The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-02-20

Sill and dropped did not Jump, rs
he did; and landed plump on stout
officer who happened TO rush out of
the door at that moment. He came
down with thud-but l was mp and
away in the opposite direction from
the major.
Some of them were after me in a
tick of the clock. / felt the bullets
about my ears, as L did at Lundy's
Lane. / didn't expect to get clear.
But two Of us were running and even
If didn't know the lay of the land,
might have Il chance.
j dashed down into the thick shrubs {.
/ scrambled and sank in morasses; I
heard voices here, there, which
seemed to die, which again gained
force. stumbled and fell on nv
face; and then at length [ found my
self on little path. L had no more
notion than baby where it might
lead. Yet at last it seemed they had
lost the trail.
am no Louisianian; ] didn't know
Mt all the woodcraft of that broken
land, while VALERIE knew it all. But
to be sure, | had to go somewhere.
SO followed that path; and after q
half-hour, although heard voices and
shouts, L saw no one; and then the
path opened on great house.
l knew it, my friends; the house
the Comte dc Maur had bought: the
plantation where / brought my heart
beats to little Marie lie Maur. And
then again [ heard tho pursuit, close
behind. l knew they would have me;
while to my dismay, on looking ont, 1
saw the caps of some of the jackt ars
on the road beyond.
Now the servants of the place had
rushed out. eager and fearful. The
comte himself was shouting strange
French words from his front door. A
midshipman, hat in hand, was APP
preaching him.
looked about; 7 can tell you, I
looked about. l saw how the shrub
berry grew UP close and Swallowed a
house, like that of the servants quar-
tiers on those plantations. / edged
up to it, and saw an open window.
Out of a window I had come; into n
window l would go In brief
glance / saw a fat negro woman stand
ing arms akimbo, looking out on the
King of England's men.
[ leaped in. She turned about, as
If | were ghost. / thought she
would cry out. Asan actual fact she
did nothing of the kind. She was
| quick-witted, that old soul. Quickly
| explained. In her dialect, half
French, half English, she saw a way,
and taking some soied linen from n
basket, motioned me in.
| You may believe / understood.
Down went into that basket, and a
clean sheet was thrown over me, with
the solled linen on top OF that
Presently heard grulf voice. My
| friend gruuted as if she didn't under
stand English. She was a wonderful
person, | can assure you.
''Not here, eh?"
y sword-point touched my Sims,
and poEed down there till / thought
| should cry out; but | didn't, as was
lucky, for the owner of the sword
moved away, and the door shut
lay there half-smothered till /
could stand it no longer, and then /
stretched my head up, and the first
sight saw was the little mademoiselle.
| wasn't a prepossessing sight. I'm
| agine the situation yourself.
Monsieur the captain, said she.
with sparkling eyes
Begging your pardon. said ], ms I
/ best could.
81 had no notion you wcro the
man Celeste hid, she said, with
laughter.
cor else you would have given me
up?' said l, much piqued. Where
are they?'
"rhey have gone, taking all the
meu and my father. ] didn't have
to use my dagger. They wero very
| courteous.
The dagger was little trinket at
her belt Every lady Of the city and
the countryside wore one that week.
! dcre say thinking that their pretty
solves might have TO fight the English.
For gossip had it there had been n
toast on Admiral Cochrane's ship,
Beauty and Booty"
''I will sing Yankee Doodle or tho
'Marseiilalsc, II ] can get away ito
New Orleans. said /, impatiently.
You must get there, said she.
SOLDERING you mustlet them know.
They've taken all our men with them. 80
For moment she stood there re-
dccting aud then taking step nearer,
She said, you shall goo back into The
basket.
'Wcliy said !.
"And Celeste and another woman
shall carry you-as II you wcrc---''
"Old clothes, said /.
'No, charming, brave gentle
man, said modcmoisellc. clapping
her hands. and really it. was tho
yainast moment OF my life.
That's good of you said T. "But
what fOllowsg'
'Ihcy viii take you to n place i'm
tho bayou whore there's skin Keep
through the passage Co tho right. aud
you will reach tho river near the
city"
OF will try IL, said +, getting back
into the basket, where I stood for u
moment looking at her. ''You arc n
brave lady, mademoiselle.' / knew
there was more iu my eyes than just
what those words conveyed.
And you, / bave said. brave gen.