The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-10-11

and why you pre-. ictel that he would go
for soldier and would probably never be
heard of again Unless lie got promotion"
Robert made Lo answer, but scrowled
at his wife v zen no one was looking in
way that BODIED i'll for her happiness
and even for her safety in case he should
have her in his power.
The night seemed endless. The rude
cart bumped and shook to degree that
would have rendered sleep impossible
under the most favorab conditions.
The gendarmes walked stOlidly along,
keeping Robert always between two of
them, for they seemed to fear that at
any moment he might make an effort to
escape. AS for poor Marie, they took lit
tie heed. for they never thought for an
instant that it would be possible for her
to make the necessary effort.
When the morning broke, cold and
gray, AMI IL wider range Of country was
under their view. the gendarmes relaxed
Their vigilance So far as to let Robert
walk behind the cart, holding on to it's
back us they assembled a hill. Hitherto
there had been to Marie hideous and
ever increasing doubt as to her husbands
guilt as regarded the death Of Pierre, but
his attitude the very instant he got an
opportunity Of saying II word to her in
private turned the doubt into an appall-
ing certainty
When his face came opposite the open
ing of the curtains Of the tilted cart, she
was struck with the expression which
she saw there-an expression quite diff
ferent from any that she had ever before
seen there. 1t was one of brutal, I'M
mitigated ferocity, such a look as the
galleys or the hulks only can produce.
When a man desct-.;is in the scale Of
humanity to his very lowest, he can be,
where his safety is concerned, more cal
lous than even the brutes. The better
qualities of mind and heart can disap-
pear altogether and the relentless in
stinct of self preservation can be seen in
all it's possible baseness.
Such was the look which met poor Ma
rie's sleep forsaken eyes as they sought
for some gleam Of hope in the gladness
Of the morning and chilled her to pitch
requisite to hear unmoved the terrible
confirmation of her fears.
She hardly knew her husband in the
cruel looking, remorseless wretch who
glared at her and spoke in a fierce
whisper:
''Do you hear? must get away some
how o. they will settle me for that affair
of Lamar. You must do it for me. I
shall make some excuse to get into the
cart. Be ready to change clothes with
me. Then put out your head and ask to
be allowed to walk bit. Then lie close,
no matter what happens, or it will be
worse for US BOTH
She attempted to demonstrate with
him, but with d terrible oath fercely
whispered at her he enforced his order.
Half paralyzed with this new fear, she
heard him ask the sergeant to let him
rest in the cart for a bit, as he was tired
to death and chilled with the cold.
The sergeant consented with con-
temptuous oath, but refused to stop the
cart Sowith clumsiness quite unusual
to him, for he was man of great strength
and activity, he half scrambled, half
tumbled into the cart, breathing male
dictions on everybody and everything.
Once in the cart and hidden from the
view of the gendarmes the change was
easily effected, and with Marie's petit
coat and cloak over his own clothes he
was ready for the next step of the es-
CAPE By his instructions Marie, with
her little shawl over her head and her
body hidden in the interior of the cart,
I'D 1N0 +n of q