Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-12-15

far with him!" the captain muttered
 Briug some wine!" the lieutenan
 replied "Quick with it."
 I looked on. burning with indigna
 tion, and wondering besides wha
 would come of this. If the man tool
 them to the place. and they succeeded
 in seizjng Cccfeforet. there was an enC
 of tho matter as far as I was con
 cerned It was off my shoulders. and nigh. leave the village when pleased;
 nor was 1t iikely-since he would have
 his nsr though not through me-that the cardinal would refuse me an am nesty. Or the whole, I thought thai things should take that course; and assuming the issue. began to won dsr whether in that event it would he necessary that madam should know the truth I had kind of a vision of E reformed Berault. dead to play and purging himself at distance from Za- tons, winning. perhaps, a name in the Italian war, and f1nally-but pshswi I was fool. - -.>s
 However, be that as it might, 1t was essential that I should see the arrest made; and I waited patiently while they revived the tortured man, and made their dispositions. These took some time; so that the sun was down, and it was growing dusk, when We marched out, Clon going first, sup ported by his two guards, the captain and 1 following and eying one another suspiciously-thel lieuten- ant, with the sergeant and five troop CTS, bringing up the rear Clon mo Ied slowly, moaning from time to time. and but for the aid given him by the two men with him, must have sunk down again and again
 He went out between two houses close to the inn and struck a mar row track, scarcely discernible, which ran behind other houses, and then plunged into the thickest part of the wood. A simple person, tr versing the covert. might have made such traek; or pigs. or children. But it was the first idea that occurred to us, and 1t put us all on the alert. Tpe dGaptain carried a cooked pis. tdH Iieheld my sword drawn, and kept watchful eye on him; and the deeper the dusk fell in the wood. the more cautiously We went. until at last We came out with a sort of a Jump into wider and lighter path.
 Hooked up and down it, and saw be- fore me wooden bridge. and an open meadow. lying cold and gray in the twilight; and stood in astonish- ment It was the old path to the chateau. I shivered at the thought that he was going to take us there, to the house-to mademoiselle!
 The captain also recognized the place, and swore aloud. But the dumb man went on unheeding. until he reached the wooden bridge There he paused as if in doubt, and looked towards the dark outline of the build ing, which was just visible, one faint light twinkling sadly in the west wing. AS the captain and pressed up be- hind him he raised his hands and seemed to wiring them towards the house.
 Have a care!" the captain growled. "Play me nc tricks. or" But he did not finish the sentence; for Clon turned back from the bridge, and. en- tering the wood or the left hand. be- gan to ascend the bank of the stream. We had net gone a hundred yards before the ground grew rough and the undergrowth thick: and yet through all ran a kind of path which enabled us to advance. dark as 1t was growing. Very soon the bank on which We moved began 10 rise above the water, and grew steep and rugged. We turned a shoulder. where the stteaHs swept round a curve. and saw we were in the mouth of a small ra- vine, dark and steep-walled. The water brawled along the bottom, over boul- ders and through chasns. Tn front, the slope on which we stood shaped it. self into low cliff; but halfway be- tween it's summit and the water. a ledge, pr narrow terrace, running along the face, vas dimiy visible.
 Ten to one, a cave." the captain muttsred. Tt is likely place"
 And an ugly one." sneered. (Which one to ten might safely hold for hoursi"
 If the ten had no pistols-yes," he answered viciously. But you see We have Is he going that way"
 He was. Lieutenant" Larolle said. turning and speaking in a low voice. though the chafng of the stream be- low us covered ordinary sounds. shall ve light the lanthOrns. or press on while there Is still a glimmering of dsy7"
 aOn, I should say. M. le Capitaine." the lieutenant answered. Prick him 1 in the back if he faltsrs. will war i rant he has a tender place or tvo,~ i the brute added. with a chuckle.
 The captain gave the word and ve . moved forward. it being very evident . now that the cliH-path was our des- tination. It was possible for tbe eye 10 follow the track all the way to it through rough stones and brusHwood: and though Clon climbed feebly and with many groans. two minutes saw us step on to it l. did not turn out tc he the perilous place it looked at 2 distance The ledge. grassy and ter raee-iike- sloped slightly downward and outwards. and in parts was slippery: but 1T vas as wide as a highway and the fall to the water did not sxcsed % feet Even b sneh a dim lisht e