The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-12-20

dEOtuCL uCdNJ pluuS Z CAOSC W 1uJ SuOu1-
der, and in the glance cast toward the
sound, saw that it was the now riderless
Couronne, who had followed her COM
panion of the night. To ease the horse,
I slipped from the saddle and, hanging
on to the pommel, was towed along by
him as the good beast breasted the
stream bravely. The current set to-
ward the opposite bank, and the force
of it carried us down, it seemed in
moment, fully so yards from the spot
where he had plunged in, to within a
few feet of the opposite shore. Here,
however, the river ran strong and swift
ly, the bank was high, and the horses
could make no Roadway, but kept drift
ing down. By this time the troopers
had reached the scene of the fight, and
I could hear them bowling with anger
as they gathered around their fallen
leaders, and, without head to guide
them, hesitated what to do, each mo-
ment of delay giving me precious time,
and bringing me closer to a shelving
bank a few yards to the left. Not one
of the troopers dared the stream, and
they had apparently emptied their ar
quebuses after us in pursuit, for none
fred, although they called to each
other: "Shoot him down-shoot him
down."
Acouple of men galloped down stream
little below me, and dismounting, be-
gan to load hurriedly, it being evidently
their intention to pick me off as drift
ed past. For the moment I gave myself
up for lost; but determining to make
last effort to save myself, made a snatch
at the willows that overhung the bank,
and brushed us with their wet and drip
ping leaves, as we struggled underneath.
AS l did this, loosed my hold of the
saddle, and the horses slid past me, and
l was dragged by the current right into
the bank. The willows were tough, and
l held on to them like leech, and the
troopers who had seen what | was about
began to laugh at me, and adjured me
to hold on tight as they would be ready
to shoot in q moment. The fOOlsl They
gave me the moments time l wanted,
and digging my foot into the soft bank,
| laid hold of the stem Of willow and
with an effort reached the shore.
rolled over at full length, and then lay
| fat on my face, whilst the troopers
with many curses ran forward few
| feet and let off their arquebuses on the
off chance of bringing me down. They
aimed truly enough, and had l not lain
to earth as l did, | should infallibly
have been killed, for the bullets whizzed
past, it seemed but a few inches above
me. / let out a yell as if l was MORALLY
hurt, and then rising ran down stream
behind the willows as fast as my
bruised leg would allow me, to see if
could not get back one or both the
| horses. Ny stratagem had the desired
effect, for on my cry of Il am dead
i am dead" two others of the men
who had run up to let off their pieces
where 1 was supposed to be, and they
all shouted: 1--WE have him - he is
down."
'Morbleau! Not yet" could hardly
refrain from chuckling to myself, as
hobbled along the bank, and to my joy
saw them in a little bay, about hun
dred PAGES from me, moving slowly in
the shallow water, one behind the other,
towards the land. A spur had been
thrown out here, evidently with the OBJ
iect of protecting the bank, and it had
cast the main stream on the opposite
shore, and given the beasts chance of
landing.
felt my leg at each step Itook; but
went on at a round pace somehow, and
came up to Couronne just as she was
stepping out of the water. Catching
her by the bride, mounted, although
with some difficulty. and slipping my
hand through the reins of my own nag,
trotted off under cover of the trees,
leaving NJ. de Gomeron, who had doubt
less recovered by this time, and his
men to make a target of the darkness.
I had come through somehow, but was
sick and sore at heart as urged Cour-
onne from a trot to a gallop, when
thought of poor Nicholas lying dead by
the banks of the Eure.