Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-07-26
CHAPTER vII.-coNrryuEp.

~ Nto WILL 10 tllts-S HOIIluS Else .
Have you no other penance for me?"
None, Mademoiselle.'
She had drawn the shawl over her
head and | no longer saw her face.
That is all you ask?" she murmured.
That is all l ask-now," | an.
swered.
1T is granted" she said slowly and
firmly. Forgive ne if | seem to speai,
iightly-if seem to make little of your
generosity or my shane; but | can say
no more now. I am so deep in trouble
and so gnawed by terror that can
not feel anything much tonight, either
shame or gratitude. ] am in a dream:
God grant it may pass as a dream! We
are sunk in trouble. But for you ana
what you have done, M. dc Barthe--I
- she paused ard I heard her fight
ing with the sohs which choked her
forgive me-. | an o~yerwrought
And my---my feet are cold" she
added suddenly and i~rrelevantly. "Win
yon take me homer
''Ah, Mademoiselle." cried re-
morsefully, 81 have been a beast!
You are barefoot and l have kept you
here"
1T is nothing" she said in q voice
which thrilled me. my heart is warm,
Monsieur-thanks to you. 1t is many
hours since it has been as warm"
She stepped out of the shadow as she
spoke-and there, the thing was done.
AS had planned, so it had come about.
Once more | was crossing the meadow
in the dark to be received at Coche-
foret a welcome guest. The frogs
croaked in the pool and a bat swooped
round us in circles; and, surely never
never, I thought, with a kind of
exultation in my breast-had man been
placed in a stranger position.
Somewhere in the black wood be-
hind us-probablv in the outskirts of
the village-lurked M. de Cocheforet.
In the great house before us, outlined
by a score of lighted windows, We're
the soldiers come from Auch to take
him. Between the two, moving side
by side in the darkness, in a silence
which each found to be eloquent, were
mademoiselle and |: she who knew so
much, | who knew all-all but one lit
tie thing!
We reached the house and I sug-
gested that she should steal in first by
the way she had come out. and that I
should wait a little and knock at the
door when she had had time to explain
matters to Clon.
They do not let me see Clon," she
answered slowly.
Then your woman must tell him."
yeioined. "Or he may say something
and betray me-"
They will not let our woman come
to us"
WHAT" I 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
in the parlor."
"He has taken your parlor?" I said.
HE and his lieutenants sit there.
But I suppose VIC should be thankful"
she added bitterly. "We have still orr
bedrooms left to u.s."
Very WELL" I said. "Then | must
deal with Clon as l can. But I still
have a favor to ask. M~ademoiselle. 1t
Is only that you and your sister will
descend tomorrow at your usual time.
in the parlor."
Il would rather not" she said.
rausing and speaking in a troubled
voice.
Are you afraid?"
mo Monsieur; I am not afraid" she
answered proudly. But"
"Ycu will Gomez" | said.
She sighed before she spoke. At
length, Yes, I will come-if you wish
1t" she answered.; and the next mo-
ment she was gone round the corner
OF the house, while 7 laughed to think
of the excellent watch these gallant
gentlemen We're keeping. M. de Coch-
eforet might have been with ber in the
garden, might have talked with her
J 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
for the enemy, with drums beating and
flags fying-at ten o'clock in the morn
ing. But he does not always come
at that hour.
] waited a little and then I groped
my way to the door and knocked on
Ii with the hilt Of my sword. The
dogs began to bark at the back and
the chorus of a drinking song, which
ftfully from the east wing. ceased
altogether. An inner door opened
and an angry voice. apparently an of.
began to rate some one for not
coming. Another moment and a clam
or of voices and footsteps seemed to
pour into the hall and fill it. heard
the bar jerked away. the door was
flung open. and in a twinkling a Ian
thorn, behind which a dozen Au-a-d
visages we're dimly seen, was thrli,s
into my face.
Why, who the fiend is this?" cried
one, glazing at me in establishment.
"Morbleu! 1t is the mani" another
shrieked. "Seize him" /
In a moment half a dozen hands
were laid on my shoulders, but r
bowed politely. "The officer. my
friends" | said, IN. lie Captaine La
role. Where Is he?s
"biahle! but who are You first?" the
lanthorn-bearer retorted bluntly. He
was q tail, lanky sergeant, with a sin
lister face,
We'll, am not M. dc Cocheforet,"
q -Ar1sAI, d. IA" L4LNuh |