The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-06-27

Tue road, neadlng back to the cross
roads where Barou's shop lay, close to
Aorgnacs house. immediately behind
tue shop was Cartouche'n stable, and
from the stable there was Il chance,
pare chance, to free my birds. l knew
the way perfectly, for had used 1t as
SNORT cut n hundred times on my
Visits 10 LorBnnc when he lay Ill IN
the spring or tcrtian ague. 1t was
necessary to be careful, however, how
one stepped In this namelcss alley, for
the slime Of ages covered the cobble-
stones beneath the feet, and there was
no footpath. Indeed, so narrow was
the passage that by stretching ones
arms out 1t was possible to touch the
houses Oh either hand.
l made all the haste could and Mt
last reached Barou's sl.,a Barou him
self was closing for the night as l came
up, and I caught a glimpse Of his lean
figure, hesitating Mt the door in the
hope perhaps that might prove a Gus.
toner. 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
spider disappointed Of his fly.
Two steps more, and I was Mt tho
stable. If Lorgnac's ready wit had not
thought Of the key, all would have been
lost; but, as 1t was, the key was IN my
hand. In another moment had open.
cd the door and stepped In, shutting It
carefully behind me. A lantern, swing
ing to chain attached to crossbcam,
was burning brightly in the stable, and
In the stall before me was Il magnifi-
cent gray horse with Il lofty crest and
bright, full eyes that looked dOwn upon
me like two stars. 1t was CartOuche
and he was already saddlcd. though tho
girths hung loosely around him. lie
knew mo, for we were old friends, and
tossing his head up and down, began to
strike at the flooring with his fore foot
and whlnny. | pat:cd his sleek neck
and looked around. Near me was some
stable gear. TO the right there was a
loft and above that 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 Barou's
store. On either hand the gables, with
their lily shaped finals, hid mo from
view. and l was, in short, on the back
bone Of the "OOf. About 20 feet from
me rose the back of Lorgnac's house,
high and narrow. From Il window In
the second story there was bright
light, and I caught a glimpse of a
shadow on the wall. crept up be-
meath the window and looked. It was
ttr,v,0 sci, n, fx> ,I> 4
raise my voice. Every moment was
| precious, and with groan l glanced
| about for some means Of ascent, and rs
| did SO Pompon began to Chamber up
| the grOoved brick waterway. which ter
minated on narrow ledge Of orna
mental stoncwork running round tho
| house. Above this ledge, however, {
| gargoyle In the shape of Il griflin's hcat
| leered down at me.
n sudden thought struck me- and
seized the ape ere he could 90 farther
Back l ran, with the quick, strnlthy
Footsteps OF cat, and dropped down
into the stable once more Hastily and
| with shaking hands, | examined the
stable gear, throwing ono thing after
another aside, and at last found what
l Sought-n spare halter. Oh, those
seconds when | fumblrd there In the
| stable! They were as hours snatch
ed up the halter with an exclamation
| or JOY and In less time than | take to
| tell this was once more beneath the
window. Here 1t was pompon's turn,
and l thanked my stars again and
again for the months | had spent in
n hn 4,> ,l,
l wished. l knottcd one end OF the hal
ter into moose and, giving it to Pom
pom, placed him where he had climbed
to at first and, with little wave Of
my hand. said: "Up. Pompon! Upw
without moments hesitation he
climbed to the ledge. I watched the
small black figure looking down on me
with little, twinkling eyes, the halter,
held by the moose, in his hands. |
made n motion Of my hand toward the
GargoylD. but the ape only jibbcrcd,
and the cold sweat burst over me- for
was sure | heard In the distance the
sound OF many horses trottIng TOO
latc! After all this. 1t could not be!
Again and again / tried to make the
ape understand, but he either could
not or would not. In despair at last
seized the end OF the halter near me
and looped it round my own neck. And
imagine my utter dlsgust-Pompon did
the same and bobbcd up and down on
his hind legs! One might have laughed
II the Issue Mt stake was not so serious.
l took the loop Off my neck. pompon
again followed my example, and them
1t may have been Gods mcrcy-hc sud
denly understood and slipped 1t over
the gnrgoylc.
"Thank God! And had tightcncd
the moose In moment, giving the apo
no time to change his mind and remove
IT. In those days l was 1.-the and agile
rs cat, and hand over hand | swarm
ca up the rope. ut last gaining the mar.
row foothold OF the ledge. The win
dow was Mt least SIX feet from mo, ana
l had to cross this space ere ! came
to 1t.
Holding en- to the brickwork, | slp
pea the nooS" from the grillin's heal
and then slowly and carefully made.