The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-19

his host. He could see that the innkeeper
was repeating to the bully the question
that he had put to him about the saIety
Of the roads and the soldiers OF the Duc
de Guise, and Ii was clear from the man
ner In which they regarded him that they
did not believe him to be plain Mature
Rignauld. the travelling merchant pealar'
. He was for going to his chamber sup
PEERLESS rather than submit to any turtneT
questions, but the bully stopped MIN ana
directed against him volley Of questions
asking him for the latest news from tne
capital, and inqulring whether ne had
passed upon the road or had been passed
by any horsemen that seemed 10 him 70
be messengers of the king. However, the
comte was now thoroughly on MS guard
and feigned ignorance well. He left poll
tics, he said for his betters. They were
not for such as him, mere merchants who
made their scanty living by the buying ana
selling of goods So ably did ne play MS
part that the suspicious Of the bully seem
ed to him to have been disarmed, and after
half an hour of fruItless questioning he
was allowed to find his way upstairs to
his room. But when he reached his room
and was about to fasten the door, he
discovered that he key had been taken
from the lock, and the screws tnat Sc
cured the bolts had been loosened. For
on the slightest pressure the whole fas-
Jennings came out in his hand.
He was positive that when the land
the key was in its place in the
lock, and he found marks on
his fingers after pulling away the bolts
loosened not many minutes before, and
that those who had tempered with the
door had used some dark substance 70 hide
from the eye the marks OF their tools. Inc
Conte was in delicate situation. To call
the innkeeper and demand new room
was to create suspicion, to attempt 10 get
away before the others had retired TO rest
was hopeless, and TO remain and sleep was
to court attack. He knew that his room
would be visited during the night. lie
made uD his mind to barricade the door
with the furniture of the room ana trust
to the window for escape and his dagger
10 fight his way through any opposition
that should be offered him.
-" His first endeavor therefore was 10
make fast the door. That was no light
matter, for the bedstead which stood in
the further corner OF the room was Sc
curely fastened to the floor, and was 50
large that even had 1t been loose he could
scarcely have dragged 1t unaided TO the
IN the rooms below. The other furniture
in the room was but scanty, consisting OF
but a few chairs, couch ana a table, ar
ticies which could afford but litue resist
anre against violent assault upon the
door St1l what there was ne made careLul
use Of raising his ingenious barrlcade,
which, though not strong on itself, would
al least entangle his assaflants and efla-
bic him to strike with much advantage;
His main regret was that ne nad no sword
nv him the weapon with Wnlcn ne was
most Dractised But that he had lett be-
hind him thinking it w0uld but III match
the disguise which he had thought pru-
dent to assume
- III was. almost as he had expected, g
atuntlltaneous attack by the doorway and
fine window, and he had to decide IN
moment by which egress ne nad the PEST
chance Of escape The footsteps reached
the door he saw the latch gently raised
and a slight creaking told him that press
ure wac being applied 10 the door. AZ
9nre ~ made % his mind how he would
eoDe with hts enemies. II was probable
mas the stronger force was ~ the doOFi
ard besides the harricade that ne mao rel
IA would hinder him 10 making his way
on ~ much asst W0uld cheek those VINO
sffempted 10 force an entry. the WINDOW