Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-03-18

locked would be no obstacle to the
three of us when we had only AIirepoix
to deal with. So / kept the others
where they were by a nudge and a
pinch. and held my breath moment,
strain 'ng my ears to catch the closing
of tie door below. did not hear that
But did catch sound that otherwise
might have escaped me. but which now
riveted my eyes to the door of our room.
Some one in the silence, which followed
the trampling on the stairs, had eau
tiously laid a hand on the latch.
The light in the room was dim. Mire-
polk bad taken one of the candles with
him, and the other wanted shutting. 1
could not see whether the latch moved;
whether or not it was rising. But
watching intently, I made out that the
door was bEing Opened-slowly, noise
lessly. I saw some one enter-a fur
tive gliding shadow.
For moment felt nervous-then l
recognized the dark hooded figure. 1t
was only Nine. do. Br.Ive woman!
She had evaded the vidame and slipped
to the rescue. la, hal We would de-
feat the vidame yet! Things were go
ing better!
as she stood holding the door and peer
ing into the room-something in her
bearing startled and frightened me.
AS she came forward her movements
were so stealthy that her footsteps
made no sound. Her dark shadow, NOV
ing ahead of her across the floor, was
not more silent than she. An unde-
fined desire to make noise, to give the
alarm, seized me.
Half way across the floor she stopped
to listen, and looked around, startled
herself, L think. by the silence. She
could not see her sister, whose figure
was blurred by the outlines of the cur
tain; and no doubt she was puzzled to
think what had become of her. The
suspense which 1 felt, but did not I'M
derstand, was so great that at last
and the bed creaked.
In a moment her face was turned our
way, and she glided forwards, her fea-
lures still hidden by the hood of her
cloak. She was close to us now, bend
ing over US. She raised her hand to her
head-to shade her eyes, as she looked
more closely, L supposed, and I was
wondering whether she saw US
whether she took the shapelessness in
the shadow of the curtain for her sis
ter, Or could not make it out was
thinking how we could best apprise
her Of our presence without alarming
her - when Croisette dashed my
thoughts to the windsl Croisette. with
a tremendous whoop and crash,
bounded over me on to the floor,
She uttered gasping cry-a cry OF
Intense awful fear 7 have ha SOI1nd
in my ears even now. With that she
staggered back, clutching the air. 1
heard the metallic clang and ring of
falling on the floor. !
heard an answering cry of alarm from
the window; and then Mime. de Pa
vannes ran forward and caught her in
her arms.
1t was strange to find the room late
ly so silent become at once alive with
forms, as we came hastily
to light. I cursed Croisette for his
folly, and was UNNECESSARILY angry
with him, but had no time to waste
words on him then. 1 hurried to the
door to guard it. 1 opened it hands
breath and listened. All was quiet be-
low; the house still. I took the key out
Of the lock and put it in my pocket and
went back. Marie and Croisette were
standing a little apart from Mime. de
Pavannes, who, hanging over her sis
ter, was by turns bathing her face and
our presence.
In very few minutes Nine. do
seemed to recover, and sat up. The
first shock of deadly terror had passed,
but she was still pale. She still trem-
bled and shrank from meeting our
eyes, though L saw her, when our at
tention was apparently directed else
where, glance at one and another of
US with a strange intentness, a shud-
dering curiosity. No wonder, I
thought. She must have had a terrible
fright-one that might have killed a
more timid woman!
what on earth did you do that for?"
asked Croisette, presently, my anger
not decreasing. the more I
looked at her beautiful face. you
might have killed heri''
In charity I supposed his nerves had
failed him. for he could not even now
give me a straightforward answer. His
only reply was: Let us get away from
this horrible housed" and this he kept
with shudder, as he moved
restlessly to and fro.
with all my heart!" I answered,
looking at him with some contempt.
That is exactly what we are going to
dol"