The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1899-02-17


our way through the wet and shining
leaves around us, found bride path.
Along this my guide went at trot.
Nicholas suddenly pulled up and held
out warning hand.
What is it?" asked, in low tone.
"Hist!" he said, and then in rapid
whisper: Another so yards and we
come to the open. Anet lies before us,
and the rest of the way must be done
on foot"
"And the horses?"
"Fasten them here. You have a pick
citing roper,
"Yes-round the neck of the horse"
Good. l had not noticed it before,
and was half afraid you had none, mon
sieur."
The horses were soon securely fast
ened, and when this was done Nicholas
spoke low and earnestly: SHOULD we be
discovered, monsieur, there is no use
making standing fight. The odds are
too many. When we come to the open
[ will show you withered oak. This
is exactly opposite where the horses
are-in this direction. five are pur-
sued, make for the forest and lie down.
The chances are they will pass us by.
go down, ride northwards for your life"
"How the devil am to find my way
through the trees?"
Nicholas shrugged his shoulders as
if to say, "that was my affair."
We had gone too far to go back, how
ever, and placing my pistol in my belt
and loosening my sword in it's sheath,
l followed Nicholas with cautious foot
steps. AS he said. in about so yards we
came to the open, and halted close to
huge oak, bald of all leaves, with its
gnarled trunk riven and SCARED by
lightning. Before us level stretch of
turf sloped gently down towards what
was once an ornamental lake, but now
overgrown with the rankest weeds. In
the center of the lake was a small is
land, on which was set summer house,
fashioned like a Moorish kiosque, and
beyond this rose huge and square the
enormous facade of the chateau. 1t was
in darkness except for an oriel window
above long terrace on the east wing,
which was bright with light, and in
the courtyard below there was evident
ly fire. Men were singing round it.
and lifting chorus came to our ears.
Inch by inch we crept onward, keep
ing well in the shadow, and edging our
way round the frills of the forest. 1
could hear Nicholas breathing hard,
and from time to time he stopped to
rest; but was a glad man to find
was not winded, and that therefore
must be truly as strong again as ever
l was. AT last, by dint of creeping,
crawling and wriggling along, we
worked our way to within 20 PAGES of
the terrace, above which the stained
glass of the oriel window glowed with
light. Here we came to stop and
moving backward and forward in the
light of the window, then the shadow
was joined by another, and both
stopped, as if the two men to whom
they belonged were in earnest converse.
eve must get to the wind low" whis-
pered, with an inquiring look.
"By the terrace" said Nicholas, in
answer, and as he spoke there came to
us the faint but distinct sound of a
horn, apparently from the very depths
of the forest, and the notes reused a
brace of hounds in the courtyard, who
bayed into the night. Nicholas gripped
my arm, and I turned to him in sur
prise. His face was pale, he was shak-
ing all over like an aspen, and his black
eyes were dilated with fear.
'Did you hear that, monsieur?" he
said, quickly.
"Diable! What? I hear three diff
ferent things-dogs, men and some one
blowing a horn"
'Then you did hear 1.-THE horn?"
eyes. What of it? No doubt post
on it's way to Anet."
mo post ever rang that blast, mon
sieur. That is the Wild Huntsman, and
the blast means DEATH"
AS he spoke it came again, wild and
shrill with an eerie flourish, the like of
which had never heard before. The
dogs seemed to go mad with the sound.
there was hubbub in the courtyard,
and some one in the chamber above the
terrace threw open the sash and peered
out into the night. thought at first it
was de Gomeron; but the voice was not
his, for, after looking for a moment, he
gave quick order to the men below
and stepped in again.
tro BE CONTINUED
What He Would BE.
II regret to say" she said, reproving-
L. IL IL l.