Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-09-25

wait. Then he heard some one speak in
low key. Guided by the sound, he
reached door. It yielded to a gentle
pressure; there was glimmer of light
inside, and the voice was more distinct.
When had he heard it before? Holding
the door ajar he listened. The tones
were those of a negro. and he was speak
ing in French. 'You three are enough;
but you must mako quick work and no
mistakes. You know him, Jaques;
if he is alone, so much tho better; but
if the other is with him, Sdcre b1eu! You
know your business Strike sure. Tho
American is not armed. He is a prison
CT of war Come, will let you out by
window"
Their steps approached the door,
which Ariel closed gently; then he
glided swiftly out into the darkness and
past the sentinel. How should he find
his master and warn him of the plot?
For such he had no doubt it was. The
moon was rising and shed faint light
through the clouds, and in the distance
he saw a house more brilliantly lighted
than the others, and he fed in that di
rection. It must be Nine. Chevreul's
house; there De Barzac would be with
his friend, and ever as he ran the ne
gro's voice kept ringing in his ears with
dir1ly familiar tone, and as his
thoughts took shape it associated itself
with tho phantom of a stern, dark-vis-
aged man whom he had seen during his
captivity among the Indians, previous
to the battle where he was rescued by
Marden. He stopped suddenly; a crowd
of recollections swept across his brain.
The man was Lenourier, the negro his
servant. The conversation he had
overheard between Mrs. Vernon and her
friend supplied the connecting links be-
tween the circums tanceS, and he sprang
forward again upon his mission of life
or death. He met two or three groups
of officers returning to their quarters
whom he would have questioned but for
his inability to use other than the sign
language, which they would not under
stand.
At length he reached the house, he
looked through window into
lighted room in which were three
gentlemen and two ladies, and his heart
beat unanimously with JOY when he re-
cognized his master. The others were
unknown to him. The hall door stood
open and Ariel entered. For a moment
some strong emotion overwhelmed him
and he leaned against the wall, his
hands pressed to his heart. But quickly
regaining his self-control, he threw
open the drawing-room door and stood
before the astonished group.
"Arielr cried Marden, rushing for
ward and clasping him in his arms.
"Ariel! my friend! my brother! Whence
earnest thou, dear boy? How didss
thou find thy master?"
Ariel gently withdrew himself from
the embrace. His face was flushed, his
eyes flashed through the tears that
could not dim their brightness. Tho
witnesses to this strange scene gazed
silently as if they beheld an unexpected
and brilliant tableau vivant at the
theater, and the first to recover him
self was the boy. Stepping back
pace, he waved his hand to command
attention, and began to talk rapidly
with his fingers while the group around
him looked on with growing interest.
Marden, to whom alone the sign
language was Ineligible, soon be.
came absorbed in the revelation, and
Nine. Chevreul observed that the smile
gave place to a grave expression which
anon became stern and even fierce. She
had never before seen that open cheer
full face put on the ''wrinkled front OF
war;" and at once returned to her ''pre-
monitions." When Ariel concluded.
Marden led Major Chevreul and De Bar
FAC aside, and briefly explained the at.
fair. Chevreul offered to send guard
70 Int
younger men objected that the guard
would not know where to look for them.
LEND me a sword, Major" said Mardeni
ode Barzac is armed, and being on our
guard, we two are more than match
for the villains"
Chevreul declared that if they would
go, he would accompany them, but De
Barzac argued that the brigands would
not attack if the numbers were equal.
1t was finally agreed that Ariel should
60 forward as scout and Major Chew
reul follow the young men at discreet
distance. While the major took Mar
den with him to select 4 sword, De
Rarzac invented a plausible story to
allay the apprehensions of the ladies,
and then the friends took their leave.
''But where is the boy?" asked Ninon.
''He is gone on before u.s." replied
Marden.
The guests departed and the ladies
were about to question Major Chevreul
as to the import of Ariels communica.
ton, when he suddenly remembereG
some instructions he should have given
De Barzac and hurried after them.
The ladies looked at each other with
anxious faces. They were not deceived.
Presently shot rang out. Nine.
Chevreul arose and looked out of the
window. She thought she saw figures
moving in the dim light. Then came
another shot not very distant. Sheran up
stairs hoping to get a wider view. AS
she looked she became sensible of
smarting sensation in her eyes which
increased momentarily. She CROPPED
her way towards the rear of the house to
call servant. A confused sound came
from their apartments. She pushed a
door open and volume of smoke filled
with tongues of fire rushed into the
room. She recoiled with shrek of
terror. 1t seemed to be echoed from be-
low. Her senses began to reel, when a
hand grasped hers and led her down by
back passage into the open air, and
then she tainted.
When consciousness returned she
found herself surrounded by her servants
and others attracted hither by the con-
flagration. The flames poured forth
from the windows, and soon the roof fell
in with mighty crash, and a shower of
sparks and cinders. The once gay and
!, haa paccad in