Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-03-14

would only rise little more and carry
! away the bridge"
He glanced quickly around him.
weighing the slender chance for sue.
cess If. he made that last desperate
stand, and then, grasping loose plank,
began using it as lever against
one of the weakened supports Of the
bridge. Soon the beam gave way and
the structure. now held but at the mid
die and one side. had already begun to
sag when from around the curve Of
the highway appeared Louis Of Hoch,
fels and dozen of his followers.
The free baron rode to the brim of
the torrent. regarded the flood and
the bridge and stopped. He was
mounted OIL black Spanish barb
whose glistening sides were fecked
with foam. A cloak Of cloth Of gold
fell from hts brawny shoulders; his
heavy, red face looked out from be-
meath Il sombrero fringed with r.e
same metal. A gleam Of grim recollec
ton shone f:0.n .... ........ot eyes Us
they rested O: t..c 10.
"Oh. there :! ~ are he shouted. with
savage SatiSf:c. ion. out OF the fry
ing pan into the fire, or, rather-for you
escaped the fagots ut Notre Dame-out
Of the fire into the frying pan"
Above the tumult of the torrent his
stentorian tones were plainly heard.
Without response the jester inserted
the plank between the structure and
the middle support. The other. per-
ceiving his purpose. uttered an execra-
tion that WAS drowned by the current
and irresolutely regarded the means
of communication between the two
shores. obviously undetermined about
trusting his great bulk to that fragile
intermedium Here was Il temporary
check on which he had not calculated.
But If he demurred about crossing
himself the free baron did not long
display tie same infrmity Of purpose
regarding his followers.
"Over with you" he cried angrily to
them. The lightest first! Fifty pis-
toles to the first across" And then,
calling out to the fool: In half an
hour you. my line wit cracker. shall be
hanging from branch. AS for the
maid-she is witch, am told-we
will test her with drowning"
Tempted by their leaders offer, one
of the troopers. Il lank, muscular look
ing fellow. ut once drove the spurs into
his horse. Back and forth moved the
lever in the hands Of the jester. The
soldier was midway on the bridge
when it sank suddenly to one side. 4
moment it acted as dam: then bridge.
horse and rider were swept away with
crash and carried downward with
the driving flood Vainly the trooper
sought to turn his steed toward the
shore; the debris from the structure
soon swept him from his saddle. Strik-
ing out strongly. he succeeded in catch
ing trailing branch from tree on
the bank. but the torrent gripped his
body fiercely and. after desperate
struggle. tore him away.
AS his helpless follower disappeared
the free baron gave brief command,
and he and his troops posted rapidly
down the bank The young girl breath
ed Il sigh Of relief. Her eyes were yet
full of awe from the death struggle
she had witnessed. Fascinated. her
gaze had rested on the drowning
wretch-the pale face, the look OF ter
ror-but now she was called to a reali-
zation of their own situation by the
abrupt departure Of the squad on the
opposite shore.
"They have gomez she cried In sur
prise as the party vanished among the
trees.
"But not far" The testers glanc,
was bent down the stream. 'See
where the torrent broadens. They eX-
pect to find fording place"
Once more they set forth; he know
ing full well that the free baron and
his men. accustomed to the mountain
torrents. unbridled by the melting
SHOWS. would In all likelihood soon find
n way to cross the freshet. His mind
misgave him that he had loosened the
bridge ut all. Would 1t not have been
better to force the conflict there, when
he had the advantage Of position? But,
right or wrong. he had made his choice
and must abide by 1t.
To add to his discontinue, his horse,
which ut first had Jagged. now began
to limp, and as they proceeded this
lameness became more apparent. With
a twinge Of heart he piled the spur
more strongly. and the willing but
broken creature responded as best 1t
could. Again it FASTENED its pace,
seeming in measure to recover
strength and endurance. then. without
warming lurched. fell to its knees and
quickly rolled over on Its side. Jac-
aueline glanced back: the animal lay
motionless: the rider was vainly en-
deavoring to rise Pale with appre-
henson. she returned and. dismount-
ing. stood ut the head Of the PROSTATE
animal. Detcrminedly the jester strus-
gled. the pcrspiration standing on his
brow in beads. At length. breathing
hard. he rested his head on his elbow.
Here am | caught to stay. Jacque-
line" lie said. "The horse is dead. But
you-you must still go on
With clasped hands she stood looking
down ut him. She scarcely knew what
he was saying; her mind seemed in a
stupor: with apathetic eyes she gaZed
down the road. But the accident had
happened in IL little hollow, so that the
outlook in either direction along the
highway WAS restricted.
"Ay emperor Is both chivalrous ana
noble" continued the plaisant quickly.
go to him. You must not wait here
longer. | did not tell you, but | think
Cle free baron will have no difficulty in
crossing. You have no time to lose.
Go. and-goodby"
"But-he had long way to ride
even II he could cross" she said, and
she dropped OH her knees and took his
head in her arms.
The sound of horses hOofs beat up
on the mir.
"Jacque..ilc. 20 r.. 10. tnc.
Abruptly size Il! :. e ..c.,. OH i.''
hand for Il last uu.ck pressure. Il sou-
sDeed to this stanch maid comrade
sto ,,,,tI,,.