The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-11-10
BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

eclipsed, crash which triumphed over
the shouting of the wind announced its
fall, and for a moment the whole gar
den was alive with skipping tiles and
brickbats. One such missile grazed the
Doctors ear; another descended on the
bare foot of Aline, who instantly made
night hideous with her shrieks.
BY this time the hamlet was alarmed,
lights flashed from the windows, halls
reached the party, and the Doctor an
swered, nobly contending against Aline
and the tempest. But this prospect of
help only awakened Anastasie to a
more active stage of terror.
Henri, people will be coming" she
screamed in her husbands ear.
Il trust So" he replied.
"They cannot. l would rather die, %
she walled.
my DEAR" said the Doctor reprov-
ingly, you are excited. l gave you
some clothes. What have you done
with them?"
"Oh, don't KNOW must have
thrown them away! Where are they?"
she sobbed.
Desprez CROPPED about in the dark
ness. "Admirable!" he remarked; my
velveteen trousers! This will exactly
meet your necessities"
"Give them to met" she cried fierce
ly; but as soon as she had them in her
hands her mood appeared to alter
she stood silent for moment, and then
pressed the garment back upon the
Doctor. Give them to Aline," she
said-"poor girl"
"Nonsense!" said the Doctor. "Aline
does not know what she is about. AL
inc is beside herself with terror; and
at any rate, she is peasant. Now I
am really concerned at this exposure
for a person of your housekeeping
habits; my solicitude and your fan
tastic modesty both point to the same
remedy-the pantaloons. He held
them ready.
''It is impossible. You do not under
stand,'' she said, with dignity.
By this time rescue was at hand. 1t
had been found impracticable to enter
by the street, for the gate was blocked
with masonry, and the nodding ruin
still threatened further avalanches. But
i between the Doctors garden and the
one on the right hand there was that
very picturesque contrivance, a COM
mon well; the door on the Desprez'
side had CHANGED to be unbolted, and
now, through the arched aperture a
mans bearded face and an arm sup
porting lantern were introduced into
the world of windy darkness, where
Anastasie concealed her woes. The
light struck here and there among the
tossing apple boughs, it glinted on the
grass; but the lantern and the glowing
face became the center of the world.
Anastasie crouched back from the in
trusion.
"This way?" shouted the man. "Are
you all safe?"
Aline, still screaming, ran to the
newcomer, and was presently hauled
| head-foremost through the wall.
! Nov, Anastasie, come on; it is
! yOuA luAA, ooAo IAC uuoUduu.
Il cannot" she replied.
care we all to die of exposure, ma
dame?" Numbered Doctor Desprez,
You can go!" she cried. "Oh, go,
go away! l can stay here; l am quite
warm"
The Doctor took her by the shoul-
ders with an oath.
"Stop!" she screamed. II will put
them on"
She took the detested !endings. in
her hand once more; but her repulsion
was stronger than she. Never" she
cried, shuddering and flung them far
away into the night.
Next moment the Doctor had whirled
her to the we'll. The man was there
and the, lantern; Anastasie closed her
eyes and appeared to herself to be
about to die. How she was trans
ported through the arch she knew not;
but once on the other side she was re.
ceived by the neighbours wife, and en-
veloped in friendly blanket.