The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-07-11

ride now. We must get TO the river on
foot" Saying this, Lalande managed
| somehow 10 get the horses In front OF US.
| and then holding on TO each other ana
| guided by the incessant flashes OF light
| ming. we began a slow and painful pro-
gress. soon began 10 feel the fatigue
and exhaustion 80 much that In my
! turn begged Lalande 10 stop
Courage, madame IFS but few
yards more 20 the river bank" he an
swered There We can stop and rest
/ And l took my heart up and strove on
ward again. Al last, when within rev
| yards OF the river. / sank down utterly
| exhausted and unable 20 move farther,
| and Mousette alternately sobbed and
PRAYED over me, while now and again !
could see the tall figure OF Lalande
standing grim and motionless. and once
/ fancied 1 heard deep oath.
He gave us some cognac from n fiask
he carried. and.then there was nothing
for IL but 10 wait and meet death IL IL was
TO be. Now there came series OF hsht-
ming flashes that lit up the terrinc scene,
and ! almost gasped. for right before me
on buttiug crag / made out a small cas-
tie Lalande saw II. too, for he blew long
and shrlly on his horn, and then we
watched and waited for time that seem
ed interminable. when all at once the
flare OF a huge beacon rose bright and red
bugIe reached our ears. Lalande blew
again. and 10 our Joy there was reply.
Strength came back 10 me with the pros
pect OF safety, and. rising 10 my feet,
I called to Lalande: "Oni On!'
He answered. The river, madame
| looked and saw below a white, lash
ing food that swung and swirled past
with a savage roar The lightning show
ed us the angry water and the wicked.
dancing foam that seemed 10 leap up
in delight at the prospect OF the black
swirl below IL dragging US down 10
death. Then again we heard the bugle
notes and We saw the lights OF torches
and heard the shouting of men from the
opposite bank.
''I.et us go on 10 meet them. We are
savedi" screamed Mousette And. hold
ing on NJ each other, we staggered past
the horses. which stood all huddled to-
gether. only to be stopped here by the
utter darkness and Lalande.
''For the love of heaven, madame, do
not novel he cried. Rescue is com
ing"
And Il did come.
All that can remember was seeing the
light OF many spluttering torches around
US Some one lifted me In his arms like
a child. and ! heard voice say, BE
careful with the horses over the bridge,
Pierre" and then my strength gave way
Il
seemed-and all the past was dream,
thank Cod his was the thought that
struck me as | opened my eyes. But as
looked around l saw the room In which
| lay was strange TO me. and inch by
inch everything came back, all except the
events of the last moments by the river.
where my recollection became confused.
II was daylight, but still the remains OF
the storm OF last night were In evidence.
and / could hear the water dripping from
the caves and through the half open dor
mer window the murnur Of the Luxege,
still angry and unappeased. reached my
ears.
Where was 1? looked about me and
found that | was In a large room, warm
from the effects OF huge wood fire that
danced cheerily in the fireplace. Lean
ing on one elbow, / glanced still farther
about me and saw that the furniture was
the same old and heavily antique make
that we had at Mieux. The curtains of
the bed were, however. worn and faded.
the tapestry on the walls was older ana
more faded still, and then my eyes were
arrested by the coat OF arms carved on
the stonework OF the fireplace-two
wolves heads, with a motto so Clipped
and defaced that l could not read IT.
Whose was the device? ! lay back and
thought. but could not make II out. Ger
tainly not that OF any OF the great houses.
No uOubl my piNstiNti bNiVhc'N
20 the lesser nobility. but l. could soon
find out Then ! closed my eyes once
more ard would have slept but was,
aroused by some one entering the room
and, looking up. saw Mousette.
"Ah. madam-madame, | mean" she
said eagerly. thank God you are looking
none the worse for that terrible night.
! little thought we would ever live to see
daylight again"
Where are we, Mousette, and who
are the kind people who saved us
II do not know. madame" she an
swered quickly but we are the only
women here. But she ran on, at is
midday and touching the dinner hour.
VIII madame rise or be served here?'
~ will rise. OF course. Mousette." And
during the course of my toilet ] asked II
the people OF the house knew who we
were.
Il have not mentioned anything. ma
dame" replied AIousette. with her face
slightly turned away. and Lalande is
discreet
/ felt that Mousette knew more than
she cared 10 tell, but Il is not my way
10 converse with servants. and. fnisn-