Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-01-16
CHAPTER XI.

shE ~ M chh-
bucket found the skipper in q wineshop
by tho quay Tho little town was quiet
again and almost deserted, rs II the people
were sleeping, exhausted after their nights
work. Hardly u soul was abroad, so that
he took the more notice of u wizencd old
man with q hnndhged head, who brushed
past him Us hs entered the cabaret and
hurried away up the street without so
much as a oiyillty like one who Stunned
company. But, sincn he had his own af-
fair to attend to md was no great stickler
for manners himself, tho unclvil stranger
passed quickly from his mind
Captain Dunk made no difficulties, so
soon as no had run his eye over tho Amer
leans orders and heard buckets say. For
it would seem that the brandy he had look
cd for to load tho lugRer hnd been requlsl-
toned for the wounded. that still crowded
the hospitals at Brcst, and no other was to
be had, and, far from raising objections,
his spirits were SO much lifted with the
business bucket had brought him that ho
gave him crown.
Thereupon bucket, recovering his sur
prise, handsomely called for bottle and
begged the skipper to share 1t while they
settled tho details OF the embarkntion.
Meanwhile tho man with the bandagcd
head hurried on up the street and through
tho town and out along tho drenry coast
buifeted by the dying gale. Along tho
sandy road he trudged with weary sham
bic, farther and farther toward tho point
of tho bay, aud never drew breath, except
from time to time to look back, as II fonr.
ing TO be- followed Now and aRain he eyed
the sen anxiously as It rolled booming
alpnn fha glNfr, nd I,,f
OF white spray against the headlnnd, to-
ward which he was painfully making
Once he reeled and sat down awhile by
the wayside with his head In his hands
But he soon recovered aud crawling to "a
pool hard by wet his bundnges and then
labored on again.
Presently, as the way trended from the
shore to cross tho base OF tho headland. he
left 1t and struck out over the wind swept
solitude OF sandy pasture There WINS not
even track to guido him at first, but at
length, as tho coast line began to round
away more sharply toward the omen sen,
the turf showed marks OF traffic, and these
ere long gathered into woll worn path
that brought him whore, In n hollow Of
the land, hut came into view. 1t was
miserable hoyol, built roughly OF old wreck
timber, and, though intended for shep.
herds use, was hardly III to shelter human
ity, but the old man went to the door and
Knocked upon it twice, crying out as he
did so:
"Open, in tho name Of Christ and of his
holy sepulchcrl''
The door opened with but little delay
and framed tho beauty OF Lucille.
Pierrcl !" she cried. MY good Piorrel
How tired you lookl Come inp'
ts.atr .G.t
both his hands and led him to u bench in
her dingy retrcat.
And now" she said. what newsY''
He lifted up his hands as shs released
them and shook his head slowly once or
twice without speaking, und then, ms tho
after effects of the blow no had received in
tho chateau overoame him, fell to crying
and sobbing like little child.
Poor Plerrcl" she coned TO him. Poor
Picrrel You must lie down little and
rest"
She led him, still sobbing uncontrol.
lably, to where In "A corner of the floor was
Kind OF crib filed with hay, and there
the trusty old steward lay down to Rnt tho
rest which ho had earned hardly enough.
For it was indeed he, and now appears
the most deplorablc element In tho count.
ess' sncriilco-that 1t was not even neees.
sary. She might have diod happily. by the
saine death as her husband, and the chill.
dren would have boon saved mona tho less
For Pierre, being but stunned and not
dead, as the countess could not but believe
he was, had come TO himself and with no
difficulty had escaped with Aymon and
Lucille, by way OF the secret garden exit
to the retreat where they now lay
80 hero was Lucille, tendcrly wutt!np tho
old mans bandaRes US he sobbed himself
10 sleep, and squnndering on him her love
anu gratitude, mover dreaming where IL
was hundred Times more due. Nav. tho
countess was hardly In her thoughts, for
she could not donbt hor mother had died
as she herself would have chosen to pass
away In All effort to save her father.
And hero was Aymon asleep In another
corner breathing loud and quick, and
wrapped In rough cloak such as tho
shepherds use against the wind out on the
saltings
With him there Ind been one idea that
ovcrshadowed oil the rest In tho sudden
catastrophe II would seem that, beyond
the painful toll Of the escape he had felt
little except strange satisfaction. His
hungry draining " tho west was now
grown out Of u fainting hope into n sem.
blancc OF necessity, Tho picture OF tho
lngger they lind seen beating across the
bay burned In his lowered brain, md, no
sooner were they safe than he had ordered
mo nlu steward to steal into Fangepurt
anu bargain with tho skipper to carry
b.. ..aa a.