Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-01-19

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,
| 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 headway, but kept drift
ing down. By this time the troopers
had reached the scene of the fight, and
| could hear them bowling with anger
as they gathered around their fallen
leaders, and, without a head to guide
them, hesitated what to do, each mo-
ment of delay giving me precious time,
and bringing me closer to shelving
bank 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."
A couple 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 gave myself
| up for lost; but determining to make a
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 | did this, | loosed my hold of the
saddle, and the horses slid past me, and
was dragged by the current right into
| the bank. The willows were tough, and
| | 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 moment. The fools. They
gave me the moments time | wanted
and digging my foot into the soft bank
| | laid hold of the stem of a willow and
with an effort reached the shore.
rolled over at full length, and then lay
! flat 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 not lair
to earth as | did. | should infallibly
have been killed, for the bullets whizzec
past. it seemed but few inches above
me. / let out yell as if | was mortallA
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 tht
horses. My stratagem had the desired
effect, for on my cry of Il am deaC
i am dead" two others of the mer
who had run up to let off their pieces
where | was supposed to be, and they
all shouted: I'VE have him - he i!
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 il
the shallow water. one behind the other
| towards Ine ldUu. ~ spun hdb bIIl
thrown out here, evidently with the oh
iect of protecting the bank, and it hat
cast the main stream on the opposite
shore, and given the beasts chance o
landing.
felt my leg at each step took; bu
went on at round pace somehow, ant
came up to Couronne just as she wa
stepping out of the water. Catching
her by the bride, mounted, although
with some difficulty, and slipping m,
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 hi
men to make a target of the darkness
had come through somehow, but wa
sick and sore at heart as | urged Cour
onne from a trot to a gallop, when
thought of poor Nicholas lying dead b.
the banks of the Eure.