Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1902-03-21
CHAPTER <.

p EAVING the little station Of
IL Vesinet. we come upon two
PiGn.. roads. One, to the left, mac
S4. adamized and kept in perfect |
repair, leads to the village, of which
there are glimpses here and there !
through the trees. The other. newly !
laid out and just covered with gravel,
leads through the woods. At the juno |
ton of these two roads Prosper stop |
ped the cab. The driver had gained |
his hundred francs The horses were
completely worn out, but before long
M. Verduret could distinguish the
lamps Of a cab similar to the one he
occupied about fifty yards ahead Of
him. Alighting from the cab. he hand
ed the driver bank note.
"Here," he said, lis what promised
you. Go to the first tavern you find on
the right hand side Of the road as
you enter the village. If we are not
there, you are at liberty to return to
Paris"
but neither Prosper nor his companion
heard them They had already started
up the new road. The weather, which
had been Indictment when they set out,
was now worse. The rain fell in tor
rents. and a furious wind hoWled dis
mally through the branches Of the
trees. NJ. Verduret and Prosper haG
been walking aloag the muddy road
for about five minutes when suddenly
the latter stopped.
This is Raours house." he said.
Before the gate Of an isolated house
stood the cab which they had follow
ed. Reclining on his seat, wrapped in
a thick cloak, was the driver, who, in
spite Of the pouring rain, was already
asleep, evidently waiting for the per-
son whom he had brought to this
house.
M. Verduret went to him, pulled his
cloak and said in low voice:
"Hello, my man."
The driver started and. mechanically
gathering his reins, yawued out, Call
right"
But when by the light of the carriage
lamps he saw two men in this lonely
spot he imagined that they wanted his
purse and perhaps his life.
81 am engaged"' he cried out as he
cracked his whip in the air. II am
waiting here for some one"
II know that, you fool" replied M.
Verduret, "a,ld only wish to ask you
question which you can gain five
francs by answering. Did YOU not
bring a middle aged lady here?
This question, this promise Of five
francs, instead of reassuring the coach
man, increased his alarm.
Il have already told you I am wait
ing for some one" he said. Move on
or I will call fol: help"
Nj. Verduret drew back quickly.
"Come away" he whispered to Pros
per. THE beast will Go as lie says and,
the alarm once given, farewell to our
projects We must find some other en-
trance than by this gate.'
They went along the wall surround
ing the garden in search Of a place
where it was possible to climb.
This was difficult to discover in the
dark, the wall being twelve feet high.
Fortunately NJ. Yerdurct was very
agile, and, having decided upon the
spot to be scaled, he drew back and,
making a sudden spring remarkable
for so big man, seized one of the pro-
jecting stones above him, drawing him
self up by the aid Of his hands and
feet to the top Of the wall. 1t was now
Prosper's turn to climb up; but, though
much younger than his companion, he
had not his agility, and NJ. Verduret
was obliged to pull him up, then help
ed him down on the other side Once
in the garden, M. Verduret took in the
situation. The house occupied by NJ.
de Layers was built in the middle Of a
large garden. 1t was narrow, two sto-
ries high and with garrets.
Only one window, in the second sto-
ry, was lighted.
"You have often been here and know
the house? said M. Verduret What
room is that where we see the light"
"Raoups bedchamber."
every good. What rooms are on the
first floorY'
'"The kitchen, pantry, billiard room
and dining ROOM"
"And on the floor aboveY'
1.-TWO parlors, separated by folding
doors, and study"
"Where do the servants sleep?"
"Raoul has none now. He is served
by man and his wife, who come in
the morning and go after dinner"
M. Verduret rubbed his hands glee-
fully.
"All right he said. There is moth