Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-07


lips.
"a cursed shrewd shot, captain"
said the sergeant. This cock will
crow no more"
THE English dog" answered the
officer. Let the carrion rot. A fit
meal for the forest. Let wolf eat wolf.
There'll be little left Of him by morn
ing"
They flung the body back among the
stones and continued down the faint
forest track. For some few minutes
the crackle of their tread among the
underwood was heard, and the CLEAN
of the bayonets showed through the
pine needles. Then quiet fell again
upon the forest. Upon the powders
Desmond slept motionless.
A stealthy step among the scrub, and
white face looked out from behind a
rock and glanced anxiously round.
Then lightly a girl ran across the glade
and sank to her knees beside Bes-
mond's body. The tears were stream
ing down her checks The sobs chok-
ed her as she bent over him and chafed
his listless hands. From her pocket
she took flask and poured a drop or
two between his clinched teeth. There
was cough, and faint color rose to
his face. His eyes opened and stared
ut her with wondering inquiry. Sud
denly he sat up and gazed round him
amazcdly. Hilmars surprise at this
resurrection Of the seeming dead
matched his own at finding himself in
unexpected surroundings.
Don't move, don't movew she i'm.
plored. You'll bleed to death. Please,
please, lie still till can get help"
Desmond winked and blinked at her
stupidity. Then, with an effort, he
stood up. Uilmar gasped in her amaze
ment. He slapped himself about the
ribs with grimace. Then he stared
confusedly down at the blood smear
on his side. He thrust his hand be-
meath his jacket and tugged at some
thing. He produced a Jagged bit of
silver that wlnked cheerfully in the
sunlight. A hoarse giggle broke from
him.
Hes delirious!" sobbed Hilmar in
despair. What shall do?'
At her voice Desmond's wits began
TO grow to him again. He took the
girls hand and held it fast. The color
was back again in his face finely now.
Dear Miss Preobeslas. I assure you
I'm right as the mail. The beggar hit
my cigarette case edgewnys and my
pocketbook. The bullet never pene-
trated. Bar having every vestge Of
breath knocked out of me. I'm as tit as
be da-as fiddle, I mean"
The girl eyed him doubtfully. But
the blood" she gasped. You must he
wounded"
Never bit he answered cheerily.
"a jag Of my cigarette case has just
scratched me; that's all. Any bit of
sticking plaster will put that right.
But how on earth did you get here?"
II followed you last night. l saw
you find the treasure / watched you
all the time. After the first few min
utes was never 20 yards from you. I
walked behind you all the way back. I
wanted to triumph over father and all
Of you and show that | was quite ca
pablo Of sharing your adventure.
was going to burst upon you and-and
laugh at you when | saw those hor-
rble men rise up and fell you. l just
kept from screaming and ran back
into the shadow. Then | didn't know
what TO do. l was so frightened, all
alone. At last l thought of our old
jaeger, Stefan. He lives in a little cot
tage in the woods apart from the vii
In ho yhn lyrnu 70 oor
the rents he managed TO collect II
took me two hours to get there and it
was still dark when | arrived. | didn't
dare knock in case there should be
some one with him. SO | sat about in
the bushes till morning, and then he
came out, and l knew him. When |
ran down, he crossed himself and tried
to exercise me-" and a watery smile
crossed her face. "He thought ! was q
ghost. He took me in and gave me
food. Then he went out to reconnoter
and told me that you were all coming
along bound. Then ! watched with
him and saw you killed. as thought
and the speakers lips trembled. 'Stef-
an has gone on to see what becomes OF
dear father and the rest Now we
must go back to Stefan's cottage and
think what's TO be done"
whatever we find to do, Miss Hill
mar" he said with a look into her
eyes that made the long lashes droop,
"belicve me that only with my life viii!
| give up the attempt to free your IA
Their" Then the girl led the way ST.
lently down the narrow forest.
They walked quickly through the
tangle of the pine trunks, the girl lead
ing. Half an hour saw them enter a
little clearing of the forest where n
trellised log hut conferred.
An old man, bent with age and with
features furrowed by many a winter
gale, welcomed Hilmar with ejacula-
tons of commiseration and anxiety.
Sending her into the inner room, he in
sisted on Desmond removing his coat
and proceeding to dress the Scared
side with decoction of lily leaves and
brandy. Then, with hospitable haste,
he set bread and fish before them and
waited on them, stopping now and
again to pat his young mistress shout
der, muttering pious prayers TO the
mother of God and all saints to pre-
serve his master, the colonel, and send
him release from the hands of his enc
mics.