The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-17
CHAPTER III.

| III.
| We were fortunate in finding a lodgini
such as We desired, in large. old hous
4 that had once belonged to a neighborinl
Segneur. who. with all his family. ha'
| perished in the revolution.
Now, once settled, our thought was hov
to reach the chateau and find IL the preciou;
hoard still lay in its hiding place. But a
| first the weather was so stormy that Pierri
was unable to go. But one clear. crisI
morning. when the sun rose bright and fair
Pierre started OFF to walk to the chateau
which lay not more than three leagues
distant.
The day passed slowly. l sat by the win
dow with my work. and watched what
passed in the street. 1t was market day
and there were many coming and going and
standing about gossiping. And among
them. about midday, 1 saw a woman pass
whose face 1 knew well, but whom had
not seen since our arrival in villiers /,
was Madame Laurence. the sister OF Far
geau. who had heard was living here with
her father. She raised a white, sorrow
stricken face to our window. but whether
she saw me or not 1 am not certain. Per-
haps she did. for she abruptly dropped her
CySo diu OH, WITH ntdu vent QOWhs
as II unwilling TO be recognized.
As the afternoon waned and the dusk
came slowly down, began to wonder at
his delay. and marvel what had detained
him 50 long. A restless feeling crept over
me. stole softly to the window and stood
looking out into the darkening street, now
almost empty, for the market people were
all. or nearly all, gone home.
Now as 1 stood there, my attention was
reused by something 1 saw on the other
side of the way. 1t was woman. and as
I looked 1 saw her put UP her hand and
beckon to me.
1 slipped out OF the room without rousing
my aunts, and catching up a warm cloak
threw 1t over my shoulders. and drew the
hood over my head. Then 1 ran down.
stairs and was across the road in an in
stant. and, stepping under the arch.
found myself face to face with Gabrielle
Laurence. the sister Of Fargeau, who had
been our enemy in Paris, and whom had
seen again that very morning. Your cousin
went to the chateau this morning. Has he
returned?" she said.
mo! have been expecting him these
three or four hours past
Just so. Francois has been there also"
1 started. Monsieur Fargeaur' gasped.
Hush. Speak low. He has been there
and he has returned. He will not tell me
what he has done, but II is some cruel deed.
Have you courage to come with me and see
what has happened? / have no one dare
send, have your
NO" I answered. 'T have no one. OF
course will come. Only one question did
/ ask.
Has he murdered Pierre?"
mo. no." she said sharply. mo. he is
not as bad as that, but he said something
about-about-the oubliette."
For a moment / stood still. bewiidered
the oubliette-what was the "Oubliette"
and then with low cry hurried on, re-
membering the awful dungeon that lay un-
der the entrance to the principal tower,
which the domestics spoke OF sometimes.
terrible place. deep down in the foundations
of the castle, with neither door nor win
dow. only trap door from which the sup
ports could be moved so that any one STEP
ping on It was instantly precipitated below
into this horrible pit.
We passed quickly on. and. crossing the
bridge over what had been the moat and
mounting the steps to the principal en-
trance. We found the door securely locked.
Have you the key?' 1 said to Madame
Laurence.
She shook her head IT never thought OF
It," she muttered. "Oh! the folly of it.
Now We cannot get in, unless by the ruins"
Stay" answered. 'I remember. come
with me-" for / recollected a little low
side door in the rear of the building. Per-
chance, that had been forgotten. BY good |
fortune 1t was so.
But here another difficulty awaited u.s.
Inside the building 1t was quite dark.
But for this Gabriel was prepared She |
drew from her pocket tinder box with a |
scrap of candle which she fixed In the lid, |
and SO obtained a light, by which we
groped cautiously forward along the old |
passage into the great hall where had so |
often sat in days past.
But 1 did not pause here, but went on |
quickly to the ante-chamber that occupied |
the lower portion of the great tower. Here |
/ warned my companion to step cautious !
ly, for / knew we were nigh the opening |
to the "Oubliette," but I was not certain |
of its exact position, SO took the candle |
from her hand and went forward. examin- |
ing every slab or plank of the floor before |
! stepped upon it. Would Fargeau have |
left the entrance open?
He had. Suddenly I saw before ma a
square of perfect blackness. He had tried. |
afterwards found. to replace the trap door |
so as more effectually to hide his victim,
but had not known the trick of the hinge.
and SO had been forced to leave 1t hanging
loose, revealing the entrance to that hor-
rible chamber. l knelt and tried to look
down, but 1 could see nothing but perfect |
blackness save in one spot where some
patch of damp caught the gleam Of my
candle.
stopped down as low as could.
'Is anyone there" called down into the
blackness.
'Yes-I-am-here. Who Is it7''
'Tt is I, Genevieve." I cried with q sob.
"Genevieve," the voice came clearer. my
darling.
Pierre, tell me are you hurt7 Is there
any way OF climbing up? Can you see my
light?"
"Yes. can see you-but-I cannot climb.
My leg is hurt"
"Oh! what shall we DOR cried.
1--WE must go for men and ropes" said
Gabrielle.
But then that will be all the way back
to the town. and he will die of cold and
exhaustion. 1t will be hours to get there
and back, and perhaps they will not come"
J rs there no farm near?" said Gabrielle
Perhaps we need not 60 back all the