Morris tribune., 1895-11-27
CHAPTER XII.

found that all the horses were lying
down in their stalls, peacefully doing
like so many respectable human beings.
Jamie had said that he heard them
pounding the cobblestones violently, but
as the floor happened to be a mud one
it is only charitable to suppose that the
officer must have forgotten this fact
and that his imagination must have
been uncomlnonly active. He waited in
the stable for some little time and
then went back to the room where his
comrades We're According to his in
structions, he told the inspector that the
blizzard had ceased she had expected
the latter gave him some fresh orders.
"Then open the door, said the hui
manitarian, land wake up ToWnley
and Pierre, aud the three of you keep a
sharp lookout on the opposite door, Sc
that none OF these women can pass out
without you seeing them Keep pinch
ing the third man SO that you will be
able to keep awake =
A fool may have humor which wise
men may laugh over, but the wit of the
cruel and crafty is like a nettle, it has q
sting for ALL The hand that brushes is
the proper one to handle it.
The sergeant reluctantly did as he
was ordered; the three watchers, put
ting some fresh fuel on the fire, began
their weary vigil. and Jamie began to
Anore.
All inclination to sleep had been eff
fectually banished from the sergeant's
syes How could he sleep with the
thought of that poor girl out upon the
mowbound prairie? At times it was
very noticeable to the other two watch
ers that he betrayed considerable impa
thence as the night or rather the morn
ing wore on Sometimes he got up and
silently paced the hut-the officer was
now sound asleep-and once or twice he
went out, and, opening the outer door,
looked into the semidarkness and lis
tened Toward morning, as if his i'm
patience impelled him to action, he
went out into the stable and remained
there about an hour. On coming in.
again a gust of cold air, like tangible
presence and which cut like knife,
came in with him, and awoke Jamie
THE deuce only he put it more
forcibly-' take you, Yorkel We're you
born in barn?" snapped the Amiable
One
Daylight is coming, sir, = said the
sergeant, ignoring his superior's polite
request for information
"It's coming, is it?'' cried Jamie irri-
tably, and It is only charitable to say
half awake. Well, then, let it come,
and be id to it |"
At this slightly irrelevant but charac-
teristic speech, that was delivered in a
thick and ir3oherent voice which a man
who had been having more to drink
than was good for him might adopt, the
scout, in spite of himself, broke into
loud succession of snorts which sounded
suspiciously.
'.What the devils the matter with
you now, Pierre?" asked Jamie queru-
lously SCOT an attack of the colic?'
eyes, sir, answered Pierre gravely.
He had just managed to check himself.
"And it is 9 maladie terrible, and will
many times occasion me considerable
distress. The worst of it is it will pro-
coed for me ut such odd times. -
''Humph! Horses fed?" asked jamie
"Yes, sir, and stables cleaned out, =.
answered the sergeant.
The private and the scout exchanged
glances, but as it was no uncommon
thing in the police force for noncommis-
stoned officers to turn their hands to on
occasions they thought no more about it.
just then there came a knock at the
door, and the voice Of old Jeanette
was heard inquiring for the sergeant.
She asked the latter if he would come
into the kitchen for a minute, as she
wished to speak to him. The sergeant
fastened to grant her request.
Jeanette, who was considerably agi
tated, turned to him and spoke as soon
as he entered the kitchen.
my Marie, she said, she has gone
through the night. Do you think there
is any danger? All! I see you know Of |
it. Why did you let her go? She may |
perish. Fool that was not to even
know she would try it as soon as the
blizzard went down. But it may have /
risen again during the night You must
follow up her tracks, though it is to
fall in with her father. All, ma cherie,
ma pauvre enfant It is some harm will |
come to you! But / will myself CO.
STEADY, Jeannettei' said the ser
geant. II will go' For at that mo-
ment the fear that had been troubling
him one half the night took shape and
rose before him. And that was, if /
the girl kept on travelling, expecting to
meet her father, but did not, and were
she unable to return, or little wind |
sprung up that would obliterate her
tracks and prevent them following her,
she must inevitably perish. The thought T
chilled his heart.
Just then there came furious pound
ing at the door, and a voice that there
was no mistaking cried:
Hello there. Yorkel Darn you,
Yorkei What the dickens is the matter
with the women
The sergeant went to the door and
opened it.
Nothing, sir, he answered, "only
one of them has gone during the night