The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1906-05-17

the first idea that occurred to us,
and it put MS all on the alert.
The captain carried q cooked pis,
toll, I held my sword drawn. and
kept a watchful eye on him; and the
deeper the dusk fell in the wood, the
more cautiously we went. until at
last we came out with sort OF .
Jump into a wider and lighter path.
looked up and down it, and saw be-
fore me a wooden bridge. and an open
meadow, lying cold and gray in the
twilight; and stood In astonish-
ment II was the old path to the
chateau l shivered at the thought
that he was going to take us there,
to the house-to mademoiselle!
The captain also recognized the
place, and swore aloud. But the dumb
man vent on unheeding, until he
reached the wooden bridge. There he
paused as II in doubt, and looked
towards the dark outline of the build
ing. which was just visible, one faint
light twinkling sadly in the west wing.
AS the captain and pressed up be-
hind him he raised his hands and
seemed to wiring them towards the
house.
Have q care!" the captain growled.
PLAY me no tricks, or" But he did
not finish the sentence: for Clon
turned back from the bridge. and. en-
tering the wood on the left hand. be-
gan to ascend the bank of the stream.
We had not gone a hundred yards
before the ground grew rough and
the underground thick; and yet
through all ran kind Of path which
enabled us to advance, dark as Ii
was growing. Very soon the bank on
which we moved began to rise above
the water, and grew steep and rugged.
We turned a shoulder. where the
stream swept round a curve. and saw
we were in the mouth OF small ra-
vine, dark and steep-walled. The water
brawled along the bottom. over boul-
ders and through chasms. In front.
the slope on which We stood shaped it.
self into low cliff; but halfway be-
tween its summit and the water. a
ledge, or narrow terrace. running along
the face, was dlmly visible.
"Ten to one, a cave!" the captain
muttered ut Is likely place"
"And an ugly one!" | sneered.
(which one to ten might safely hold
for hours!"
''If the ten had no pistols-yesl" he
answered viciously. But you see We
have. Is hs going that way?"
He was. Lieutenant" Larolle said.
turning and speaking in a low voice.
though the chatting Of the stream be-
low us covered ordinary sounds. shall
we light the lanthorns. or press on
while there is still a glimmering OF
dayf"
ION, I should say, NJ. lie Capitaine. ="
the lieutenant answered. Prick him
in the back II he falters. | will war
rant he has a tender place or two!"
the brute added. with a chuckle.
The captain gave the word and we
moved forward; II being very evident
now that the cliff-path was our des-
tination. II was possible for the eye
to follow the track all the way TO IL
through rough stones and brushwood;
and though Clon climbed feebly and
with many groans. two minutes saw
US step on to II. II did not turn out
to be the perilous place II looked at
a distance. The ledge. grassy and ter
race-like. sloped slightly downward and
outwards. and in parts was slippery;
but Il was as wide as a highway and
the fall to the water did not exceed
90 feet. Even in such a dim light as
now displayed IL TO US and. by In
creasing the depth and unseen dangers
OF the gorge, gave a kind OF impressive
ness TO our movements. a nervous
woman need not have feared to breast
1t. wondered how often mademoiselle
had passed along 1t with her milk
pitcher.
Il think we have him nowi" Captain
Larolle muttered, twisting his mus
taches and looking round TO make his
last dispositions. paul and Lebrun,
see that your man makes no noise,
Sergeant come forward with your car
blne, but do not fire without orders
Now, silence. all. and close up, Lieu
tenant Forward"
We advanced about hundred PAGES
keeping the cliff on our left, then
turned a shoulder and saw a few
PAGES in front OF us a black blotcf
standing out from the grey duskiness
of the cllffsids The prisoner stopped
and raising his bound hand lointed to
1t.
"There?" the captain whispered
pressing forward. "Is that the placer
Clon nodded. The captains voice
shook with excitement. you two re-
main here with hint" he muttered. in
a low tone. Sergeant. come forward
with me- Now are you ready? For
ward"
He and the sergeant passed quickly
one on either side OF Clon and his
guards. The path was narrow herr
and the captain passed outside. The
eyes of all but one were on the tlacl
blotch, the hollow in the cliff-side AM
no one saw exactly what happened
But somehow. as the captain passed
abreast OF him. the prisoner thrus