Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-10-09

Ariel reflected that the officers were
probably visiting at the houses OF their
friends in the town. He tried some Of
the doors but they were locked. There
was no alternative but to sit down and
wait. Then he heard some one speak in
a low key. Guided by the sound, he
reached door. It yielded to gentle
pressure; there was . glimmer OF light
inside, ana the voice was moro distinct.
When had he heard 1t before? Holding
the door ajar he listened. The tones
were those of negro, and he was speak
ing in French ssYou three are enough;
but you must make quick work and no
mistakes. You know him, Jaques;
If he Is alone, 50 much the better; but
if the other is with him, saeTs Neuv You
know your business Strike sure. The
American Is not armed He Is q prison
er OF war. Come, will let you out by
a 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 tho distance
he saw house more brilliantly lighted
than the others, and he fed in that di-
rection. 1t must be Nine. Chevreuls
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
dimly familiar tone, and as his
thoughts took shape it associated itself
with the phantom of stern, dark-vis-
aged man whom he had seen during his
captivity among the Indians, previous
to the battle whore he was rescued by
Marden. He stopped suddenly; crowd
of recollections swept across his brain.
The man was Lemourier, the negro his
servant. The conversation he had
overheard between Mrs Vernon and her
friend supplied the connecting links be-
tween the circumstances, and he sprang
forward again upon his mission of life
or death. He mot 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 a window into
lighted room in which were three
gentlemen and two ladies, and his heart
beat tumultuously with JOY when he re-
cognized his master. The others were
unknown to him. The hall door stood
open and Ariel entered. For 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.
"Ariel!'' cried Marden, rushing for
ward and clasping him in his arms.
''Arie1! my friend! my brother! Whence
earnest thou, dear boy? How didst
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. The
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 a
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 intelligible, soon be-
| came absorbed in the revelation, and
Nine. Chevreul observed that the smile
gave place to 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
l.
monitions." When Ariel concluded,
Marden led Major Chcvreul and De Bar
FAC aside, and briefly explained the af-
fair. Chevreul offered to send a guard
to apprehend the assassins; but the
younger men objected that the guard
| would not know where to look for them.
LEND me sword, Major" said Marden;
''De Barzac is armed, and being on our
guard, we two are moro than a 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
| go forward as scout and Major Chew
reul follow the young men at q discreet
| distance. While tho major took Mar
| den with him to select sword, De
Barzac invented 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 Ariel's communica-
ton, when he suddenly remembered
some instructions he should have given
De Barzsc and hurried after them.
| The ladies looked at each other with
anxious faces. They were not deceived.
Presently a 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. She ran up
stairs hoping to get wider view. As
she looked she became sensible Of a
smarting sensation in her eyes which
increased momentarily. She CROPPED
her way towards the rear of the house to
call a servant. A confused sound came
from their apartments. She pushed a