Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-05

over and over; and then I put it away
with smile, thinking it might be use
full come time AID in some way. had
scarcely done this, and turned with the
intention of exploring the street, when
the door behind me creaked on its
leather hinges and in moment my
host stood at my elbow.
Evidently his suspicious were again
aroused, for from that time he man
aged to be with me, on one pretense or
another, until noon Moreover, his
Kramer grew each moment more churl-
ish, his hints palmer; until l could
scarcely avoid noticing the one or the
other. About midday, having followed
mo fos the Goth time into the street,
he came at last to the point, by asking
me rudely if did not need my horse.
mo" said. "Why do you ask ?"
Because" he answered. with an ugly
smile. this is not very healthy place
for strangers
"Ah!" l retorted. But the border
air suits me, you see."
1t was a lucky answer, for, taken
with my talk of the night before, 1t
puzzled him. by again suggesting that
was on the losing side and had my
reasons for lying near Spain. Before
he had done scratching his head over
1t, the clatter of hoofs broke the sleepy
quiet of the village street and the lady
had seen the night before rode
Ny,i,slslIy hn ~ I.
horse on to its launches. Without
looking at me, she called the innkeeper
to come to her stirrup.
He went. The moment his back was
turned, I slipped away and in a twink
ling was hidden by a house. Two or
three glum-looking fellows stared at
me as passed. but no one moved;
and in two minutes was clear of the
village. and in half-worn track which
ran through the wood. and led-if my
ideas were right-to the chateau To
discover the house and learn all that
was to be learned about its situation
was my most pressing need: even at
the risk of knife-thrust was deter
mined to satisfy it.
had not gone 200 PAGES along the
path before I heard the tread OF a
horse behind me and had just time to
hide myself before madam came up
and rode by me. sitting her horse
gracefully and with all the courage of
northern woman. I watched her
pass, and then, assured by her presence
that l was in the right road, 1 hurried
after her. Two minutes walking at
speed brought me to a light wooden
bridge spanning stream. l crossed
this, and, the wood opening, saw before
me first wide, pleasant meadow and
beyond this terrace. On the terrace,
! pressed upon on three sides by thick
woods, stood gray mansion, with the
corner tourelles, steep, high roofs and
round balconies that men loved and
built in the days of the first Francis.
1t was of good size, but wore, 1 fan
cied gloomy aspect. A great yew
hedge, which seemed to enclose u walk
or bowling-green, hid the ground floor
of the east wing from view, while a
formal rose garden, stiff even in ne
elect, lay in front of the main building.
The west wing, whose lower roofs fell
gradually away to the woods, probably
contained the stables and granaries.
stood moment only, but marked
all, and noted how the road reached
the house and which windows were
open to attack; then turned and
fastened back. Fortunately, met no
one between the house and the village,
| and was able to enter the inn with an
air of the most complete innocence.
found things altered there. Round the
door loitered and chartered three
| strangers-stout, well-armed fellows,
whose bearing suggested a curious
mixture of smugness and independence.
Halfa- dozen packhorses stood tethered
to the post in front of the house; and
the landlords manner. from being rude
and churlish only, had grown preplexed
and almost timid One Of the strangers,
l soon found, supplied him with wine;
the others were travelling merchants,
who rode in the first ones company
LUZ lie Shhe Ol safety. All were SuD-
stantial men from Tarbes-solid bur-
| gesses; and l was not long in guessing
that my host, fearing what might leak
out before them and particularly that
l might refer to the previous nights
disturbance, was on tenterhooks while
they remained.
For time this did not suggest any
thing to me- But when we had all
taken our seats for supper there came
| an addition to the party. The door
| opened and the fellow whom I had
seen the night before with Madam de
| Cocheforet entered and took stool by
| the fire. felt sure that he was one of
| the servants at the chateau; and in a
flash his presence inspired me with the
most feasible plan for obtaining adj
mission which I had yet hit upon.
felt myself growing hot at the thought
| 1T seemed so full Of promise and Of
danger-and on the instant, without
| giving myself time to think too much