The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-11-28


sudden inspiration "do you remember
noticing something queer"
Dimitri reflected moment, Said he;
eDo you mean that whistle2"
"Yes," was her reply; land do you re-
member that ! spoke TO you about it and
asked what it was!"
AYou are right said he, "and the first
whistle sounded only few moments after
the Princess went"
"Ye3,n continued the eager girl, land
the second was blown after we left the
carriers and that farmer, this side of the
pool. They were all fellows living about
here, going to st. Malo with vegetables for
the market tomorrow. think they must
be at the inn for shelter from the rain.
You'd better jump on your horse and run
down and question them"
Suiting the action to the word Dimitri
hurried of
Lydia's common sense told her that in all
probability Natalie was now sar beyond
rescue. Something in the frankness and
general tenor of the two notes led her to
feel that no harm would befall her friend.
That it was no ordinary brain which had
achieved the deed, she was fully convinced.
Every thing went to prove this-the very
boldness of the scheme itself, the notes,
their general tone and language. Although
nearly broken-hearted over the affair, she
believed it quite useless even to institute q
search.
The others of the household were for send
ing olt Immediately to search the neighbor-
hood and discover some trace Of the lost
Princess. Ali the available males were
accordingly pressed into the service, and
sent ont to scourithe country in every direc-
ton. The first objective point, Of course,
was the road in the vicinity Of the pool
But not the slightest clue could there be
discovered. The heavy rains had obliterated
all the wheeLtracks made by the wagon
into the wood, where the Princess hid first
been carried. Searching far and wide, they
could ind positively nothing in the way Of Q
trace OF their lost mistress
Meanwhile, Dimitd returned from ON in
terview with the carriers, and these individ-
uals ali agreed In saying that they had seen
h0rsewomAn emerge from the cliff road
and ride rapidly toward the village ON the
public road. From their description Of the
woman and her horse, il could be none other
than the Princess herself.
They met with no stranger, excepting
huntsman who hailed them near the clifl
road, and got tAcm all into some angry
dispute with regard 10 the land thereabcuts.
They, too, observed the loud whistle, but
supposed II that Of some hunter calling his
dogs.
Ere Dimitri left the Inn, o farmer, also
living in the neighborhood, entered,
drenched through and through BY the
storm. On his way to St. Malo, he had be-
come alarmed at the severity of the storm,
and, supposing It an allnight affair, turned
back 10 the inn Of the village.
Dimitri remembered meeting with him,
just after Catherine and himself passed the
pool.
Here now was clue.
The wagoners were not to be diverted
from their idea that they saw the Princess
going toward the pool.
Had this farmer on the opposite side of the
pool, seen herl No, he had not he saw
no one, excepting stranger WHOM he found
sitting by the roadside. This man and him.
self enjoyed a long talk about crops-a talk
of perhaps one quarter of an hour in length.
No woman passed them. OF that he was
sare-at least no woman excepting the one
with that man." pointing to Dimitri and
referring, of course, to Catherine. He, too,
observed the sharp calls of the whistle.
Lydia listened quietly to Dimitri's story.
Here, at last, was trace to Natalic-the
only clue, perhaps, to her disappearance.
"Send for all the wagorers and the farm
err, immediately said she, authoritatively.
The dripping band of peasants soon ap-
peared in the hall, little rivulets trickling
down from their drcnched garments and
covering the floor with miniature ponds.
They stood huddled together. awe-struck
and awkward.
Questioning them, Lydia found that Nata-
lie must have been lost between the wagon.
ers on one side of the pool and the farmer
on the other side. and, therefore, in the
neighborhood of, and very probably ct. the
pool itself; and that the stranger who
conversed with the farmer, and also the
huntsman who disputed with the carriers,
were, undoubtedly, accessories to the alb
duction for they both disappeared almost
Immediately after the second whistle.
The wagoners said that the first call YVES
heard just before they saw the Princess.
The mystery of Natalie's disappearance
now became clear to Lydia.
The hunts.nan-ah! would she have be
lieved her cars had she been told who he
wasl-must have been on the watch for the
poor girl. The warning signal of her ap
p-oach toward tie abducsors was the first
blast Of his whistle. This, too. warned the
outpost G. tAc cg7nsi.c side Ct the pool and
both ort. 1Ss1 s-c5v1cl :. 3 n-s=C0 -...s Cis5-