Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-10-28


Tuileries, keeping the northern road and
not the more frequented street along
the river face.
There was strong moon, and the
night was as clear as crystal. One side
of the street was in shadow, illuminated
here and there by the dim light of a
few lanterns set high up in inches in
The houses here were old
even for this part of Paris, and with
theirsloping roofs and many gables rose
in irregular outlines on either side
outlines, however, SO softened by the
moonlight, in which they seemed to
culver, that it was as if some fantas-
tic creation of fairyland had been set
down here-a phantom city that would
melt into nothingness with the warm
rays of the morning sun.
Away in the distance it still occurred
as if I could hear the hum of the city
behind me, but here it was quiet and
still, and the iron-shod hoofs of Cou-
rome rang out with strange clear
ness into the night.
I hao now come to the gardens of
the Tuileries, and putting Couronne at
the wall which was just being raised
around them found myself within a
quarter mile Of cur place of meeting.
The turf was soft and level here, and
l let Couronne go at half gallop, keep
ing the chequered shade of the huge
trees, which whispered strange things
to each other in the breeze. AT this
moment it seemed as if I heard the
smothered neigh of a horse. l knew
the sound well, for often had my old
Norman tried to serve me in this way
through the scarf by which his jaws
were bound together when we lay in
ambuscade. With touch of my hand
l stayed my beast and stopped to listen.
Beyond me stretched the avenue, at the
end of which stood the great lime trees.
could see nothing but the ghostly
line of trunks lit up here by the moon,
there standing out black against the
night, or fading away into laceworl<
of leaves and branches, and the sullen
creaking of the boughs overhead. 1T
must be her horse or Palms." said
aloud to myself; and then, the compline
came to me clear and sweet from the
spire of ST. German.
/ lifted my hat for an instant with q
silent prayer to God for help, and then
shook up Couronne. Ere the last notes
of the bells had gone l was under the
lines. At first I could see nothing;
there was no one there, and my heart
grew cold at the thought that some dan
ger had overtaken my dear one.
'Madame!" called out. "It is l.
d'Auriac."
Thena figure in gray mantle stepped
out from the shadow Of the trees, and
sprang from the saddle and held out my
hand.
II knew it was you, chevalier," she
said, "but wanted to make certain and
waited until you spoke"
II hope hay not kept you waiting?'
Indeed no, had but just come acros.
from the Lou re when you arrived"
"Then you did not come riding?"
"How could I? / have been In th;
Louvre, and am expected to be at tn
coucher of Mime. Catherine in half
hour" and she laughed slightly. The
though of that smothered neigh flashed
through my mind like Lightning. "Ws
must trust ourselves to Couronne,"
said. "Palin will be at the Porte st
Denis. There is no time to waste
come"
Then it seemed that she hesitated, ant
flinging back her hood looked me full il
the face. In the moonlight / saw her
white as marble, ard she suddenly pu
out both her hands, saying:
/ II trust you utterly, d'Auriac."
Man is not made of stone; and lovet
this woman as my life. There was tina
in her voice, in the pitiful appeal of it
tones, that broke down all my falls
pride. cannot say how it happened
but in a moment my arm was round he
waist, and drew her toward mesh
nothing resisting.
| So for time we stood in a silence
and then Kissed her.
| "Come, DEAR" l said; land with til
morning we shall be safe"
OF her own accord she put her arm
about my neck and pressed her lips t
mine, and then l lifted my darling t
Couronne's saddle bow.
Had but taken de Belin's offer
Jacques were but with me then!
My foot was in the stirrup, my han
on the reins, when there was a sudde
flash, loud report, and my poor hors
fell forward, foundering in the agony {
death.
just managed to snatch Claude fro1
the saddle and staggered back, and the
with rush half dozen men were Q
| us. They were masked to man, an
r made their attack in perfect silenc,
but as my sword flashed out of n
= scabbard | recognized the tall figure
the capuchin and thrust at him tierc
. ly, with curse at my folly in comir
4 alone.
e Things like these take Il short time
h doing, and should take a shorter time
L telling. l ran one man through Il
!, heart, and with a gasp he fell forwal
- and twisted himself like snake rou1
O my blade. Then some one flung clio;
over my head, l was overborne by nun
c bers and thrown. Two or three m,
held me down; there was an iron grip
: my throat, and mans knee press
heavily on my chest. made frant
S effort to free myself; the GOVERN
r slipped from my face, and saw it W
d the capuchin kneeling over me, da
ei ger in his hand. His mask had fall
II from him, and his face was the face
t. Rayaillac