The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-03
Copyright. 1896. by Stanley J. weyman.)
PART III.

but the impetus with which he had
thrown 1T sent me reeling to the right,
and the lane being narrow i fell
sgainst the wall before / could steady
myself. AS luck would have it, how
ever. that which should have de.
ttroyed me was my salvation. / hap
pened TO hit the wall where a doorway
broke il, the door, lightly latched, flew
open under the impact, and i fell in
wards. / alighted, in darkness, on my
Aands and knees, heard stified yelp
ns of a dog. and in a second. though
sould see nothing, was up and had the
door closed behind me.
Then, and not till then, i listened,
panting and breathless, and heard the
hunt go raving through the lane, and
fhe noise die in the distance, until only
the beating of my heart broke the
CLOSE sience of the room in which
stood. When this had lasted a minute
Dr two, / began to peer about and won
Sler where / was; and remembering
the dog, moved stealthily to find the
latch and escape. AS did so the bun
die, to which through all had clung.
moved in my arms.
almost dropped it; and then held
it from me with a swift more ment OF
irepulsion. 1t stirred again; it was
warm. Insan instant the truth flashed
ON me. Itswas childl
Hot as /, had been before, the sweat
trose on me at the thought. For saw
Egain the mans face of livid terror,
and guessed that he had stolen the
child. and feared the worst. He had
taken the ra5ble hooting at my neels
for the avengers of blood. and had been
only too thankful to rid himself of the
daming fact, and escape!
And now had it, and had as much,
or more. to fear. For an instant the
Impulse to lay the parcel down. and
glide out, and SO be clear of il, was
strong upon me. And that / think is
wbat the ordinary man, however
tbrave, would have done. But for one
thing, i was desperate. knew not,
,when outside, whittier to go or where
Ito save myself; and for another, my
clerks wits were already busy show
ing me how, with luck, might use the
Icover the parents and, without suffer
Ing tO thsss thss thstM sM estaere seS Of the paiaon a5n
employment and reward!
Suddenly the dog whined again,
IcIose to me, and that decided me
had found the latch already, and now
warily drew the door open and in
moment was in the lane, looking up
and down. ] saw nothing to alarm
sne; darkness had completely fallen,
mo one was moving. the neighborhood
seemed to be of'the quietest. made
up my mind to take the bold course
TO return at all hazards to st. Antoine,
seek my father-in-law at the gate Of
the Ralais Royal-where he had the
night turn-and throw the child and
anyself on his protection.
Without doubt, il was the wisest
course could choose; and as in those
days the streets of Paris, even in the
district Of the Louvre and Palais Roy.
ai, were ill-lighted, and network OF
James and dark courts encroached on
the most fashionable parts, and fa-
Sored secret access TO them, foresaw
mo great difficulty, short of the moment
when might stand out in the lighted |
lodge and exhibit my rags. But my
evil star was still above the horizon. 1 |
had scarcely reached the end of the |
lane, and was still hesitating there,
uncertain which WY to turn for the |
shortest course, when babel of voices |
broke On my ear, lights swept round |
n dtofn pt n
Threatened with new danger. / did |
not wait TO consider whether this I
band. with their torches and weapons,
had aught to do with me-my nerves |
were shaken, the streets of Paris were
full of terrors, every corner had gul,
lows for mo--but i turned and, fleeing
back the way i had come, made hur-
ried effort to find the house which had
sheltered me. Failing, in one or two
trials, and seeing that the lights were
rcaily coming that way, and that In a
moment must be discovered, sprang
across the lane and dived into the
alley By which the child-stealer had
vanished.
had not taken ten steps before some
thing, unseen in the darkness, tripped
me up, and / fell sprawling in the mud.
In the fall my burden rolled from my
arms, and was instantly snatched up
by dark figure, which, rising as by
magic beside me, was gone into the
gloom almost as quickly. / got up
imping and flung q curse after both:
but the lights already shone on the
mouth of the alley, and had no time
70 lose IL would not be detected. set
of running down the passage, turned
70 the left at the end. and along lane.
thence into another lane and a wider
road; nor did stop until had left all
signs and sounds of pursuit behind me.
The place in which l came TO a stapd
ut last was piece of waste land, ap-
parently In the suburbs of the city
digh up ON the left could discern q
Night or two, piercing the gloom of the
sky. and knew they sbone from the
-~indmills of Monmartre. In every
yfler Girecfion Law darLp.gs. ao.ofa