Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-11-03

might reach the root OF the cliff alive
| or he might not. The chances were
against him. Things looked different
~ in the night time. A slip. a misstep.
a fall, and death would he the end,
death on the rocks 200 feet below.
with the white foam for a shroud. and
the ebbing tide to bear him far out
to sea.
Yet he must needs 30 on But as he
made ready to descend, his thoughts
suddenly went back to the little girl
who had been his playmate during
the past few weeks. He had almost
forgotten her for tho moment. Was
he recreant knight thereby? His
conscience rcproached him. Strange
rs II may seem, he felt a pang Of re-
gret whom he realized that once he
stepped over the balcony wall and es-
sayed he descent he should be parted
from her forever In death or in iber-
~ they would be equally separated
The little Rose of Rohans--to see her
no more! The thought gave him a
peculiar feeling. He paused. reluctant.
He was surprised at himself
The little maiden with her mineling
of childish innocence and womanly
. charm had grown very dear to him.
ana the Joy he anticipated in soon
regaining his liberty was sadly dimmed
by the certain sadness of that inevita-
bic parting. Yet the feeling was not
etrong enough to deter him then. |;
was deep enough, however, to give
him pause lie fingered, thinking
/ swiftly. 1t was duty that turned the
scale--duty and love are antagonists
of old.
/ He had learned something about the
! French feet in Brest and the location
Of the defenses in the harbor in his
rapid ride through the town when he
came TO the chateau and from his
frequent alth ough apparently cursory
examinations OF the position from the
towers and walls he had learned more
His Information would bn of great
value. lie was an officer of the king
and when the possibility Of escape pre-
sontod itself. at all hazards he must
r2ake an effort TO reach tho shIe. The
marquis had spoken once or twice
about exchange but nothing had yet
come from il and such matters wero
slow at best
As if seemed more feasible as The
possibility approached nearer. his de
sire grew The dctaining image of the
French girl grew fainter DUTY lib
orty freedom action what child could
stand in the way Therefore acain he
determined TO attempt the descent
Yet il was a forhiiding Undertaking.
now that he had settled up0n it. Il
had seemed easier in the DAYLIGHT than
a night time The bend of the wall
cast the corner in a black shadow tho
more intense on account of The bright
Hess of the moonlight beyond.
His mind was in a strange turmoil.
Doath-loVe- liher'y -what would be
the end? Pshaw! He would think no
more he would 10 it,
He climbed up on the stone railing
of the balcony. turned his bacl; toward
the tower. slid along tho COPING stone
until he could feel the angle between
the walls with his hand. his shoulders
touching either side of the angle. He
held firmly to the coping of the bal
{
90 of until he was sure of q foot rest
Then he stretched out his right leg
and felt about in tho shadow until
finally his foot hit the first projection
He breathed prayer and prepared TO
descend. He was Glad the angle was
in the shadow He could not see what
was beneath him. The black cliffs I'M
der his tcet hid their tcrrors from him.
lie intended to try it with his face
outward his back in the angle. his
hands and feet outstretched. clutching
at or feeling for every inequality. He
was about to let go. Another moment
and he had gone when he felt a
familiar little hand laid upon his arm.
Come back. come back. you will be
killed. whispered a small frightened
voice He was so startled in spite of
the quietness of her address that he
nearly lost his hold and fell. He re-
covered himself however. by pro-
digious effort, and aided by the girl
nervous. clinging hands he drew him
self up slowly. and swinging his legs
back over the coping landed once more
on the solid floor OF the balcony. The
idea of disroeardng her summons did
not once occur 10 him
Were You doing this for me-
asked the girl innocently. still clnginS
to him as if afraid to release him.
'Mademoiscile Anne" he cried in
great surprise and annoyance why
are you horc?" He was trembling vio-