The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-15
3
S, The Exploits or i 4
A BRIGADIER G[RARD, Azs
as-s
HTow ST. 1.E King tiELp T!59s 34 RSEeApIERS EgS
So &sS:a7z9%QOn&>nIDOIlGtS3


Toward nightfall wind sprang up, and
as the darkness deepened il blew harder
and harder, until a terrible gale was
whistling over the moor. AS / looked
out OF my window / could not catch a
glimpse of star, and the black clouds
were flying low across the heavens. The
rain was pouring down, and what with
its Kissing and splashing and the howl
ing and screaming of the wind il was inn
possible for me To hear the steps of the
sentinels. "If l cannot hear them, :"
thought |, "then it is unlikely that they
can hear me-; and l waited with the
utmost impatience until the inspector
should have come round for his nightly
peep through our grating. Then having
peered through the darkness, and seen
nothing of the sentry, who was doubt
less crouching in some corner out of
the rain, / felt that the moment was
come. / removed the bar, pulled out the
stone, and motioned to my companion
to pass through.
After you, Colonel," said he.
"Will you go first?' / asked.
81 had rather you showed me the way"
"Come after me, then, but come silently,
rs you value your life. f."
In the darkness / could hear the fell
lows teeth chattering, and / wondered
whether a man ever had such partner in
a desperate enterprise. / seized the bar,
however, and mounting upon my stool
i thrust my head and shoulders into the
hole. / had wriggled through as far as
my waist, when my companion seized
me suddenly by the knees, and yelled at
the top of his voice:
"Helpl Helpl A prisoner is escap-
ingv'
All, my friends, what did not feel at
that momentl
OF course, / saw in an instant the game
OF this vile creature. Why should he
y uly in al IIu rI.atA
might be sure OF free pardon from the
English for having prevented the escape
OF one so much more distinguished than
himsel2 i had recognized him as a
poltroon and a sneak, but i had not
understood the depth of baseness to
spent his life among gentlemen and men
OF honor does not think of such things
until they happen. The blockhead did
not seem TO understand that he was lost
more certainly than /. i writhed back
into the darkness, and then, seizing
him by the throat, / struck him twice
with my iron bar. At the first blow he
ye1ped as n little cur does when you
tread upon its paw At the second, down
he fell with groan upon the floor.
Then i seated myaelf upon my bed, and
waited resignedly for whatever punish.
ment my iailers might inflict upon me-
But minute passed and yet another,
breathing OF the senseless wretch upon
the. .iloon Was II possible, then, that
amid the fery OF the storm his warning
cries had passed unheeded? AT first 1t
was but tiny hope, annother minute and
il was probable another il was certain.
There was no sound in the corridor, none
in the. court yard. i wiped the cold
sweat from my brow, and I asked my.
self what I should do next.
one thing seemed certain. The man on
the floor must die. II left him could
not tell how short time 1t might be be.
fore he gave the alarm. i dare not strike
d light, so felt about,in the darkness
unti my hand came upon something wet,
which knew to be his head. raised my
iron bar-but there was something, my
friends, which prevented me from
bringing il down. In the heat OF fight
have slain many men-men of honor,
100, who had done me no injury. Yet
10 live, who had tried to work mo so
great q mischief, and yet could not
bring myself TO crush his skull i'm. |
such deeds are very well for q Spanish |
for that matter, sans |
,ulotto of the Faubourg st. Antoine !
but not for soldier and gentleman |
ike mo.
However, the heavy breathing OF .the |
ellow made me hope that II might be a |
'ory long time before he recovered his |
ensos. I gagged him, therefore, and |
pound him with strips OF blanket to the |
1ed, so that in his weakened condition |
here was good reason to think that, in
my case, he might not get free before the
iext visit OF the warder. But now, again,
was faced with new difficulties, for you |
Will remember that had relied upon his |
ieight to help me over the walls. / could
AVE sat down and shed tears Of despair
lad not the thought OF my mother and Of
he Emperor come to sustain me. "Cour-
gel" said I. "If 1t were any one but
5tienne Gerard he would be in a bad fix
low: that Is young man who is not
o easily caught"
/ set TO work, therefore, pom Beaumont's
heet as well as my own, and by tearing
hem into strips and then placing them