The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-03


not or would not. In despair at las
seized the end of the halter near M
and Hoped it round my. own neck, ant
| imagine my utter diSgus1-Pomp0n dit
the same. and bobbed up and down OF
his hind legs. One might have laughed
II the issue at stake was not so serious
took the loop of my neck-PompoI
again followed my example-and theI
| lit may have been Gods mercy-hs
suddenly understood, and slipped il
over the gargoyle.
Thank Godr and l had frightened
| the moose in moment, giving the apt
no time to change his mind and re
move it. In those days l was 1.-THE an6
agile as cat, and hand over hand
swarmed up the rope. at last gaining
| the narrow foothold of the ledge The
window was at least six feet from me
and / had to cross this space ere
came to it.
Holding on to the brickwork.
slipped the moose from the griffin s
head, and then slowly and carefully
| made my perilous way to the window,
the rope clutched in one hand, and
getting as much support as / could
from the cracks between the bricks,
where the cement had loosened and
fallen away. ~
When. afterward, looked at what /
had done, my blood ran cold at the
very idea of il: but now l went with
out fear, without a single thought of
anything but those whom | was striv-
ing TO save. And yes, those whose
horses / had heard-I heard them again
now, clear and distinct. / was not a
moment too soon. 1 boldly. stood on
the ledge and looked in at the window
1t was a large room. and she, my
queer. was sitting at the table; her
hood had fallen back, showing the
pale, clear-cut outlines of her face. and
her eyes were full of tears. Condo
stood by her. speaking earnestly,
pleading as if for his life. and if ever
there was love in a mans face it shone
on his. o. it was a mad thing 10 do;
but she was a child, not is, and he but
five-and-twenty.
So earnestly were they talking that
they did not hear me, though / stood
boldly at the window, and it was only
when L had sprung lightly into the
room that they became aware of my
presence. Mary rose to her feet with a
little cry. and her hands went up to
her face; but Condo sprang at me
without a word. But 1 seized his wrists
like wise, and said in voice cracked
with emotion:
You are betrayed; there is only one
chance-come with mer"r
The fool struggled still, and, prince
of the blood though he was. l cursed
him to his face.
Will you lose all?-hark" and the
blare of a trumpet from the street
came to us with discordant echoes.
He understood now, but his presence
of mind had left him.
My Godr' he cried. What can L
do to save you?" and he turned TO
Mary To give him his due. he thought
but of her, and he rushed to her side,
where she stood staring at US. with a
white face and large. frightened eyes.
The door of the room was open- AS
ran to it l heard a battering below.
..'Tis the kingr' l cried. quick To
the Window
and he half dragged and half carried
Mary to the window. l closed and
locked the heavy oaken door, and,
turning, saw Condo handling the rope
/ had thrown on the floor at my en-
trance. He had grasped at the chance
of escape. But l would take no fisk OF
failure. | was by his side in a moment
and snatched the halter from his hands
Put out the light said, and as he
did so ran a moose around the pillar OF
the balustrade across the window and
dropped the rope outside; then, turning
to Condo. 1 said, Descend and hold the
rome taut below" The words were
scarce out of my mouth when we heard
the dull report of an arquebus-
They have blown in the lock-
luick."
But he needed no bidding. He was not
good at climbing, but somehow he man
aged it. and I felt the rope tighten. He
was safe below.
..Mademoiselle." l said, turning TO
Mary. 1 pretended not to know her.
INT she shrllnk back
II cannot cannot, Let them
comet and her words were followed by
I crash. hoarse shout and the sound
IF many feet Then / did what | have
never done to woman before or after.
The strength of ten possessed me. took
her in my arms like child and hold
ng her round the waist with one hand
began the descent. She seemed to re-
cover herself as 1 got out of the win
low, and chung on to the rope as well as
[, else I had never succeeded; bue We
the descent as We heard them
at the door, and voice-it
was the king's-called out:
can arquebus, An arquebus,'
Along the waterway on the roof of /.
The store we ran like hares, Pompon
eading, and we had just gained the
stable, and 1 had put out the light.
when we heard the door of the room
rom which we had escaped being
forced in. They would see the rope.
knew, and we were still not safe. l
hastily to Condo:
Take the horse and ride for your
ife, Go by the Porte st. Honore."
He was himself again, for the Bour-
)ons never had the poltroOn fever He
lrew the girths, bent down and kissed
Mary'ss hand, and mounted in the sta
de- AS l held the door open for him
lie turned to me, saying:
Monsieur, l swear"
But the hot anger blazed within me
It the man who could risk a woman's
Who had broken his word to his friend.
"Ridel" I said. Waste no time in
rows-'tis only a prince who thinks he
an break his word without dishonor."
md following my words came yells and
houts from the window. They had
ound the rope.
Condo made no answer. but bent his
read and gave Cartouche the spur, and |
We heard him clatter down the street,
nd | caught Mary's hand and we ran
nut together l took her northward.
through passage and alley, until l felt |
Ter falter and then / stopped, for she |
vas GREATNESS and almost fainting. |
But we were safe-no one would recog- |
ize a queen in the slight, gray-clad /
gure that chung to a testers arm, as !
he two, followed by a small brown ape. |
licked their way along the narrow |
avement of the Rue St Sauveur. 1t |
vas then that she spoke for the first !
ime, and as She did so she withdrew |
er hand from my arm.
Isis he safe-do you think-mon-
ieur?''
"Monseigneur is by now free of the |
'orte st. Honore.' l replied, still giving |
% sign that l knew her. but the ice /
vas broken now, and she went on: