Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-07-12

ground, and then with an oath of an
noyance tossed my feet loose to go
after it. But the rascal roared to me
to keep my seat.
Forward, Monsieur" he shouted
b~rutally. go on!"
"But my hiatt" I cried. Mile ton
nerres, man! must"
Forward, Monsieur, or I shoot"
he replied inexorably, raising his gun.
"One-two-"
And | went on. But, oh, | was
wrathful! That I, Gil de Berault,
should be outwitted and led by the
nose, like a ringed bull, by this Gascon
lout! That l, whom all Paris knew
and feared-if it did not love me-the
terror of Zaton's should come to my
end in this dismal waste of snow and
rock, done to death by some p1tlful
smuggler or thief! 1t must not be!
Surely in the last resort | could give
an account of II man, though his
belt were stuffed with pistols!
But how? Only, il seemed, by open
force. My heart began to flutter as
I planned it; and then grew steady
again. A hundred PAGES before us a
gully or ravine on the left ran up into
the snow-feld. Opposite it's mouth a
! tumble of stones and broken rocks COW
cred the path. l marked this for
the place. The knave would need both
his hands to hold up his nag over the
stones, and, if I turned on him sud
denly enough, he might either drop
his gun, or fire it harmlessly.
But in the meantime, something hap
pened; as, at the last moment, things
do happen. While we were still so
yards short of the place, l found his
horses nose creeping forward on a lev
ell with my crupper; and still advanc-
ing, until l could see it out of the tail
of my eye, and my heart gave a great
bound. He was coming abreast Of me:
he was going to deliver himself into
my hands! To cover my excitement
I began to whistle.
"Hush!" he muttered ~fiercely: his
voice sounding strange and unnatural
My first thought was that he was i'll,
and / turned to him. But he only said
again, Hush! Pass by here quiet
ly, Monsieur"
"Why?" | asked mutinously, curios.
ity getting the better of me. For had
been wise | had taken no notice; ev-
cry second his horse was coming ur
with mine. Its nose was level with
my stirrup already.
Hush, mani" he said again. This
time there was no mistake about the
panic in his voice. 'They call this thu
Devils Chapel. God send us safe BY
it! It is late to be here. Look al
those!" he continued, pointing witt
a finger which visibly shook.
I looked. At the mouth of the gul
ly, in a small space partly cleared o.
stones stood three broken shafts
raised on rude pedestals. "Well?"
said in a low voice. The sun which
was near setting flushed the grea'
peak above to the color of blood; bu'
the valley was growing gray and eacl
moment more dreary. "Well, what O
those?" said. In spite Of my peri
and the excitement Of the comini
struggle I felt the chill of his fear
Never had | seen so grim, SO desolate
SO God-forsaken a place! Involuntari
ly I shivered.
"They were crosses" he muttered
in a voice little above a whisper, Will,
his eyes roved this way and that II
terror. 1.-THE Cure de Gabas blesse,
the place, and set them up. But mex
morning they were as you see then
now. Come on, Monsieur, come ont
he continued, plucking at my arm, T
Is not safe here after sunset. Pga,
4 God, Satan be o at home!"