The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-09-25

But without approaching the choir
Greg ran quickly up the pulpit steps.
Mr.. Gillyfower turned upon him angri-
ly, but on hearing the words which
were rapidly whispered in his ear the
vicar looked first startled, then shrewd-
ly intelligent. His communication fin
ished, Greg left the church as quickly
as he had entered, with Camille Four
nier's note still in his pocket, and with
out once looking at Peggy.
On the manor house lawn, where the
French seamen made a picturesque
group under the trees, Greg's return
was hailed with acelamation by the
officers-by the two Fourniers espe-
cially.
what did she do when you gave her
the note?" asked Camille eagerly.
''She just did nothing" was the un-
concerned reply.
you see. my dear Camille, she has
changd her mind" said the captain.
"Come, let us be off out of this
''What matter so long as gain my
purposes" retorted the lieutenant bru-
tally. mo, take the others and sail
away If you please. AS for me, nothing
will move me unless l can take the fair
Mile. Dempster."
Captain Fournier bit his lip, but gave
in. At most it only meant waiting un-
til the close of the service, which could
not now be long deferred, and in the
seclusion of the manor house grounds
the presence of the landing party
would. in the meanwhile, remain un-
detected.
But when the minutes grew into an
hour and half, yet no signal was given
by the man posted in the shrubbery to
watch the church door, the captain be-
gan to fume and stamp with rage.
He finally threatened to turn the pre-
tense of forced abduction into real
ity and carry Camille on board the Fire
fly whether or no.
'If you do that" said the lieutenant,
my first act on reaching France will
be to demand of you satisfaction"
At last the elder Fournier's patience
was exhausted.
"Fall in, men," he said to his crew.
eve will put the cloture on this loqua-
cious priest. and take the girl from I'M
der his nose. Perhaps that will satisfy
you, ingrate?" turning to Camille.
"Excellently WELL" replied the lieu
tenant. and with the jaunty quickstep
of France the column tramped into the
shady churchyard, where the sonorous
tones of Mr.. Gillyfower were plainly
audible.
.'Peste upon the fellow" muttered the
captain, telling off twenty men to ac-
company him and his brother into the
church.
Greg. who had followed closely at his
elbow, plucking him by the sleeve, said,
quietly:
ut will be long time before you see
France again, captain. See therev"
And, leading him to the churchyard
wall, he pointed mockingly at the Fire
fly. The brigantine lay high and dry
on the mud at her anchorage, and
would not float again for ten hours at
least.
For moment the brave lads life
in the balance. Then, with
bitter oath, the captain put up his pistol
he had draw
IF you do the folk no harm you'll be
made comforta BILE, expect" said Greg,
with a grin. for he had foreseen that,
with retreat cut off, Fournier would
dare no excesses. "You see, I remem-
ber how the tide would serve to-day
and / timed so as to run you in at
church time. l knew Peggy would be
there with the choir, and that that
spark would never move without try
ing to take her along. allowed that by
when. the people came out the vessel
would be hard and fast, but it was you
who gave me the chance to tip the par
son and hint to let 'em have an extra
lose and send word to the volunteers
from Chichester. Till you gave me that
note l was getting anxious lest the
find enough water after all
Parson must be about winded by now,
but there are the drums of. the volun-
.eers There's 400 of them, so you won't
be disgraced by receiving 'em civilly"
So, after all, that was the kind of
,raitor Greg was. His chief reward lay
n the removal of all the French prison
as well as old-to safer quar-
:ers, as he had hoped from the first
And Peggy said: at would have been
nicer of you to have given me that note,
silly. You were never that foolish as
% think would have gone with him."