The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-12-24
CHAPTER XVIII.
CONTINUED.

~ VIC OettiC, buV tuc SiiuoiHS Aooi
,f it rolled over the house, which
shook as il with an earthquake. 1t
seemed to them that they could hear
the despairing cry of the Americans
as they fell crushed and bleeding un-
der the victorious columns of their
enemies. Mrs. Vernon kneeliug IN
agony prayed and wept. Mademoi-
selle de Sezannes cast herself upon q
couch and hid her face in the pillows;
but Pauline stood at a front window
straining her eyes and ears to see and
hear.
Before the middle of the forenoon
the thunder and the patter of the
fight gradually ceased, and soon
enough the broken and fear -crazed
columns of the British came wildly
struggling back across the PLAIN.
What had been solid walls of red uni
formed soldiers moving with rhythmic
vigor and steadiness was now con-
fused rabble, leaderless and dis
persed, all flying away from an i'm.
aginary charging column of Ameri-
cans.
"Heaven be praisedr' cried Paul
ine. "They are flying! They are de-
featedl They are driven back all wild
! and routedr'
She precipitated herself upon her
mother in an ecstasy of Joy.
Mademoiselle de Sezannes sprang
up and ran to the window. Of'in the
distance, as she looked between the
orange trees, she saw men bearing
dtters, rolling cannon, running, limp
ing, gesticulating, assisting wounded
comrades, leading horses on which
lay dead offcers-it was a terrible
sight; but in the first rush CT her
realization of triumph she felt no
horror from the scene. She clasped
her hands together and gazed with
wide open fearless eyes.
It was nearly noon when the SER
wants brought in breakfast; meantime
the British had disappeared, and
great silence lay upon the plain and
the woods. The ladies had eaten
nothing for twenty-four hours, and
now, with the great reaction fren the
strain of terrible anxiety, there came
hunger. But food did not seem to
attract them; theyran to the windows
and doors every minute or two only
to turn away, disappointed, from the
desolate scene.
At last, however, o football on the
doorsteps was accompanied by the
yoice of Colonel Loring.
, Miss Pauline, will you let me in,
rlease2" he called.
Pauline ran to the door and opened
it. At first she did not notice that
Loring was bloody. He stood quite
erect, and his face showed no sign OF
suffering.
"Come in" she cried, "come in,
Colonel LorIng. 1t is SO good of you
we are SO frightened, so bewildered,
so lonely
She extended both hands with the
impulse of her delight at the relief
his presence afforded. .
He inclined his hatless head and
smiled iq acknowledgement of her,
greeting, and now she saw that both
his, arms hung powerless, dangling
and bloody. q,
ooh, you are hurt, woundedr she
exclaimed. "You have been shotw .
SIT is of no consequence; some light
hurts that will give no trouble"
\ He came in with firm step and sat
idowa iu large armed chair.
General Gibbs is killed; so is
Pakenham; indeed, they are all killed;
tho army is destroyed, it destroyed it.
self. What set of dolts they all
were!" Loring spoke rapidly, but
seemingly without much feeling.
Before he had finished there was
knock at the door. Maaemoiselle de
Sezannes, who CHANGED to be nearest
it, flung it open.
> Vasseur came in without ceremony
and stood before Loring, his face
twitching with the ecstasy of terrible
passion. Immediately he began to
pour forth the most horrible curses,
and between them he sandwiched what
he knew of Loring's past history. 1t
was denunciation at once eloquent
and brutal beyond description. Lor-
ins for once was unable to meet an
exigency with a prompt bar. He sat
calmly enough; but he could not stop
the current. Vasseur, in his wild
wrath, seeing that his victim was ap-
parently helpless, went with rush
into the revolving details OF the life
which he and Loring had passed to-
getker as outlaws in Spain. They had
robbed a convent, killing nun to get
the jewels and precious stones after
ward taken from Vasseur by Pierre
Rameau. He went on to tell how Lor-
ing and Pierre Rameau were the same
man, and how Margaret, the robbers
vic, had been murdered by him il
cold blood because she sought the
protection of priest to escape bru.
tality.
F., 1t was q story to chill the blood OF