The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-03
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY. DECEMBER 3. 1899

again to get a better view, when 1 felt
something plucking at my coax. looked
down. Ii was Fom on, whose very exist
ence had foi g tten, and he sat at my feet
gazing " stfully up at my face, with eyes
that told me he was wearied-
Come, Pomponw / said, and in a mo-
ment he was on my shoulder where he
sat light as a feather. 1 gave another look
down the road and at the group near
Lorgnac's house, and 1 was certain l
caught The CLEAN Of a cuirass. This au-
cured i'll, but it was no time to draw back,
and sill gif a CHEEKY catch, l stepped for
ward and coming holiiy up 70 the door OF
the house found myself stopped by Crequy
of the archer guard
"Diable' 1 exclaimed, Il have come to
see my gossip. LoIgnac. What does all
this mean?"
II know no more than you, lie Brusquet.
If you want 10 see Lcrgnac you VIII tnd
him on the opposite side of the road with
two of my men: but he is as sulky as
bear
What! Have you arrested him"
"Then what are you doing here?"
'Oheying orders, my lord of Foley; and
If you viii take my advice you will so
home, for''-and he dropped his voice-"the
king ana the carolina, viii be here in
few minutes. We have Gagged some birds
within"
All, we'll! That is their affair. I'll drop
a oonsolIng jest in Lorgnac's ear and be
off. Au revoirr
'Au revoir!"
In few steps was across the road
and beside Lorgnac. He was standing,
looking the picture Of detection, between
two stalwart archcrs.
ooh, no. mon amir I exclaimed as l
embra ed him; so you have engaged pi-
lois for the Chateletf'
The archersc laughed at this reference
to them; but Lorguac seized his chance
and whispered quickly in my ear;
The horse is in the stable behind Ba-
roy's shop; there is a chance by the win
dow and he slipped a key into my
hand
Never fear" I answered loudly, you
shan be free tonight. 1 shall see my gos-
sip Henri. and We shall fin sh that OAR
bois of mine before tomorrow morning.
Adeu, then, until we meet again.
And waving my hand 10 Crequy, turn
ed hack and walked off at a rapid pace.
Pomp@n once mere following at my heels.
CHAPTER ".
How PompOn Saved a Queen.
There are times when thought and ac-
ton have to move together like lightning.
when, If there is but flicker of halt or
hesitation, the result is disaster; and, II
I
had arrived now.
1 thank God that Notwithstanding the
| tumult in my heart 1 kept my head clear
and my nerve steady in the crisis before
me. II is true held a great card. No
one suspected me, except perhaps dAra-
| mon, and he was quieted. Not the most
suspicious eye would turn on LIE Brusauet,
J the Kings jester as being in any way in
4 volved in a court intrigue, and l was safe
| from hndrance on that score; even Gre
! guy, and he was no fool, had let me pass
| with jest.
| could not help chuckling a little to
| myself at this as, picking POmpon up, I
crossed the road to the opposite side,
where the shadows lay dark on the pave
! ment One look behind me-the archers
! were still at Lorgnac's do0r-aud then
| put myself TO the run. A few steps
brought me to narrow side street that
went off at an angle from the road head
/ ing back to the cross roads where Barous
! shop lay, close to Lorgnac's house. I'm
mediately behind the shop was Cartouches
/ stable, and from the stable there was a
| chance, a bare chance, to free my birds
! / knew the way perfectly. for l had used
! it as a short cut a hundred times on my
visits to Lorgnac when he lay ill., in the
spring, of a tertian ague. 1t was neces-
! sary to be careful, however, how one
stepped in this nameless alley, for the
! slime of ages covered the cobblestones be-
| meath the feet, and there was no footpath.
/ Indeed, so narrow was the passage hat,
| by stretching ones arm out, it was posi-
| BILE to touch the houses on either hand.
/ made all the haste 1 could, and at least
reached Barou's shop. Barou himself was
| closing for the night as I came up, and
| l caught a glimpse of his lean figure, hes
! itating at the door, in the hope perhaps
that might prove a customer. passed
| quickly on, taking no notice of him. He
peered after me for a moment, and then
! his door shut with a bang, and the old
man went in, like a spider disappointed OF
his fly.
Two steps more, and I was at the sta
BILE. If Lorgnac's ready wit had not
thought of the key all would have been
lost; but, as it was, the key was in my
hand. In another moment / had opened
| the door and stepped in, shutting it care
| fully behind me. A lantern, swinging
to chain attached to a crossbeam, was
/ burning brightly in the stable, and in
the stall before me was a magnificent
gray horse, with a lofty crest and
bright, full eyes, that looked down upon
me like two stars. 1t was Cartouche,
and he was already saddled, though the
| girths flung loosely around him. He
knew me, for we We're old friends, and.
tossing his head UP and down, began to
| strike at the flooring with mis- forefoot,
and whinny. I patted his sleek neck
/ and looked around. Near me was some
stable gear. To the right there was a
! loft, and above that a small window,
which was open, for the night was
warm. A ladder led to the loft and up
this l climbed Pompon at my heels,
and, passing through the window found
myself on the roof of Barous store.
on either hand the gables. with their
illy-shaped finals, hid me from view, and
/ was, in short, on the backbone of the
roof About twenty feet from me rose
the back of Lorgnac's house, high and
narrow From a window in the second
| story there was a bright light, and 1
! caught glimpse of shadow on the wall.
| 1 crept up beneath the window and look
ed 1t was impossible to reach it, and 1
! dare not raise my voice. Every moment
was precious, and with a groan l glanced
I about for some means of ascent, and as
/ / did so, Pompan began to Chamber up the
! grooyed brick waterway, which terminal
/ ed on a narrow ledge of ornamental stone
work running round the house. Above this
! ledge, however, a gargoyle, in the shape
/ OF a griffin's mead, leered down at me.
I A Sudden thought struck me and i seized