Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-28

hand. and at the same time. with more strength than he could have antici- pated, she pushed him into the streee.
 "Now runl'' she cried.
 He heard the door close behind him and the noise of the bolts being re- placed.
 "My faith," said he, ''since I have promised"
 And he took to his heels down the lane that leads into the Rue Ravignan.
 He was not fifty paces from the house with the green blinds when the most diabolical outcry suddenly arose out on the stiffness of the night. Me chanically he stood still: another pas senger followed his example. Tn the neighboring floors he saw people crowding to the windows. A contiagra- ton could net have produced more dis turbance in this empty quarter. And yet it seemed to be all the work of single man, roaring between grief and rage, like lioness robbed of her whelps. and Francis was surprised and alarmed to hear his own name shouted with English imprecations to the wind.
 His first movement was to return to the house; his second. as he remember ed Miss Vandeleur's advice, to con- finue his flight with greater expedition than before, and he was in the act of turning to put his thought in action when the dictator. bareheaded, bawl- ing aloud, his white hair blowing about his head, shot past him like ball out of the cannon's mouth and went ca reering down the street.
 11n NIa tf lac Francis to himself "What he wants with me and why he should be so dis turbed cannot think, but he is plainly not good company for the moment, and cannot do better than follow Miss Vandeleur's advice"
 So saying, he turned to retrace his steps, thinking to double and descend by the Rue Lepic itself while his pur- suer should continue to follow after him on the other line of street. The plan was i'll devised. As matter of fact, he should have taken his seat in the nearest cafe and waited there until the first heat of the pursuit was over But besides that Francis had no ex- perience and little natural aptitude. for the small war Of private lire He was so unconscious of any evil on his part that he saw nothing to fear beyond disagreeabIe interview, and to dis l agreeable interviews he felt he had already served his apprenticeship that evening; nor could he suppose that Miss yandeleur had left anything un- said. Indeed, the young man was sore both in body and mind-the one was all 1 bruised, the other was full of smarting arrows, and he owned to himself that Mr. Vandeleur was master of very deadly tongue,
 l The thought of his bruises reminded him that he had not only come with out a hat, but that his clothes had con- l giderably suffered in his descent l through the chestnut. At the first I magazine he purchased cheap wide l awake and had the disorder of his toilet summariIy repaired. The keep sake, still rolled Tn the handkerchief, he thrust in the meanwhile into his trousers pocket.
 l Not many steps beyond the shop he was conscious of a sudden shock, a hand upon his throat, an infuriated l face close to his own and an open mouth bowling curses in his ear. The l dictator, having found no trace of his 1 quarry, was returning by the other way. Francis was a stalwart young l fellow, but he was no match for his adversary whether in strength or skill. and after a few intellectual struggles be resigned himself entirely to his cap. l tor.
 What do you want with me?' said he.
 ''We will talk of that at home," re- 1 turned the dictator grimly.
 l And he continued to march the 1 young man up hill in the direction of the house with the green blinds.
 But Francis, although he no longer struggled, was only waiting an opporz tunity to make a bold push for free dom With a sudden jerk, he left the
 collar of his coat in the hands of MT.
 yandeleur and once more made off at his best speed in the direction of the boulevards.
 The tables were now turned. If the
 dictator was the stronger. Francis in
 the top of his youth, was the more ! fleet of foot. and he had soon effected