The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-09
A GENTLEMAN OF FRANCE.
Being the Memoirs of CASTOR de
Bonnie, Sieur de Marsac.
A ROMANCE.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN,
Author Of .The House OF the VOLTS 40.

CHAPTER IIL-(CoyrNuEp.D

night You are travelling SO slowly that"
| Il am saving the horses" answered short.
| ly. I'VE shall do q long day tomorrow"
Yours looks fit for week OF days" he
sneered. with an evil glance at my Sandman
which was indeed In better case than its mas.
ter " 1t is sleek enough anyway |"
1T Is as good as IL looks" answered, O
| Titled nettled by his tone
There Is better here" he responded.
81 don't SEQ It," said. 1 had already eyed
the nags all round. and assured myself that
ugly and blemished as they were. they were UP
| to their work. l looked them over again now,
and came to the same conclusion. that except
the led horses which had chosen with some
care. there was nothing among them to vie
with the Cid. either in speed or looks. told
Fresnoy 80.
Would you like to try 2" he said tauntingly.
laughed: adding, III you think am going
to wear our horses out racing them. with such
work Us We have before us. you are mistaken,
Fresnoy I! am not boy"
There need be no question Of racing" he
answered moro quietly. You have only to
get on that rat-tailed bay Of Matthew's to feel
his PAGES and say am right"
looked at the bay. a bald-face. fiddle
headed horse. and saw that with no signs Of
breeding 1t was still a big boned animal. with
good shoulders and powerful hips. l thought
1t possible Fresnoy might be right, and II So
and the bays manners were tolerable. IL might
do for Mademoiselle better than the horse
had chosen. At any rate. II we had fast
horse among US It was we'll to know the fact.
and. bidding Matthew change with me and be
careful OF the CID. ! mounted tho bay. and
soon discovered that Its PAGES were easy and
promised speed, while It's manners seemed as
good as even q tlmid rider could desire.
Onr road Mt ha Ia
heath dotted herel aud there with thorn
bushes. The track. being broken and stony.
extended moro than q score OF yards In width.
many travellers having strayed to this side
and that to escape the worst places. Fresnoy
and l. IN making the change. had fallen
slightly behfnd the other three. and were
riding abreast Of Matthew on the Cid.
Well. he said. was not rightp
In part" answered. THE horse 10 better
than It's looks"
Like many Others" he rejoined. a spark
OF resentment in mis- tone, mon as we'll as
horses. NJ. de Marsao! But what do you say.
shall we canter on and overtake the others p
Thinking It we'll to do so assented readily.
and We started together. We had ridden.
however. no more than hundred yards or so.
and was only beginning to extend the bay.
when Fresnoy. slightly drawing rein. turned
In his saddle and looked back. exclaiming the
next moment: HALO what Is this2 Those
fellows are not following u.s. are they.p"
turned sharply TO look. At that moment,
without falter or warning. the bay horse went
down under mo as II shot had struck 1t,
throwing me half a dozen yards over its head,
and that 90 suddenly that had no time to
raise my arms, but falling heavily ON my
head and shoulder, lost consciousness.
I have had many falls. but no other to vie
b hat t,N 49, MA
cred my senses found myself leaning. elddy
and sick. against the bole OF an old thorn
tree. Fresnoy and Matthew supporting me,
one on either side. and asking me how found
myself; while the other three men. their forms
black against the evening sky were sitting
their horses few PAGES In front OF me. was
too much dazed at first to see more. and this
only in a mechanical fashion: but gradually
my brain growing clearer. I advanced from
who the strangers round me were
to recognizing them. and finally to remem
Ing what had happened to me.
rs the horse hurtr" muttered as soon as
could speak
mot o whit !" Fresnoy answered. chuckling
or was much mistaken. Il am afraid you
came of the worse Of the two. Captain"
He exchanged look with the men on horse
back as he spoke. and saw or fancied saw
hem smile broadly. One laughed indeed. and
another turned In his saddle as II to hide his
lace. had vague general sense that there |
was some joke on foot In which had no part, |
but WAS too much shaken at the moment to |
be curious and gratefully accepted one OF the |
mems offer to fetch me q little water. While |
he was away. the rest stood around me the |
same look Of impudent drolsry on their faces. |
Fresnoy talked volu bly, Of the accident pouring |
out expressions OF sympathy and cursinR tho |
road. the horse. and the wlntry light until
he water came. when much refreshed by the
lrauRht. I managed to climb to the Clds sad
lie. and plod slowly onward with them.
A bad beginning" Fresnoy said. presently.
stealing a sly glance at me, as we logged along
tide by side. Chic half league before ua, and
darkness not far of.
But by this time was myself again, save for
! little humming in the head. and. Struggling
NY shoulders. told him so. "All's we'll that
'nds we'll" added. mot that It was a pleas
mt fall, or that wish to have such another"
mo. should think not" no answered. His
ace was turned from me. but fancied heard
lin sniggle.
Something. which may have been vague
led me a moment later to put my
land into my pouch. Then I understood.
The sharp surprise OF the discovery was such
hat involuntarily drove my spurs into the
|
he matter1" Fresnoy asked.
Tho matter2" echoed. my hands still at
ny belt. feeling-feeling hopelessly.
"Yss. what Is IT." he asked, brazen smile
n his rascally face.
Hooked at him. nay brow as red as fire. "Oh,
Iothing.' Nothing" said Let us trot on"
had. as q fact. discovered that. taking ad-
antage OF my helplessness. the scoundrels
ad robbed me while lay insensible OF every
odd crown In my purse Nor was this all. or
he worst. for saw at once that In doing 20
hey had effected something which was 4
moro ominous and Formidable
established against me that secret under
landing which 1t was my especial aim to pre-
emit. on the absence OF which had been
ounting. Nay. saw clearly that for my very
10 had to thank only my friend tho cutler
nd my own prudence. seeing that they would
Undoubtedly have murdered mo without
cripple had they succeeded in finding the bulk
I my money. Baffied In this while still per
uAded that had other resources. they had
81. - LII, a.. |