Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1897-11-26

my uaTlluS ldlIy lOOhlHS DIluc, IN
deed. Surely Edward will open hi
heart to her at once"
"Ah, it is for him you are so fastid.
iously particular tonight. I had for
gotten, almost, what it meant for me
this wedding-I only have rejoiced be-
cause it was the gateway for our es-
cape from this wearing life of sus-
pense."
Wearing, indeedp' reiterated the
countess, and putting her hand hastily
to her side, she turned deathly pale.
Felicie sprang forward in alarm.
What is it, my mother? are you
faint? are you ill?"
No, no, it is nothing, it will pass in
a moment"
And as she had said, the spasm
| passed away in a few moments. The
daughter was scarcely treasured, when
the counts voice was heard at the
door.
Come, loiterers, we are waiting for
you"
The countess seized Felicies hand,
and bent forward to press a solemn
kiss upon her lips.
''The Holy One forever bless my good
and worthy daughter"
AS the bride entered the little ora
tory, the bishop came forward to meet
her. With a fiuttering color on her
cheek Felicie glanced around in search
of the bridegroom. She saw a slender
figure at the window, but NJ. Pierre's
square shoulders concealed his face.
Edward had been sitting by the win
dow, and he had not turned his head,
yet, to take his first view of his aft
anced wife; when suddenly NJ. Pierre
blew shrill blast upon a whistle he
had been holding nervously in his
hand.
A dozen wild faces leaped up at ev-
cry window, brawny fists dashed the
glass into fragments, while the burly
figures leaped in upon them from all
sides. Edward was felled to the floor
by the first blow. With wild cry Of
terror. the count turned to his trusted
overseer. The villain smiled grimly
and drew pistol. One brief instant
was it given to the wicked man to real
ize his own folly and his servants
treachery, the next he fell corpse at
the feet of his daughter.
Felicie's wild shrek rang through
the room. She strove to reach her
mother, ere a brutal arm with it's up
lifted pike should fall-saw the be-
loved form suddenly sink back and her
self sank fainting to the floor. Re
viving, she was conscious of fierce
ARRAY going on at the chateau, and
she herself lying amidst the cold
corpses of her friends. She crept has
tily as her weakness would allow to
her mothers side, and anXiOusly lis
tened for a throb of breathing at her
lifeless heart. All in vain. And yet,
there was no sign of a blow or wound.
Remembering how she had fallen
ere the pike descended, the poor child
had a dismal comfort in believing her
heart had broken at the sudden shock.
Suddenly now came the remem-
brance of her own hapless condition,
and the danger of NJ. Pierre's return
with those brutal ruffians. The new
thought gave her strength. Hastily
a black cloak from the
shoulders of the murdered bishop, she
wrapped it over her white robes, leaped |
hastily through broken window, and |
darted like a frightened fawn past
man pacing to and fro, as if guarding |
against the approach of friend and
foe. She knew he saw her, and in |
moment heard his plunging steps Sol
lowing. But terror and despair gave
Ter fieetness. She knew the path well
and though every now and then her
lace flounces caught upon brier and
bush. she tore them off with frantic
lands. and went leaping forward. She
stumbled twice and fell headlong-but
,prang up again like deer, and at
ength gained the wood. 1t was cas-
er to elude him here; she darted in
md out among the trees, until she was
ure her dread pursuer had lost the
rack. She heard his muttered curses
Is he blundered around, and lightly
IS a fairy she flew on to the blessed
elief at hand
She gained the tree, pressed the
pring with desperate hand, and rushed
n. A cold chill sank upon her heart;
t was empty. Where, oh, where, was
Imile? Was there no friend left her?
he sank shivering upon the earthly
DOR. and buried her head in her hands.
he could not think over, then, all the
nguish that had fallen upon her-the
errible bereavement Of the past hour;
arents. bridegroom, home and friends,
II stricken from the hand that seemed
, hold them so securely. Her brain
-hirled, a terrible sickening fear took