Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-10-28
CHAPTER XIII.
AN ANXIOUS MOMENT

Not n man who saw the stalwart
Frcnchman dash from their presence
but knew that the light of madness was
cleaning in his eye. With the strength
of Il maniac no had hurled them on one
side like so many children, with the
speed of wild animal he was bounding
ON his prcy-a timid, helpless girl, who
had nothing but her weakness to oppose
to the blind fury of his passion.
And she was so enwrapped in bitter
thoughts that she did not even hear the
hurrving footsteps, but was going along
with low bent head, wondering whether
the miscries which surrounded her
would ever end. She had heard the
story of Damicns' fight, and, though
she was 10th to believe such brutal vim
dictivcncss in even him, had more than
half suspected the Frenchman's treach-
cry.
Suddenly hand was rudely laid up
on her shoulder.
Before she could spring from his grasp
his arms were flung around her and his
hot kisses fell fast and furious upon her
lips and face.
Wanda! my own! my darling" the
mailman cried in ecstacy, his eyes flash
ing with the CLEAN of tigers. 81
have YOU in my arms at last. Ha! Ha!
That poor, silly, blind fellow thought
that he was going to rob me of you; to
steal your kisses from my lips; but he
i, living Wonder in the snow. Aye, the
brave bashaws did their work nobly.
| went out just to take one peep at him
as he. lay there so cold and still, and
thcu-thcn | was frightened and fled,
Wanda. But I've come back now.
Come to take you with me that we may
foe together and never see that cold,
white face again"
| would not like my reader to inn
arinc that Wanda Arlington, for all
her softness and delicacy, was af-
nictcd with nerves." and so must beg
him to remember that the poor girl had
endured great prostratiOn and was at
the very moment of the assault in a
state of trouble bordering very nearly
on the historical. Therefore it is not
remarkable that she just closed those
heaven blue eyes of hers and fell back
without n sigh into her captor's arms,
blisSfully unconscious of everything.
lie dragged her along with rude
haste, hurting threats on the crowd
sionally kissing the white check, for
there was not q man who dared fling
himself upon him. Not that the river
sidcrs were towards, or dismayed at the
Ucrculcan strength of the young
Frcnchman, but they looked with a re-
ligious terror on insanity, and there
was not lad among them who did not
know that Alphonse Damiens was mao
as Il March hare.
But presently the ranks divide anG
the squarc-sct form of old Bladon is seer
in the front. lie is spent with running
and brcathlcss. So he stays a minute
that his painting lungs may breathe
moro freely; then, with a bound, he il
ON his foe.
Damiens glarcd upon the old man il
savage wonder, threw the senseles
body of the girl upon the snow, ant
with wild, hoarse cry of fury, sprant
upon his brave assanant.
1t was an unequal contest. You'll
and age, and the thrill of madness lend
ing inhuman vigor 60 the limbs of tn
stronger.
With arms entwined around eacl
other, as they swayed to and fro, it di
not seem difficult to say who would fal
first, for the Frcnchman was head an
shoulder taller than his aged antagonist
and his superb limbs yielded not an inc
to Bladon's vain efforts to throw hir