Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-05-09
Copyright, 1894, BY Stanley J. Weyman.)
CHAPTER VII.-CoNr1NUE1
By STANLEY J. WEYMAN

None, MademOlSelle.
She had drawn the shawl over bel
head and I no longer saw her face
THAT is all you ask?" she murmured
THAT is all l aslk-now," I an
swered.
1T is granted" she said slowly and
firmly. Forgive ne IL seem to speak
lightly-if seem to make little of your
generosity or my shame; but can say
no more now. am so deep in trouble
and so gnawed by terror that can.
not feel anything much tonight, either
shame or gratitude. am in dream:
God grant it may pass as a dream! We
are sunk In trouble. But for you ana
what you have done, M. de Barthe--I
49," she paused and heard her fight
Ing with the sobs which choked her
"forgive me-. l an 0verwrought
And my---my feet are cold" she
added suddenly and irrelevantly. "W'ill
YOU take me home?"
"Ah, Mademoiselle," l cried re-
morsefully, II have been beast!
You are barefoot and nave kept you
here
'It is nothing" she said in voice
which thrilled me. MY heart is warm,
Montieur-thanks to you. It. is many
hours since it has been as warm"
Sho stepped out of the shadow as she
spOke-and there, the thing was done.
AS had planned, so it had come about.
Once more I was crossing the meadow
in the dark to be received at Coche-
foret welcome guest. The frogs
croaked in the pool and a bat swooped
round us in circles; and, surely never
never I thought, with kind of
exultation in my breast--had man been
placed in a stranger position.
Somewhere in the black wood be-
hind us-probably in the outskirts Of
the village-lurked NJ de Cocheforet.
In the great house before us, outlined
by score of lighted windows, were
the soldiers come from Auch to take
him. Between the two, moving side
by side in the darkness, in silence
which each found to be eloquent, were
mademoiselle and I: she who knew so
much, who knew all-all but one lit
he thing!
We reached the house and l sug-
Eested that she should steal in first by
The way she had come out, and that
should wait little and knock at the
door when she had had time to explain
matters to Clon.
'They do not let me zee Clon," she
answered slowly.
"Then your woman must tell him."
rejoined. "Or he may say something
and betray me-
'"They will not let our woman come
TO u.s.
"What?" l cried, astonished. "But
this is infamous. You are not pris-
oners!"
Mademoiselle laughed harshly: "Are
we not? Well, I suppose not; for If
we wanted company, Captain Larolle
said he would be delighted to see us
lin the parlor."
He has taken your parlor?" said.
"He and his 1ieutenants sit there.
But suppose We should be thankful"
she added bitterly. Eve have still our
bedrooms left to u.s."
Every WELL" l said. "Then L must
deal with Clon as can. But still
have favor to ask, Mademoiselle. It
Is only that you and your sister will
descend tomorrow at your usual time
lin the parlor."
II would rather not" she said,
pausing and speaking in a troubled
voice.
Are you afraid?"
"No Monsieur am not afraid" she
answered proudly. "But--"
You will Gomez" I said.
She sighed before she spoke. At
length, eyes, will come-if you wish
It," she answered.; and the next mo-
ment she was gone round the corner
of the house, while laughed to think
of the excellent watch these gallant
gentlemen were keeping. NJ de Coch-
eforet might have been with her in the
garden, might have talked with her
rs I had talked, might have entered
the house even, and passed under their
noses scot-free. But that is the way
Of soldiers. They are always ready
Tor the enemy, with drums beating and
flags f1ying-at ten o'clock in the morn
ing. But he does not always come
at that hour.
I waited little and then l groped
my way to the door and knocked on
1t with the hilt of my sword. The
dogs began to bark at the back and
the chorus of drinking song, which
came fitfully from the east wing, ceased
altogether. An inner door opened
and an angry voice, apparently an Of.
ficer's, began to rate some one for not
coming. Another moment and clam
or of voices and footsteps seemed to
pour into the hall and fill it. l heard
the bar jerlzed away, the door was
flung open, and in twinkling Ian
thorn, behind which a dozen flushed
visages were dimly seen, was thrust
into my face.
why, who the fiend is this?" cried
one, glaring at me in establishment.
"Morbleu! It is the mani" another
shrieked. "Seize him."
In moment half dozen hands
were laid on my shoulders, but
bowed politely. 1.-THE officer, my
friends" I said, IN. lie Captaine La
role. Where is he?"
"Diable! but who are YOU first?" the
1anthorn-bearer retorted b]untly. He
was a tall, lanly sergeant, with a sin
lister face.
We'll, l am not M. de Cocheforet,"
replied; "and that must satisfy You.