Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-23

- Ao HilSHC uOL. Inc ClaAeo9 "SAS
against him. Things looked different
ly IN the night time. slip, misstep.
rall, and death would be the end,
death on the rocks 200 feet below,
with the white foam for shroud, and
the ebbing tide to bear him far out
| to sea.
Yet he must needs go on. But as he
made ready to- descend, his thoughts
suddenly went back to the little girl
VINO had been his playmate during
the past few weeks. He had almost
| forgotten her for the moment. Was
ne recreant knight thereby? HIS
conscience reproached him. Strange
as 1t may seem, he felt a pang of re-
greet when he realized that once he
stepped over the balcony wall and es-
sayed the descent he should be parted
from her forever. In death or in liber-
W they would be equally separated
The little Rose Of Rohans-to see her
no more! The thought gave him
peculiar feeling. He paused, reluctant.
He was surprised at himself
The little maiden with her mingling
OF childish innocence and womanly
charm had grown very dear to him,
and 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
strong enough to deter him-then. 1t
was deep enough, however, to give
him pause. He fingered, thinking
swiftly. 1t was duty that turned the
scale-duty and love are antagonists
of old.
He had learned something about the
French fleet 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 although apparently cursory
examinations Of the position from the
towers and walls he had learned more.
His information would be Of great
value. He was an officer Of the king,
and when the possibility of escape pre-
sented itself, at all hazards he must
make an effort to reach the ships. The
about exchange, but nothing had yet
come from 1t and such matters were
slow at best
AS 1t seemed more feasible, as the
possibility approached nearer, his de-
sire grew. The OBTAINING image of the
French girl grew fainter. Duty, lib
srty, freedom, action-what child could
stand in the way? Therefore again he
determined to attempt the descent.
i Yet it was forbidding undertaking
now that he had settled upon it. 1t
had seemed easier in the daylight than
at night time. The bend of the wall
cast the corner in black shadow, the
more intense on account of the bright
ness of the moonlight beyond.
! His mind was in strange turmoil.
Observation-Disclosures would be
the end? Pshaw! He would think no
more, he would do it!
He climbed up on the stone railing
of the balcony, turned his back toward
the tower, slid along the 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
cony, which he determined not to let
go Of until he was sure Of foot rest.
Then he stretched out his right leg
and felt about in the 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 feet hid their terrors from him.
He 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 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 girls
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 disregarding her summons did
not once occur to him.
Were you doing this for me?"
asked the girl innocently, still clinging
to him as if afraid to release him.
"Mademoiselle Anne!" he cried in
great surprise and annoyance, why
are you here?" He was trembling vio-
lently from his exertions and the tense
emotions of the past few moments.
"Why not, Sir Philip? You are here
yourself, you see," she answered un-
suspiciously, approaching him and lay
ing an innocent hand on his arm and
looking steadily at him.
eyes, but I-come into the tower"
he said drawing her back through the
window into the room. How her eyes
cleaned in the moonlight! What
depths vera there. what unfathomable
mysteries lurked within their shadows!
He had never seen them so before.
YYHI