Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-29
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Gaspard seemed to break into his
comrades words.
Enough; we have got to leave a
silent tongue behind us, and then we
ride for the Count. You must sleep
here till morning. l have to see Lou
Use. In the morning she shall bid the
old woman seek for her cousin. Listen;
you and | will follow her; there is
more than one quiet corner in May
enne where we can settle our little
matter without fear of witnesses"
Heavy steps crossed the room below;
a door was opened and closed, but the
steps did not come up stairs-they died
away into stiffness.
The shivering woman lying prone on
the floor above, fancied they did not
leave the house. She softly rose and
blew out her candle She felt stupe-
fled with terror; but as she moved
softly to the window hope and courage
came back. She stared down into the
darkness; there was not a light to be
seen in any of the windows.
Il have the night before me-" she
thought; ''if | can only get out of the
house, l may be miles away before
morning"
A sound in the room made her start;
she held her breath and listened. A
scuttling across the floor treasured her.
Presently prolonged snore from the
room below told her that the deaf man
was asleep.
Gillonne sat perfectly still for more
than an hour; the heavy snoring came
through the floor at intervals. At last
he ho
she gently unDarred her door and open
ed it. The same discordant sounds
came from other chambers, else all was
still.
The Breton woman CROPPED till she
found the cloak she had laid aside; she
put it on, and opening the front of her
wooden robe she drew forth sheathed
dagger; she stuck this into the girdle
that secured her purse to her waist,
wondering how Philippe had seen it,;
she mad thought it was concealed by the
folds OF her coax. Gathering this
closely round her, she went out on to
the rickety staircase, careful of every
footstep, for as she came up, she had
noted the decayed condition of the
stairs.
1t was not easy to find her way in the
darkness, but her shreWd wit helped
her, and she felt confident there would
be no bars or bolts between the house
and the stables.
She had reached the passage at the
foot of the staircase, and was moving
along it, her heart beating loudly; she
suddenly stopped
A strange sound came from the right
side Of the passage. Sick with terror,
Gillonne leant against the wall, clutch
ing at her dagger A moments listen
ing told her the sound was a series of
drunken hiccoughs from some slum-
berer in a chamber beside the passage.
She again went stealthily on till she
reached the end of the passage. AS
she had expected, the door was unbar-
red; it opened easily. She closed it be-
hind her, and the keen air told her she
was in the courtyard. A fresh terror
seized Gillonne at the sight Of light
in the stable opposite; only a faint
glimmer through the grating, but if
anyone were sleeping in the stable, she
felt that she was lost. She waited till
her eyes became accustomed to the
darkness; there were stars shining
brilliantly overhead, and presently she
made out the stable door on one side
Of the grating.
She cautiously opened the door and
looked in; no sleeper was to be seen
She blessed the dim lantern hanging
from the wall, its light enabled her to
find her own horse without delay. His
saddle and bride hung beside him.
The intelligent creature recognized
her voice, and licked her hand. Gil
Tonne loved horses, and she felt at home
in a stable. She quickly bridled and
saddled the horse, and then led him
quietly out till they had passed under
the arched entrance to the courtyard.
She led him on a few PAGES past the
Croix dor, climbed into her saddle
and rode away. She had noted hel
hostess's words about wagon load OF
states which her husband was next
morning to take from Jayron tC
Iisieux. In old days she had made the
Journey with her mother from Mayennt
to Alencon, and she remembered that
Javron lay between the two places
considerably nearer Mayenne than il
was to Alencon. Instead of losing time
by seeking her cousin, she resolved TIC
take the road to Javron, and to get
there before the wagon started. She
did not fear pursuit; Gaspard, she felt
sure. would lose some time in seeking
her at her cousins house.
AS soon as she was clear of the inn,
she looked round her. She was still on
the strip of waste-land, and as she
looked right and left in the starlight.
she recognized the five pointed caps OF
the castle towers, and two heavy
masses of building which she knew
were the ancient churches of Mayenne.
She was trying to find out the direction
of the river: she remembered that once
across the bridge over the Mayenne, the
read on her left would take her direct
to Javron: but she was puzzled by the
ease with which she had reached the
outside of the town, for the Castle and
the churches seemed some distance off
Last night they had entered the town
from the west, and had passed through
a guarded gateway A sudden fash OF
memory reminded the anxious woman
that the ruined wall at this part of the
town had not been rebuilt when the
other Notifications were repaired be-
cause the close proximity of the river
made 1t secure: she must therefore be
near the bridge and she would find it