The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-09

that the admiration OF a brave and famous
sailor is appreciated. Raise the knocker
three times In quick succession
"HoRTENsE lie T."
For moment, despite oil his vanity
about his nc iievements with the sex,
Capt. Jones wondered. Could it be
true? But there was the note and her
name.
Ii Capt. Jones had been himself he
never would have run into the snare.
Yet possibly NE was. after all, his sim
pie, natural self, the gardeners son. not
quite TO the manner born-a bit too
vain--too credulous of his possible
achievement with great Indies.
The long. next day Jagged. He pow
dered his hair, and put on his gayest
costume, and the fine sword Louis XVI.
had given him in compliment of the VIC
tory of lie Bon Homme Richard; then
when near the hour he sailed forth to
keep the appointment, for he never
doubted but that his charmer awaited
him.
The house, building of the Fourth
Henry's time, he often had noticed.
For with the curiously carved griitins
at each side of the door, bearing the
arms of former prince of Conde, II
was unmistakable.
Now, as he took his eagcr why
through the darkening streets, he had
no difficulty in finding it. The streets
of Paris were not then as clcanly as
they were to become In the great EN-.
peror's time; and the captain, who
walked, as a matter of caution, was
grieved TO think that his shoes and
stockings were mud spattered. Ho
stood there for n moment, among the
few passers, thinking ruefnlly that this
was the case. and observing closely the
shuttered front of the house. And.
then, although that silent, impassive
front had made him bit suspicious,
he lifted the knocker once, twice, thrice,
just ut nine o'clock. A lover, like a
warrior, should be exact in his ap.
pointmentss
But was he not in fact ahead of tho
timer Was ii only a trick? lie start
ed to lift the knocker again, when the
heavy door swung open crack and a
wrinlsled face peered over the chain.
capt. Paul Jones?" queried an un-
certain voice.
"Yes, l." assented Capt. Jones, when
the chain ratified, was loosed, the door
swung open on a hall all dark, and the
concierge, or whatever she was, mo-
tioned him in. The woman closed tho
door, leaving hirr in the blackness OF
the interior, now for the first time with
the thought of the need of caution.
And as ne thought of possibilities Of
danger after all the ardor of his hope,
he was caught from behind by strong.
invisible arms, gag wal passed over
his face; and though he tried to strug-
gle, and he was one of those little
wiry men, 1t was all in vain. He was
borne to the floor, bound, and his eyes
bandaged, his assailsnts the meantime
saying not word!
The whole occurrence was uncanny
this sudden attack In the obscurity of
the house where he had expected light
and laughter-the strong men who
mutely held him, and against whom any
struggle was vain--these circumstances
left the Chevalier Pnul Jones shivering,
bound and gagged, and blindfolded az
he was, and thrust aside in n corner,
like dead thing. And then, as he
strained his ears, his heauing indeed
being the only faculty of which these
bravoes had left him the use--he heard
doors shutting and the sound of heavy
steps on the hard floors of deserted
rooms. His reason began tore,urnthen,
and the first thing that occurred TO him
was that his silent assailants had worn
no shoes. Was this man, or men, diff
ferent? And then of course he per-
ceiyed that, having accomplished the
assault, need Of silence no longer ex-
listed. That was patent. They had
put on their Shoes but again the AeHse
grew still. excepting for his breathing.
His hands tied behind him and his
feet together, with o strong rope that
cut into the fiesh--his eyes bandag"d,
his mouth gagged--finding struggling
useless,and only knowing thg the as
sailants had dropped him where they
had taken him, our brave chevalier
wns indeed In horrid predicament.
The only thing he could do was TO roll
over the floor. He could do that with
difficulty, and TO and fro, right and
left; and he began the examination of
the room in that awkward manner,
which was the only way that indeed was
possible.
Rolling to his right about three feet,
he brought up against wall. To his left
a distance on ten feet, he bumped his
head, which the tortoise-lilSe movement
brought first against the wall. This
was hall, fourteen feet more or less
broad. lie judged the distance from
the number OF turns his body made.
while he paused, breathing hard, as this
effort, bound as he was. Is most ex.
hausting. IL you do not believe me.
have yourself bound tight. hands aud
feet, gagged, and eyes blindfolded, and
then Try to roll about.
AS the Chcvalier Jones lay there
this fashion, breathing hard. and his
plight apparently hopeless enough. he
thought in revengeful spirit of Nine.