Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1897-12-18


from the room down the staircase.
where few Of the servants stood 10
look at the bride and wish her happi-
ness. The countess followed them.
what strange. dismal bridal 1t
seemed the silent house, the anxious
faces, the secret uneasiness OF all par.
Ties hardly concealed beneath the mask
OF smiles.
AZ the bride entered the little ora
tory. the bishop came forward TO meet
her. With fiuttering color on her
cheek Feiicie glanced around in search
OF the bridegroom. She saw a slender
ngnre 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 affi-
anced wife: when suddenly M. Pierre
blew a shrill blast upon whistle he
had been holding neryonsly In his
hand.
A dozen wild faces leaped up at ey-
cry window. brawny fists dashed the
glass into fragments. while the burly
hgures leaped In upon them from all
sides. Edward was felled TO the floor
by the first blow. with a wild cry OF
terror. the count turned 10 his trusted
oyerseer. The villain smiled grimly
and drew pistol. One brief instant
was 1t given to the wicked man TO real
lie his own folly and his servants
ueachery. 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 brutal arm with its up
lifted pike should fali-saw the be-
loved form suddenly sink back and her
self sank fainting 10 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
thy as her weakness would allow to
her mothers side, and anxiously lis
tened for throb Of breathing at her
lifeless heart All in vain. And yet.
there was no sign OF 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 hapiess condition.
and the danger OF NJ. Pierre's return
with those brutal ruffians. The new
thought gave her strength. Hastily
disengaging black cloak from the
shoulders OF the murdered bishop. she
wrapped II over her white robes. leaped
hastily through broken window. and
darted like frightened fawn past
man pacing TO and fro. as IL guarding
against the approach of friend and
foe. She knew he saw her. and in
moment heard his piunging steps fol-
lowing. But terror and despair gave
her fieetness. She knew the path well
and though every now and then her
lace fiounces caught upon brier and
bush, she tore them of with frantic
hands, and went leaping forward. She
stumbled twice and fell headlong-but
sprang up again like a deer. and at
length gained the wood. II was cas-
Ter to elude him here: she darted In
and out among the trees. until she was
sure her dread pursuer had lost the
track. She heard his mnttered curses
as he Numbered around. and lightly
an a fairy she few on TO the blessed
relief at hand. Z
She gained the tree. pressed the
spring with desperate hand. and rushed
in. A cold chill sank upon her heart:
Il was empty. Where, oh, where, was
Emile? Was there no friend left herr
She sank shivering upon the earthly
floor, and buried her head in her hands.
She could not think over. then. all the
anguish that had fallen upon her-the
terrible bereavement OF the past hour;
parents. bridegroom, home and friends,
all stricken from the hand that seemed
to hold them so securely. Her brain
whirled, terrible sickening fear took
possession OF her--that NJ. Pierre would
find out her retreat. or drag her forth.
or that Emile was killed also, and she
should perish there OF starvation.
These absorbed every faculty. and
crouching and listening. she survived
two hours OF almost intolerabie agony.
Another hour would have turned her
brain; before its expiration, a rapid
step came bounding TO the tree, the
door was flung open. and Emile's voice
cried frantically:
Lady Felicie. Lady Felicie! are You