The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-09-23
with small fee to secure its transmits

Will - pLhoh ASO w SSN "a AsP " eNA~~@~AAS
sion,
Croisette and 1 looked at one another,
apprehending all this. HE will sleep
at Cahors tonight" saidy sullenly.
The lad shook his head and answered
In q low voice: II am afraid not. His
horses are fresh. l think he will push.
on. lie always travels quickly. And
now you know"
nodded, understanding only too
well.
Catherine had flung herself into a
chair. Her arms lay nerveless on the
table. Her face was hidden In them.
But now, overhearing us, or stung by,
some fresh thought, she sprang to her
feet in anguish. Her face twitched,
her form seemed to stiffen as she drew
herself up like one in physical pain.
"0h. cannot bear i'll" she cried to us
in dreadful tones. ''Oh, will no one
do ANYTHING? 1 will go to him! l will
TIL him will give him up! will do
whatever he wishes il he will only spare
hin!"
Croisette went from the room cry
| ing. 1t was n dreadful sight for us
this girl in agony. And it was impos-
sible to reassure her! Not one Of us
doubted the horrible meaning Of the
note, it's covert threat. Civil wars and
religious hatred, and / fancy Italian
modes of thought, had for the time
changed our countrymen to beasts.
Far more dreadful things were done
then than this which Beers threatened
even if he meant 1t literally-far more
dreadful things were suffered. But in
the fendish ingenuity Of his vengeance
on her, the helpless, loving woman, l
thought Raoul de Beers stood alone.
Alasl it fares i'll with the butterfly
when the cat has struck 1t down. Ill
indeed!
Nine. Clause rose and put her arms
round the girl, dismissing me by a ges-
ture. went out, passing through two
or three scared servants, and made at
once for the terrace. Ifelt as if could
only breathe there. found Marie and
St. Croix together, silent, the marks Of
tears on their faces. Our eyes met, and
they told one tale.
We all spoke at the same time
"When?" we said. But the Others
looked to me for an answer.
L was somewhat sobercd by that, ant
Daused to consider before / replied
''At daybreak tomorrow" / decided
presently. at is on hour after moor
already. We want money, and th'
horses are out. It will take an hour Il
, bring them in. After that we nigh
still reach Cahors tonight, perhaps; bu
more haste less speed, you know. No
At daybrealt tomorrow we will start.
They nodded assent.
1t was u great thing we meditated
, No less than to go to Paris-the un
, known city so far beyond the hills
and seek out M. dc Pavannes, and war;
him. It would be race between th
, vidame and ourselves; race for tn
: life of Kits suitor. Could we reac
, | IuTlb uIbO, VI CNCll hNuAS "
, Bczers' arrival, We should in all proba
> bility be in time, and be able to pu
7 Pavannes on his guard. 1t had bee
q the first thought of all of US, to tax
q such men as we could get together On
fall upon Dezers wherever we foun
=. him, making it our simple object t
r kill him. But the lackeys NJ. lie Vicomt
had left with us, the times being peace
: full and the neighbors friendly, wei
q poor-spirited fellows. Beers hant
K full, on the contrary, were rockies
!. Swiss riders-like master, like mel
a We decided that it would be wiser sin
q ply to warn Pavannes, and then stan
,. by him if necessary.
|. We might have dispatched messei
a ger. But our servants-Gil excepte'
a and he was too old TO bear the journe
l. were ignorant Of Paris. Nor coul
any of them be trusted with missio
!. so delicate. We thought of Pavanne
o courier, indeed. But he was Roche
]. lois, and stranger TO the capita
d There was nothing for it but to go ou
"a selves.
Yet we did not determine on this q
4 venture with light hearts, remembe