Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-02-04
CHAPTER XIV - @oN

that l can tell it briskly. You remem-
Der the terrible night-there, there, /
won't talk of it, | won't say word
more than 1 can help, it makes me
shiver myself. We servants were half
frightened to death, such of us as were
not in that wretch of an NJ. Pierre's
plot, and we huddled together, not
knowing what to do, for they wouldn't
let us fly away from the chateau. We
guessed what terrible thing was hap
pening, but couldn't set near you to
see, until the new band came, the
masked men, which drove n. Pierre's
folks away. Then, while they were
fighting outside, l crept into the chapel.
My old blood quite froze in my veins
at the sight l saw; thought you were
all killed. 1 was going to try to bring
a little life to those who showed no
wounds; but 1 heard some one coming
through the broken window, and / ran
away as fast as 1 could; l thought l
should be killed for being there, so I
ran and hid away till everything was
quiet. When l came out found most
of the servants gone; but there lay
poor Victories body right in the cor
ridOr.
THE masked men were most of them
outside, keeping guard, thought, and
some were getting together blankets
and food, and piling them into bas-
kets; crept back softly and looked in
to the chapel. A tall man in a mask
vas there giving directions about
burying the bodies. He seemed to feel
dreadfully about the murder, and the
curse he uttered against that villain
Gus Pierre made me feel sure he was
friendly to your family. l couldn't see
anything of my young mistress, and
this man kept asking where she was.
One of his men said that they must
have carried her off, and then he start
ed and went out as fast as he could go.
The men followed him, and so hurried
in and took my last look, as 1 expect
ed, of my dear mistress. While l was
bending over her. 1 saw little fiutter
ing beating at her throat. l put my
ear hastily to her heart; it was a min
ute before 1 could make sure, then 1
knew she was not dead. | stood mo-
ment wringing my hands, not knowing
what to do; then some good saint put
it into my head to think of Victorie
lying there dead. I tore out into the
corridor and brought the body in,
changed the ornaments and nantes, |
and put the long training silk skirt |
of the countess on the dead girl, and |
the peasant cloak l wrapped around |
my mistress.
''The masked people came and car |
ried the poor Victorie to the grave in
stead of her mistress. They seemed |
M. Pierre every moment, and
paid no attention to the rear door. |
Taking my mistress in my arms, l ran
off through the darkness, on that SIDE
and got safely to my cottage. l could |
not trust a SOUL but telling my daugh-
ter it was Victorie, I laid her on bed,
and gave her the best cordial l could
find. She laid so all the next day, just
breathing little, enough to show she
was not dead, but never opening her
eyes.
81 went over the spot where the
chateau had stood the next day. 1t
Of charred ground; but my heart was
too full of the fear of the knowledge
Of what had done getting to M. Pierre,
% feel so badly as l should have done
any other time.
81 found out from the other servants
hat it was NJ. Pierre who struck Vic
orie. because she begged the mistress
ife. but none of 'em seemed to know
;he was dead Perhaps some of his
nen gave the last blows which made
he face so none could have told who
/ was.
HE came up to me, and asked me
( 1 knew what had become of the
-oung mistress. I could answer inno-
ent enough there, and 1 pointed to
he grave.
"'No. no. said he; there are two
,odies missing. The old woman is
lead fast enough, but the other has
scaped,' and with a terrible oath he
warned me not to harbor her.
81 shook like a leaf with fear, and
sked meekly enough if he cared about
ny keeping Victorie, that she was at
~ cottage sick.
Keep her as long as you like said {
e, but mind you, keep clear of any
Their G
81 went home, trembling you may be- I
eve. but the saints seemed to help me. t
~ lady never came to herself for i
lree long, dreary weeks, so as to know
nything, 1 mean, and 1 managed to t