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

cry, and her hands went up to her face,
but Condo sprang at me without
word. seized his wrists like n vise
and said In n voice cracked with emo.
ton:
"You are betrayed! There is only one !
chnnce-comc with mcr
The fool struggled still, and, prince Of |
the blood though he was, cursed him |
to his fnce.
'Will you lose all? Harkw And the
blarr Of trumpet from the street came
to us with discOrdant echoes.
lie understood now, but his presence
Of mind had left him.
"My Cod" he cried. "What can do |
to save youT And he turned to Mary
To give him his due, he thought but Of
her, and he rushed to her side, where
she stood staring at us, with n white
face and large, frightened eyes.
The door of the room was open. AS
I ran to 1t heard Il battering below.
""Tis the klng!' l cried. "Ouick!
To the window!
Ills senses were coming back to him.
and he half dragged and half carried
Mary to the window. I closed and
locked the heavy oalien door and, turn
ing, saw COndc handling the rope had
thrown Oh the floor ut my entrance. He
mad graspcd ut the chance Of escape.
But l would take no risk Of failure.
was by his side in Il moment and
snntched the halter from his hands.
"Put out tie ligh4," said, and as he
did so ran moose round the pillar Of
the bnlustrade across the window and
dropped the rope outside. Then, turn
Ing to Condc. / said, "Dcscend and hold
the rope taut below" The words were
scarce out OF my mouth when we heard
| the dull report Of an urquebus.
"rhey have blown in the lock!
! QuckI
| But he needed no bidding He was
not good at climbing, but somehow he
managed 1t. and felt the rope tighten.
He was safe below.
"Madcmoiscllc." I said. turning to
Mary. pretended not to know her,
but she shrank back
"I cannot! cannot! Let them
come" And her words were followed
by crash, hoarse shout and the
sound of many feet. Then | did what
have never done to woman before or
after. The strengthen ten possessed
me- I took her in my arms liko a child
and, holding her round the waist " IL
one hand, began the descent. .*nc
seemed to recover herself as | got out
Of the window and clung on I, tn,
rope us well as /. else had ncyC. s:.,
ccedcd. But we completed the dc sec Il
as we heard them hammcrhg 1T t,.r
door, and Il voicc-it was the kiI.;'s--
called out:
| AN nrqucbllS, an arQncDuS!'
Along the waterway on the ROOF cf
the store we ran like harcs, Pom;A ii
leading, and we had just gained the
stable and had put out the light when
we heard the door of the room from
which we had escaped being forced in.
They would soc the rope, l knew, and
we were still not safe. l whispered
hastily to Condr:
"Take the horse and ride for your
life! Go by the Porte st. IIonore"
lie was himself again, for the Bour.
bons never had the poltroOu fever
He drew the girths. bent down and
kissed Mary's hand and mounted IN
the stable. AS | held the door open
for him he turned to me- saying:
| "MOnSicur, | swear
| But the hot anger blazcd within me
ut the man who could risk womans
fair fame rs he had donc-at the IN: e,
! who had broken his word to his frie1
| "ltidc"' I said. "Waste no time in
VOWS. "Tis only Il prince who thinks
| he can break his word without dis.
| honor" And following my words came
yellS and shouts from the window.
They had found the rope.
| Conde made no answer, but bent his
head and gave Cartouchc the spur, and
we heard him clnttcr down the street
and | caught Mary's hand, and we ran
out together. l took her northward
through passage and alley, until felt
her faitcr, and then stopped, for she
J was hrcathleSs and almost fainting
But we were safe. No one would rec.
ognlZe queen In the slight gray clad
| figure that chung to n TESTERS arm as
the two, followed by small brown
ape, picked their way along the mar.
row pavement Of the Rue st. Sauvcur
1t was then that she spoke for the
first time, and as she did so she with.
drew her hand from my arm.
Isis he safe, do you think, mon.
sicurY'
| "Monsclgneur Is by now free Of the
Porte st. Uonore," 1 replied, still civ.
Ing no sign that knew her. but the
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