The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-02

re touched DolIOms ne was so far safe.
He was on the Perez sands. His blanket
was scarcely wetted. He wrung the water
out of his clothes and ran softly up the
shore. Suddenly he was met by a cry of
Haiti and "Who-goes- there?" and he
stopped short at the point of a bayonet. He
recognized the voice. il was OF man Car
navarS.
He said "Shr' and gave his name-An-
tome RObichon of the Charming Nancy.
The old man knew the voice He nearly
dropped his musket in surprise. Antoine q
tale OF his misfortunes was soon given,
but he had not yet told Of his present
plans when ne heard quick footstep, and
Mlnois was at her fathers side Unlike
the old man, she did drop her muslet, and
with an exclamation, impulsively. threw
her arms round his neck and kissed him
on the cheek
"Therer' she said, that's for the cap
tain Of the Charming Nancy. who's come
in through a fleet of Frenc hmen r'-She
thought he had stolen into the harbor with
his little ship under the very nose of the
admiral and his squadron.
Ruefully. Antoine had to tell her the
truth. She trembled with excitement at
the story of how he had been pressed at
st. Malo, and all that came after until this
very day when he had dismounted the gun
not fifteen feet from where she stood
Man alive!' she said; lit was you, An
toine-it was you that dismounted that
gun and nearly killed mel"
1T was hard work not killing YOU" he
answered
Go along with Minos," said oil man
Carnival. "Moise is at the house, he'll
help you get away into the woods
That was not Antoine's plan, but he did
not intend it for Carnaval's ears. Time
was short his position was periious He
offered no explanation to the old man, but
h otx4rlr
purpose as he went. Suddenly she stopped
short.
Antoine Robichon," said she, you're a
fool! You can't climb the Perez Rock No
one has ever done it, and you mustn't try;
you'll be safe where Noise will hide you
You shan't climb the rock-ah. no! nor
She did not understand his reasons
He pointed towards the post
They wouldn't leave a stick standing
there il you hide me. No, I'm going 10
the top of Perez, or break my neck-v'lar'
Here was revelation! She had never
thought Antoine capable of so much think
ing. For a moment she could only say,
''Mon doux terrible! Mon doux terrible :
Just think of that-to save us all and to
climb Perez Rockr'
Then his intention suddenly inspired her.
Antoine" she said, clutching his arm "if
you go to the top of Perez Rock so will In'
In spite of his anxiety, he laughed.
"Ah, ba all rightH' he said, but | must
get up first. Then I'll drop a cord and
you'll tie on a small rope if you've got
enough. You'll tie it round your waist
and come on, and then if you slip or get
tired, I'll hold you safe with the rope
But see-but see," his voice dropped you
can't stay up there with me all alone
Minois-and besides, it wouldn't do-the
admiraPd be firing on you tooW
Il can't stay alone with you, mon douxr'
She was angry now. She could have slap
ped his face. I'D like to know why /
can't. If you ever want me to kiss you
again in all your life, Antoine Robichon
you'll thump that stupid brain of yours
for more sense to say. Come now, am 1 GO
ing up or not?''
Yes he said, you can go up If you'n
so down again when / tell you"
IN go down when you ask me, sillyw
she said.
Then I'll go straight to the Rock now"
said Antoine, when they miss me there'll
be a pot boiling. | can tell your He un-
loosened The blanket from his head. IF
get up" he said, I'm let the string down
for the rope, and you'll tie this blanket on
TO the rope. ri have to run my chance
OF their not missing me before that. Once
on top they can't hurt me-nothing at all.
All, be- Good-ble, Minois."
"Oh, my good! Oh, my goodw said the
girl, with a sudden change Of mood. ITO
think you have been gone two years, and
now you come back like this And per
haps-" But as he was about to put his
arms round her. she pushed him away,
dashed the tears from her eyes and bade
him go.
He had a new confidence in his enter
prise. Hadn't Minois kissed him2 Hadn't
she wiped the tears out of her eyes Hadn't
she wanted to come with him to the top of
Perez Rock? She was the sort OF girl to be
a ST oT 6n
Nancy! Without doubt she was. But If
she came to Perez Rock, If she got up
well, he'd get up himself first and then
he'd try and think out the rest of it; but
thinking was terribly hard work 1t was
worse than fighting a ship 10 leeward of
the enemy.
The tide was now well out; the moon
was shining very brightly He reached the
point where, if the Rock was to be scaled
at all, the ascent must be made For n dis
lance there was shelving where fair foot
hold might be had by fearless man. with
a steady head and sure balance. After that
came about hundred feet where he would
have to draw himself up hand over hand.
where was no natural pathway, where
creVices must be found for feet and hands
Woe he to him If his head grew dizzy. his
foot slipped of his strength gave OUT his
body would be broken to pieces on the
hard sand below. If that second stage was
passed. the ascent thence to the ton was
easier; for though nearly as steep il had
Lodges and offered fair vantage to a man
who had foot like a mountain goat. An
tome had been aloft all weathers. and his
toes were as strong as another mans foot.
and surer.
He started. These toes of his caught In
crevices, held on to lodges, glued them
selves to smooth surfaces; the knees chung
ike a rough riders to saddle; the big
hands, when once they got a purchase
fastened like an octopus or an air-cun
Slowly, slowly up, foot by foot. yard bv
yard, until one-third of the distance was
climbed!
The suspense and strain were immeasur-
able: it was like bringing the Charming
Nancy alone through a gale with wind.
ward tide, while she yaws and uuiyers over
twice the length of her huge, or It was
like watching a lower-deck gun strainine
under a heavy sea. with the lanyards and
port tacks dying and no knowing when
the great machine would fly from her car
rage and make havoc Of the shin ana the
crew. But he struggled on and on. and now
at last he had reached a tutting piece Of
rock with sol of flying pinnacle. like
a hook for the gods to hang their shields
on, If shields they carried
Here Antoine yentured to look below. He
hnlf-exneeted to see Minois. but there was