The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-04-28

! agreed. While we parleyed, l worked
myself into a position near his horses
head, and as he prepared 10 alight,
Snatched my sword and with a quick
upper cut severed one rein neal the bit.
The blade having cut his horse Slight
~ under his throat, he reared and
plunged, and finding himself uncon-
trolled started madly off down the road,
Jerome cursing, screaming and clinging
TO his name.
/ had to laugh at the success of my
strategem, for though it was a scuYvy
trick to play an old friend, it was much
the simplest way out of the difficulty
to dispose of him in this bloodless
fashion. | put my horse about now
without interference. When | wheeled
down the lane toward Versailles, Jer-
oIne's clatter and dust was just dying
away over the crest of a distant hill,
making most excellent time in the di-
rectina of Paris.
Now that this new danger was past,
l rode on heayy-hearted enough, for ]
had grown to love Jerome. and blamed
him little for his sudden touch of fury.
For l was nearly in the same boat,
borne on by the same strong currents
as jerome.
Verify, what will man not do for
woman Love had turned him from g.
courteous nohleman of France. a brave
and kindly gentleman, into the fren-
zied coward who Would lie to his mas
ter, STAY his friend. and turn traitor
to his ccuntrynen- 4 god could not
love and be wise.
l logged along slowly, seeking
10 rest my horse, for | could not tell
how soon / must look TO his speed for
safety. II was necessary also that /
should see the two fellows VINO
q wa tahaf rha V-SyS-tjt-- ,..us
they caught sight OF me. Possibly an
artitlce might avail me where force
would fail.
Presently from a slight eminence the
broad highway could be seen winding
out OF Paris, g~listening in the starlight,
tor II was nov after dusk, twisting in
dusty ugd4lations toward the distant
palace Of the king. I drew rein among
some trees which served for shelter.
and scanned the way TO sac If the
Watchets We're in sight. The lane. be
lore 1t entered the Versailles road,
pranched out into two portions, one
bearing away oWard Paris, while the
other traversed a piece of low ground
mat struck the main road several hun
ared yards In the other direction.
Within the irregular Triangle thus
formed the two groous had thrown
themselves upon the ground. being dis
tnctiy visible in a little clearing.
me position commanded quite q
considerable stretch of road toward the
clty, and as by going that way it would
take a good hour and a half of hard
riding to get SO far, it was certain they
dlu not expect me to pass for some
tune. That cutoff through the lane
must have been ten miles the shorter
journey.
This reflection gave me some hope
that | might be able TO slip by In q
galioD before they could take horse.
Yet l could not afford TO waste much
time, for Jerome might p~erchanee find
means 10 Follow, and Quiz not be in
a pleasant humor. There could be no
accounting for the lengths TO which his
desperation n folly might carry him.
l had need for both haste and caution.
l was now at the top of g. slight hill
lock, the grooms resting at the foot.
AS i'll fortune would have Il, nv horses
hoof loosened a stone, ana one of them
looking up recognized my figure clear
Drawn against the fading colors Of tho
sky. They both jumped up with an
aIertness which would have done credit
to old w~oodsmen, and before I could
dodge by, had remounted md taken
possession Of the road. My more ele-
waited position and perhaps better
hearing, too, enabled me to detect the
coming of persons along the road from
Paris. Certainly as many as three or
four horsemen, perhaps a vehicle. II
could hardly be possible that Jerome
a made the trip so quickly. yet l
dld not know what other and shorter
way he might find. AT any rate ev-
cry instant intensified the danger, for
II 1t were Jerome, then, indeed, I could
not hope to make Versailles that night.
Listening more critically l decided
they were travelling too slowly to be
Jerome's party.
u-1.,I1 +L.
charged the insolents in front and talk
en- all chances, but my half hour or
quiet thought had brought me the con-
ciusion 1t was too much to risk nv life.
at least until Serigny was acquainted
with the information we had gained.
|, too, was the only person who knew
OF the traitors on board le Dauphin.
WHO are you, and what do YOU
mean stopping a gentleInan's path?o I
called to the twain, who had drawn a
little away from the foot Of the hill.
seeing the disadvantage of their former
position in case l charged them, and
preferring to receive me on the open
ground.
no harm, monsieur, we only mean
to detain you until NJ, de Greville comes
up" the slender man spoke quite no.
litely.
IN. de Greville viii not come up this
night-may God have mercy on his
SOUL" l added solemnly.
why not, fine sir?" the gruffer fell
low on the big bay questioned with
heat. l made no bubble on his
manner, but replied:
u doubt 1 have slain him. He lies
back yonder in the road to Sceaux, and
| know not whether he be dead or stin |
lives"
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