Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-08-17

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She looked ,u1d1y round as if seeking
means Of escape.
He is capital company, IS the briga-
| der" added Pierre in all innocence of
heart. I'm sure you'll get on capitally
together. It's pity you are not mount
ed, too, or you might make stretch of
| the road together. They're out on duty
and must hurry on as soon as they have
| had something to eat and rested the
lorses."
| Pierre's interlocutors did not. however,
IS may be conceived share his views as
70 the good fellowship of gendarmes
| Their "reminiscences of stretches of road
raversed in company with such gentry
we're unpleasantly associated with hand 4,
:lffs and a stout rope, at one end of
which they pursued their unwelcome
| Journey, while the other was attached to
.hv saddlebow os an individual whom
| hey did not find at all capital COM
Tany." Nor were they at all treasured
when Pierre went on to inform them that
Roger, the brigadier, and his men were
out after a couple of forcats who had
| tNCSI)clt lDIll IIlt DIloOll VI ~ OilH, anu
who, according to the latest intelligence,
We're supposed to be lurking in the forest
Of La Marche. desperate ruffians, too,'
finished Pierre. 1.-The brigadier has or
der3 to bring them i'll alive or dead" So
saying, he turned away to attend to
something else. when Bertrand frighten-
"a out of all self control, started to his
feet as if 10 run.
"Infame," muttered his companion,
would you ruin us? Sit down, tell
YOU" And he had only just time to force
him back into his seat when the door
opened, and the brigadier clattered into
the room armed to the teeth, his profess
sional eye takingin the room and i &C.
cupant5 at a glance.
Marie, who, sunk in thought, had h ard
nothing of Pierre's conversation, was
reused by the sudden entrance of the
armed man and gave him startled look
which he did not fail to perceive. But
his eye passed on to rest more searching
y on the two men, whose appearance
did not at all please him. 1T seems to
me | have seen them before" he said to
himself as he looked at them more in
QuirinGly than they found at all agree
able, for they at once recognized him as
the gendal1ne who had inspected them
and their passports so suspiciously the
previous day. The brigadier very soon
recalled where he had seen them and
decided that he would keep his eye Oh
them.
Now, Pierre" he said, hurry with
breakfast and don't forget some ham.
know of old how good your ham is. And
tell my men to hurry with the horses
and como in to breakfast We have not
mitch time to lose"
Pierre hurried off to execute his orders,
while the brigadier, still keeping an eye
on the two men, took out his pipe and
began to prepare it for his after break,
fast smoke. Marie, who had been watch.
ing for an opportunity to leave the room
unobserved, now got up and slipped
quietly out, much to the relief OF Re.
nond, who felt that her absence vastly
improved the chances Of himself and his
companion. So much so that having
finished his breakfast he began TO hum d
tune, crossing his legs as he lay back il
chair filing his pipe and looking at
,, the brigadier with an air of easy assur
ance which took Bertrand's breath away
and nearly made him choke with sheer
terror as lie swallowed his last mouth
full.
: Just then Pierre returned, bringing the
: ham and followed by the other gen
darmes-four of them. They all sal
down to table and proceeded to discus,
3 their breakfast with excellent appetite
The brigadier asking Pierre i'll IL low
: tone where those men had come from
indicating the pair i'll the corner by (;
. slight movement of his elbow, Pierr,
informed him that they were strangers
who had slept that night at Les Bon
Amis, and that he knew nothing furthe
l about them, except that the tall one wa
most amusing chap and beautiful
singer.
Il wish you could hear him" he added
o a wish which was at once gratitied a
t Remond got up from his seat and saun
t tered up to the table beside them il
search Of a match TO light his pipe, sing
ing:
Duel plaiser d'etre en- voyagel
Jamais loil nest en- repos,
Toujours sur Yotfe passage
: S'offrent des objets nouveaux.
:, "Voila! said Pierre, pausing and lis
V tening, while the brigadier, who did no
. seem particularly charmed, uttered DIR,
. "h'm," and his men went on eating thei
u breakfast in stolid silence.
i. Remond, nothing abashed at this wan
- of appreciation Of himself and his pei
. Torrance, finished his stave, lighted hi
pipe, remarked to his companion with
careless air that they must soon be think
i ing Of starting, and that they had bette
. 90 and put their things together Will
= NJ. Pierre was making out their it'll
bill, which they would settle when the
5 ! came down. So saying and begin