The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-27


they had given up for lost.
"A thousand thundersv' cried one
"And this is the man whom that devils
brat Latour would make out to be
deadr'
And how came be here!'
And where is Etienne Arnaud?'
HE has stabbed Etienne, and taken
his coat and hat"
What. While we were all within
stones cast?'
AYE, there is no other way out of
it,"
"By my SOUL" cried old Despard, II
had never much love for old Etienne.
but / have emptied cup of wine with
him before now, and shall see that he
has Justice Let us cast these reins
round the fellows neck and hang him
upon this tree"
Several pairs of hands were already
unbuckling the harness of the dead
horse when De Vivonne pushed his
way into the little group.
ut is as much as your lives are worth
i to touch him. said he.
/ "But he has slain Etienne Arnaud.'
THAT score may be settled after
/ ward. Tonight he is the kings mes
senger. Is the other all safe?'
Yes, he is here
"'Tie this man and put him in beside
him. Unbuckle the traces of the dead
horse. So! Now, De Carnac, put your
own into the harness. You can mount
the box and drive, for we have not
very far to co.
The changes were rapidly made.
,c< In No
Catinat, and the carriage was soon
toiling up the steep incline which it
had come down so precipitately. The
American had said not a word since
his capture and had remained abso-
lutely stolid, with his hands crossed
over his chest while his fate was un-
der discussion. Now that he was alone
once more with his comrade, however.
he frowned and muttered.
"Those Internal horses.' he grum-
bled. Why, an American horse would
have taken to the water like a duck
Once over the river. we should have
had clear lead to Paris"
"My dear friend" cried De Catinat,
laying his manacled hands upon those
of his comrade, how nobly you have
stood by me! But how came you there?
Never in my life have 1 been so aston
ished as when 1 saw your face
Amos Green chuckled to himself 81
thought that maybe it would be a sur
prise to you il you knew who was
driving you" said he. when I was
thrown from my horse / lay quiet
partly because it seemed to me to be
more healthy to lie than to stand with
all these swords climbing in my ears
Then they all got round you, and /
rolled into the ditch, crept along it, got
on the crcssrcad in the shadow of the
trees and was hesicie the carriage be
fore ever they knew that was gone. l
saw in fash that there was only one
way by which 1 Get aid be of use to you.
The oachman was leaning round, with
his head turned, to see what was going
on behind him. l out with my knife.
sprang up on the front wheel and
stopped his tongue"
And them"
Il pulled him down into the ditch,
and l got into his coat and his hat. I
had hardly got the reiHs before they
We're all back and bundled you into the
coach. / was not afraid of their see
ing me, but / was scared lest l should
not know which road to take, and so
set them OH the trail. But they made it
easy TO me by sending some of their
riders in front. so 1 did well until /
saw that by-track and made a run for
it,"
The guardsman again pressed his
comrades hands. "You have been as
true to me as hilt to blade" said he |
1T was a bold thought and bold
deed"
And what now?" asked the Ameri- |
car.
Il do not know who these men are,
and l do not know whittier they are
taking us. l fancy that they are tax
ing Us; to some place where they can
shut us up until this business blows /
over
well, they'll need to be smart about
it,"
Why's"
Elise maybe they won't find us when
they want u.s.
what do you mean?"
For answer the American, with
twist and a wriggle, drew his two
hands apart and held them in front of
his comrades face.
BLESS you, it's the first thing they
teach the papooseS in an Indian wig
wan. Put your hands out With a
few. dexterous twists he loosened De
Catinat's bonds until he also was able
TO slip his hands free. Now for your
feet. if you'll put them up. They'll find
that we are easier to catch than to
hold"
But at that moment the carriage be-
gar. TO slow down, and the clank of the
hoofs of the riders in front of them
died suddenly away. Peeping through
the windows. the prisoners saw Il huge.
dark building stretching in .font OF
them, so high and so broad that the
night shrouded it in upon every side
a great archway hung above them,
and the lamps shone on the rude wood
EN- gate studded with ponderous clamps
and nails. In the upper part OF the
door was a small square iron grating.
and through this they could catch a
glimpse of the CLEAN Of lantern and
Of bearded face which looked ont at
them. De Vivonne. standing in his stir
rups. craned his head up toward the