Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-08-24

miserable companion, who writbed on
the floor at their feet, groaning and i'm
ploring mercy in the most abject terms.
But there was movement in the long,
sinewy fingers and CLEAN in the evil
eye that would have BODIED i'll for them
had they been fewer in number or had
they not already taken the precaution Of
removing the knife, whose long, curved
back blade could do such deadly work.
He knew very well that all was up for
him. lie could no longer expect to cs-
cape the end which had been so long
awaiting him, but nevertheless the de-
sire for liberty was strong within him,
and he pondered the possibility of es-
cape. He had heard the gendarme ride
off and guessed pretty well OH what er-
rand he was gone. He knew about how
long he would be gone Once back all
chance of escape was gone. 1t must be
now or never. He sat with his eyes fixed
on the little square window which light
ed the loft, when his attention was caught
by a rope swinging in front of it. He
went up to the window and found it was
a rope belongings to pulley which was
fastened above the window and was
probably used for raising stores into the
loft. He swiftly conceived the idea of
swinging himself onto the roof by means
of this rope and so perhaps escape-who
could tell? He reused his companion
and told him what he meditated doing.
| Strop was full of fears. If they We're
seen, they would be shot, or if they fell
they might be killed.
"All that may happen" admitted his
companion, "but what will happen if
! we remain here is that we will die on
the guillotine. l for one prefer some
other way, so I'll try this chance. You
perhaps prefer to sit here like a rat in
trap"
Tho thought of the guillotine gave
Strop courage, and he decided to follow
Macalrc. They listened breathlessly at
the window till presently the tread of
tho man who was on guard below ceased.
Macaire looked cautiously out of the
window, and seeing he had half disap-
peared into the embrasure of the door
made a sign to Strop, and mounting on
the window sill he caught hold of the
rope. swung himself loose, and then with
one desperate effort swung himself up
ward, catching the edge Of the parapet
and so pulling himself ON the roof. He
was cautiously crawling up the face of
the roof in order to get to the other side,
which was sheltered from the view of
the yard, when he was startled by an
agonized yell Strop had followed him
out of the window, catching the rope
and endeavoring to swing himself up
ward as Macaire had done. when just as
he was in midair the rope gave way, and
he fell at the feet Of the sentry-stone
dead. His neck was broken.
Macaire had just reached the ridge of
the roof when the gendarme, who, quick
ly realizing what had happened, bound
ed to the center of the courtyard, and
looking up caught sight of the half
kneeling figure of Macaire in full relief
against the sky. He knew what his or
ders We're, and leveling his gun he fired.
The figure on the roof threw no its
J srmr. tottered, fell, and rolling over anC
over down the sloping roof and bound
! ing over the low parapet fell with {
thud. and Robert Macaire lay dead be
side the wretched partner Of his crimes
r
II was long before the horror of tina
day somewhat faded from the hearts Of
, the household as Les Bons Amis. Bu
all things have their seasons, and one
day there was cuiet wedding in the
} little church.