The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-09-05

There 7 cried. reckless now whe
might hear me. knock, knock louder!
never mind the noise. The alarm is
given. a score of people are watching
U.S. and yonder spy has gone oft to sum
mon his friends
The truth was my anger was rising
I could bear no longer the silent re
CARDS of all those eyes at the windows
I writhed under them-crue, pitiless
eyes they We're. / read in them a nor
bid curiosity. a patient anticipation
that drove me Wild. Those men and
women gazing on us so stonily knew
my companions rank and faith. They
had watched him riding in and out
daily, one of the sights of their street,
gay and gallant; and now with the
same eyes they were watching greed!ly
for the butchers to come. The very
children took q fresh interest In him,
as one doomed and dying; and waited
painting for the show to begin. So
read them.
Knock I repeated, angrily, losing
all patience. Had ! been foolish in
bringing him back to this part of the
town where every soul knew him?
knock: we must get in, whether or
no. They cannot all have left the
house,"
kicked the door desperately, and my
relief was great when 1t opened. A
servant with pale face stood before
me, his knees vlsibly shaking. And
behind him was Croisette.
I think We fell straighway into one
anuther'S arms.
"And Marie" cried. "Marie?'
Marie is within, and madame" he
answered, joyfully; 1--WE are together
again and nothing matters. But oh,
Anne, where have you been? And what
is the matter? Is it a great fire? Or
is the king dead? Or what is it?'
I told him. l hastily poured out some
of the things which had happened to
me, and some which I feared We're In
store for others. Naturally he was
surprised and shocked by the latter,
though his fears had already been
aroused. But his JOY and relief, when
he heard the mystery of Louis de Pa
vannes' marriage explained, We're SO
great that they swallowed Mp all other
feelings. He could not say enough
about it. He pictured Louis again and
again as Kits lover. as our old friend,
our companion; as true, stanch, brave.
without fear, without reproach: and
1T was long before his eyes ceased to
sparkle his tongue to run merrily, the
color to mantle in his cheeks-long
that is as time is counted by minutes.
But presently the remembrance of
Louis danger and our own position re-
rescuing him had failed-failed!
tNo! no." cried Crosette. stoutly.
He would not hear of it. He would
not have it at any price. mo, we Will
not give up hope! We will go shoulder
to shoulder and find him. Louis is as
brave as a lion and as quick as wea-
sell We will find him in time yet We
will go when-I mean as soon as"
He futtcred and paused. His sudden
silence, as he looked around the empty
forecourt in which we stood was elo-
quent. The cold light, faint and uncer-
tain yet, was stealing in the court, dis
closing a row of stables on either side,
| and a tiny porter's hutch by the gates,
and fronting us a noble house Of four
stories tall, gray, grim-lool1ing.
1 assented. gloomily however yes"
l said. I'VE will go when"
And too stopped. The same thought
was in my mind. How could we leave
these people? How could we leave
madame In her danger and distress?
How could we return her kindness by
desertion? We could not. No, not
for Kits sake. Because, after ALL Louis,
our Louis, was q man. and must take
his chance. He must take his chance.
But I groaned
So that was settled. had already
explained our plans to Croisette; and
now as we waited he began to tell me
story, long, confused story about
Nine d'O. I thought he was talking for
the sake of talking-to keep up our
spirits-and I did not attend much to
him, so that he had not reached the
sist of it, or at least I had not grasped
it, when a noise without stayed his
tongue. 1t was the tramping Of foot
steps, apparently of a large party in
the street. 1t forced him to break off,
and promptly drove us all to our posts
Bue before we separated a slight
figure, hardly noticeable in the dim,
uncertain light, passed me quickly, lay
ing for an instant a soft hand in mine
as I stood waiting at the gates. / have
said l scarcely saw the figure, though
l did see the kind, timid eyes, and the
pale cheeks under the hood: but I
bent over the hand and kissed it, and
felt, truth to tell, no more regret nor
doubt where our duty lay. But stood
waiting patiently.
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