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

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after awhile he began to fall behind.
Now and again the sergeant looked back
to see as in duty bound that his prisoner
was still there. One of the others asked
him if he should not make her hurry up,
but he answered that it was all right, as
the man was safe in the cart and that
the woman could not go far.
For some little time they progressed
in this fashion. Marie's state of mind
was terrible. and she only longed for
death to put an end to her sutferings.
All the light seemed to have gone out of
her life AS yet she could not realize
the blow that had fallen-her husband
murderer, herself arrested as a thief
and even now ON the way to some I'M
known peril, while the author of it all,
the man whom she had loved and loved
still in spite Of all, treating her not even
with a cold Indifference, but harshly,
and threatening her.
When the cart some little time after
came near wood which stretched for
many league around away to the from
tier, the sergeant turned around to tell
his female prisoner that it was time to
get back into the cart or to come again
into line with the rest Of the party. He
could not see her. With quick rush
he ran to the cart and dragged back the
curtain, calling:
what does this mean? If your wife
has escaped, it will be the worse for you.
Get up, you lazy Here he started
back in amazement, for his eyes met
those of Marie, dilated with fear.
"Sacre!' he called to the others, ''he
has escaped! Run, mes enfants. Quick!
moment ago. Do not hesitate to shoot
if he does not stop at the word"
The gendarmes ran back and secured
the road right and left, but all in vain.
for Robert Macaire had broken from
prison and escaped from custody too often
to be caught mapping when there was
chance to escape. He was already safe
in the wood and under cover of it's shell
ter, putting each moment a great dis
lance between himself and his pursuers,
while they were vainly searching for him
on the ground which he had passed over.
Seeing that search was in vain, and
that the only chance Of recapturing him
was by raising the hue and cry from the
station, the sergeant called his men back
They came, naturally enough thoroughly
angry at the way in which they had
been tricked and vowing vengeance on
Robert Macaire in case they should ever
lay their HANDS upon hin. again.
The sergeant said nothing to Marie for
awhile. He was a merciful man accord
ing to his lights, and he knew it would
only cause her more pain without doing
her any good. and he felt that it was only
natural for a woman to help her husband
under the circumstances. Besides, he
was not at all sure in his mind from the
first that she was guilty. He could see
that there was some mystery on foot, and
he thought that in all probability she was
not the most guilty party in whatever
i'll doing was ON hand. Presently, how
ever, he came to the cart and said to her
gently enough:
81 wanted to treat you as kindly as l
could. You mustn't blame me if there
is any rigor shown to you after what has
happened. Poor soul! pity you from
the bottom of my heart And you so
young, too-Gttle more than child. l
have girls of my own, and who knows
but some day they may need friend
or some hand of pity stretched out to
them? Well, there! he's worthless
wretch to my thinking, and perhaps
you're we'll rid of him-but he has es-