Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-03-09

y
to Maitre Palm and bid him await me
two spare horses; he will understand
what | mean. And now, my friend,
adieu. This will pay what l owe you"
and thrust half dozen pistoles into
his hand.
But he resolutely refused. "No-no
M. lie Chevalier."
But Dame Annette?" interposed Be
lin.
"Um!" said the notary scratching his
chin-"that is another matter. l had for
the moment forgotten was married
man. Very well, monsieur, | will take
the money, not that l need it, but for
the sake of peace; and now there is lit
tie time to lose. | go to do all you have
asked me to, and rest assured, mes
sieurs, it will be faithfully done"
II have no doubt of that, Pantin."
eve had better make start, too," l
said, and Belin shouted for the horses.
We stayed for moment or so after the
notary's departure, during which time
Belin urged me to take Nallon and
couple of men with me to my tryst;
but fearing no complications, | refused,
saying that this was a matter that were
best done with one hand. Belin would
have come himself, but that his friend
ship with me being known, it was nee
essary for him to avoid all suspicion of
his being in the affair.
81 shall go to the Louvre" he said.
"and engage d'Ayen at play. Pimental
and others will be there and, if l mis-
take not, NJ. lie Baron will have a sore
head for his wedding" and he chuckled
here.
Then I settled the score with mine
host, and mounting our horses we rode
back the way we came. 1t was at the
Magasins that we wished each other
good-by, and with a last grip of the
hand, and last warning to hasten to
Mourmeton, Belin turned towards the
Louvre, whilst l went on towards the
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
Itlt anu NIItIt ny lHc uIII IlShI VI IL
few lanterns set high up in inches in
the old and massgrown walls of the
buildings. The houses here were old
even for this part of Paris, and with
their rsloping roofs and many gables rose
in irregular outlines on either side
outlines, however, so softened by the
moonlight, in which they seemed to
quiver, 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 | 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 a strange clear
ness into the night.
/ had now come to the gardens of
the Tuleries, and putting Couronne at
the wall which was just being raised
around them found myself within
quarter mile of our place of meeting.
The turf was soft and level here, and
| 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 ! 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 a touch of my hand
| stayed my beast and stopped to listen.
Beyond me stretched the avenue. atthe
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 a lacework
of leaves and branches, and the sullen
creaking of the boughs overhead. at
must be her horse or Palms." l said
aloud to myself; and then, the compline
came to me clear and sweet from the
spire of st. Germain.
| lifted my hat for an instant with
silent prayer to God for help, and then
shook up Couronne. Ere the last notes
of the bells had gone | was under the
lines. At first l 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!" L called out. 1T is I
d'Auriac."
Then figure in gray mantle stepped
out from the shadow of the trees, and |
sprang from the saddle and held out my
hand.
Il knew it was you, chevalier," she
said, "but | wanted to make certain and
waited until you spoke"
Il hope have not kept you waiting?"
Indeed no, had but just come across
from the Louvre when you arrived"
'Then you did not come riding?"
How could /? | have been in the
Louvre, and am expected to be at the
coucher of Nine. Catherine in half
hour" and she laughed slightly. The
thought of that smothered neigh flashed
through my mind like lightning. I'VE