gloomy re-
cesses, while light misty vapors, soft
and silvery as smoke-wreaths, noated in
from the river, and dwelt shadow
like in every nook and corner. 1t was
an eerie place enough. A place no
man would dwell in from choice-a
place to which its present occupant
had been driven by the sternest law
that rules human life-necessity.
Restlessly his eyes rOved from side
to side through the vast desolate
width of this legend-haunted hall. The
bats cold wings tapped against hi $
forehead, the night-owls flew to and
fro through its gloomy passages. I'm
speakably dreary, unspeakably desc
late, it seemed TO him, who had
towards shrinking fear, and child's
superstitious dread OF darkness and
loneliness like this. ''Will she never
come?n he siad to himself again and
again, as he listened in vain for the
signal he longed to hear-for the
and the consciousness of n human
presence to gladden., even for q few
brief moments, his self-eniorced soil
tude.
1t was an hour past mid
night A fear of i'll that had
CHANGED, of discovery that threat
ened, fell upon his heart. Listening
and watching, the minutes seemed
long as hours, each filed with new
dread, with ever increasing fear. III
they have discovered her absence
followed her-oh hoavensm he NUT
tered in his terror, while his eyes
slared through the shadows with the
fear of hunted animal brought TO bay,
and desperate.
While the thought still held him,
the familiar signal reached his ears.
He started to his feet, and looked
nnxiously toward the window, then
repeated it. Another instant and a
girls light figure swung itself through
the aperture, and with def soundless
feet dropped safely down on the floor
within.
"Ninette!" he cried joyiully, then
trembled and turned pale, for with
Keeling steps and ashy face the girl
came on through the black noiseless
gloom, and then fell at his feet like
one dead
He bent over her, and q mortal ter
ror shook his limbs, an icy fear seized
his heart.
Senseless and still, like falling
statue, she lay at his feet, with the
cloud of her rich waving hair, floating
over her motionless limbs, shrouding
her death-like face. He called her
name, he chafed her cold hands, he
dashed water on her face, he tried,
with eyes on which tears stood thick,
and hands which trembled and shook
like the weakest woman, 10 revive her
senses, and recall lie to the stricken
form.
.'Oh Godl Not this life toor he
moaned, and the sound Of his voice in
that intense stiffness seemed to him
charged and fearful.
After awhile her senses returned,
slow, quivering breaths heaved hei
bosom and parted her lips; her eyes
wide with terror. dark with pain
opened on the frightened face above
her. She knew it, and raised herself
with sudden strength, and shuddcret
away from his touch as If it were
hateful.
go, go!" she cried wildly. ooh,
that you had never crossed my PATH
He looked at her il amazement
scared by the wild words, by the blaz-
ing eyes.
What has happenedp" he faltered.
She rose and faced him in the gloom
with despair and passion in hel
face that awed him into shamed re-
morseful silence.
"What? Only this-that for your
sake / have lost love, home, honor
Only this-to keep my oath with you
/ have sacrificed my husbands heart,
perhaps his life. Oh, Heaven! In my
sight, at least, stand to-day his muir
deress."
"You are madr' he gasped in his
bewilderment. She laughed wildly.
"Madl Well, perhaps | am. There
are wrongs that turn youth to age
ald reason 10 madness, they say.
Such wrongs are mine. Do you know
what he has said tonight That /
/, his wife. have betrayed and deceiv-
ed him-that steal from his side in
the midnight darkness to meet an
other lover. Do you hearP A lover.
And L could hear that and say moth
ing"
''You did not confessp" The fright.
ened voice, the terrified fact recalled
her to herself. She looked at him in
mute scorn.
"Are you afraid OF thatP" No, I con.
fessed nothing"