The Grit-advocate., 1905-02-24

were as demonstrative in their leave
taking as two Frenchmen of near kin.
Their chickering's were Of little derth,
both being too closely united in the
giving OF their best Drawn and muscle
toward the bettering of the house OF
Long Haut to be at outs long.
Nance-toughened pine of an up,
land growth-knotted her brow for Il
moment as she squeezed forth a tear.
She thought 1t befitted her who had
occupied the exalted position II nurse
to the one setting forth upon a jour
ney to show SO much emotion.
Indeed, there was an inward re-
joicing, in spite of the house being
of SO sad color. that the young tord
was at last to have his fling.
Our horses were Flemish mares.
chosen for their greatest endurance.
Soon we were astride them and gal.
Looping down the steep road. We
passed the jutted rock, balanced in
such away that it rocked when the
lightest wind blew 1t had been a
feature of the road SO long, that no
man living could reckon back when
it had not been the curiosity of the
country side. We passed the gnarled
birch tree whose few branches were
wide extended, and in the moon light
it looked not unlike monster sentinel.
Once Noel's horse had SHE'D there
and he, taken unawares, had been
thrown. He lay upon the ground with
the breath about knocked out of him.
He could never pass it afterwards
without giving his horse a vicious
kick in memory of his shame, for Gil
kept alive his modification by his
trite remarks upon the accident.
We came to narrow ledge of the
hillside where single file was safest.
The dropping stones kicked free by
the horses hoofs made a merry sound
We clattered over the little bridge
beneath which the water fairly bub
bled and sputtered in it's fierce de-
light at being loosened from its win
ter fastness. Here the road became
freer and mud now mingled with the
powders. Farther on the horses were
pushed together. and they gave
glad wbinny.
We reached Torraine's hut at the
foot of the hill. Here he lived with
his buxom wife and nine children, as
though he were the keeper of the
lane which led to the Manor
He stood out in the road, surround
ed by his brood. They stolidly
watched us and begged with out.
stretched hands for coin.
out of the way" yelled Gil, out
of the way. Do you want us to run
over those cubs CT yours?"
lorraine gave the children cuffs to
right and to left. 1t served two pur.
poses as we'll he knew it would-the
old fox! took them from beneath the
horses hoofs and sent my hand into
my pocket.
Then he held up his scrawny hano
demanding attention. We refined up.
IF ye need me in that hot bed Of
hell where ye're a-going." said he,
send word. and lorraine and his
jolly boys'll be with ye ere the sun
has sunk twice behind Black Point"
"All right, old fox" answered Gil.
But don't imagine that lorraine and
his jolly boys will cut much of a
swarth in London town; It's not as
bare of rapscallions as lady's hand
is Of hair"
He grinned and called out yet
again after VIC had started:
Remember. ere the sun has sunk
twice back Of Black Point. Good-by
m'lord good-by old ape"
When we reached the selvage OF
the woods where the huts lay thick
est, l saw that there was a crowd
of men and women and children
awaiting us. They had collected to
gether at the foot of one of the lanes
knowing that We must pass that way.
Some one has spread the news of our
departure.
Ito be continued)