Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1904-07-22

landscape. 70 his establishment he
saw the priest walking to and fro In
front of the house engaged in animated
talk with two other men. Suddenly
one Of them took from his pocket three
knives. giving one to the priest. the
other To his companion and putting
the third in the breast Of his coat.
After the departure OF the uncle, Ju-
lienne had not removed her eyes from
the embroidery on which she was
working. although she appeared an
noyed ut the surveillance she was sub
Iected TO by the servant. When the
maid at last fell into doze DE Saint
aine took advantage OF this to converse
with the niece At his approach she
lifted her head and indicated rapidly
that he was in peril, and that she was
determined to save him, but to accom-
plsh It he must obey her implicitly.
When the priest returned he remark
ed casually that one Jacomc, n bour-
geois Of BCurges. who was at the fair
at la Chatrc. would be. with The per-
mission Of De Saintaine a guest at
| supper
This second visitor proved to be
| COmbons. the man who distributed the
Knives His appearance in the house
confirmed De Saintaine In the opinion
| that he had been caught in trap.
| When De Saintainc was shown TO his
room in anticipation OF the supper
| hour, Julienne managed To whisper to
| him to bolt the door and expect fur
Their news from her. About twenty
! minutes after he heard slight noise
above his head little trap opened In
| the ceiling white hand appeared and
a paper was dropped therefrom, con-
tanning these word:
They are determined TO kill and rob
you. At supper they will offer You
drugged wine This will throw you
into deep sleep, when you will be
killed. John, the groom. and | will
save YOU and myself at the same time.
Show no fear to your companions:
they will not kill you until you are
asleep. When you return To your room
wait patiently our arrival and above
all do not be alarmed II we enter the
room in an unusual way. Burn this
note and pull back the bolt on the
door.
The supper was uncommonly good
\ SaIntaI1e the drlgged bottle. He
made a pretence OF drinking the wine.
| During a pause in the conversation De
Saintaine pretended To- be sleepy and
asked permission of his host to retire
AT about II O'Clock.
| To assure himself against surprise.
he tried To push the bolts of The door:
but they were not In place. having
evidently been removed while he was
AT supper. All he could do was. to
close the door and barricadc il with
a heavy bureau. This was barely done
when light noise attracted his al.
tention In a part Of the room near the
bed lie walked there. taking the pre-
caution To arm himself with his
sword and pistols. They were useless.
for while at supper the charge In each
had been drawn. Near the bed In n
panel In the wall, masked by a por-
trait. was pushed back. In the open
ing stood John and Julienne. each
holding a dark lantern.
They signalled him to approach. As
he joined them the sound of key be-
ing turned in the lock of the barri.
caded door attracted his attention An
attempt to open IL was prevented by
the furniture placed against It,
There was no time to lose: the en-.
envy was at hand. John took De Sain-
tainc by the hand. with the valuable
portmantcau in the grip Of the other.
and led him into the mysterious pas
sage by which they had reached the
panel which consisted OF large sheet
of iron. They hurried their flight
through n number of subterranean
lanes, from which they emerged into
the open country at least mile from
the parsonage and on the opposite
side of the canal. There two horses
and De Saintaine the other: with Jul
lienne on a pillion behind him. AS
they rode on through the forest, the
moon, lighting the side OF a hill visi-
BILE through clearing disclosed body
OF men. members, no doubt OF the band
OF brigands OF which the priest was the
chief, At daybreak they reached De
Saintaine's house Later in the morn.
Ing they set out for Bourges, where
Julienne was placed In temporary
charge of the sisters OF a religious re-
treat.
The priest, furious ut the escape of
his guest and the loss of his expected
booty, FASTENED to anticipate an ac-
cusation against him by lodging a COM
plant against De Sa'ntaine for the alb