Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-06
The lieutenant stepped up to him.

'Iisten!" he said grimly. Mod II
you mean yes and shake your head il
you mean no. And have care you
answer truly. Is 1t more than mile
to this place? The place you know Off"
They had loosened the poor wretch's
fastenings and covered his back. He
stood leaning against the wall, his
mouth still painting, the sweat rum
ming down his hollow cheeks; his sun
ken eyes were closed; culver now
and again ran through his frame. The
lieutenant repeated his question. and.
getting no answer, looked round for
orders. The captain met the look, and
crying savagely, Answer, will you,
you mute!" struck the half swooning
miserable across the back with his
switch. The effect was magical. Gov
cred, as his shoulders we're, the man
sprang erect with shrek OF pain,
raising his chin and following his
back; and, in that attitude stood an
instant with starting eyes, gasping for
breath. Then he sank back against
the wall, moving his mouth spasmod-
ically. His face was the color Of lead,
''Diable! | think we have gone too
far with him!" the captain muttered.
Bring some wine!" the lieutenant
replied Quick with it!''
looked on. burning with indigna-
ton, and wondering besides what
would come Of this. II the man took
them to the place, and they succeeded
in selling Cocheforet, there was an end
of the matter as far as was con-
cerned. It was off my shoulders, and l
might leave the village when l pleased;
nor was it likely-since he would have
his man, though not through me-that
the cardinal would refuse me an am
nesty. On the whole, l thought that
things should take that course; and,
assuming the issue. I began to won
der whether in that event it would be
necessary that madam should know
the truth had kind of a vision of
a reformed Berault, dead to play and
purging himself at distance from Ia
toms, winning, perhaps, name in
the Italian war, and finally-but,
pshaw! was fool.
However, be that as 1t might, It
was essential that l should see the
arrest made; and waited patiently
while they revived the tortured man,
and made their dispositions. These
took some time; so that the sun was
down, and 1t vas growing dusk, when
we marched out Clon going first, sup
ported by his two guards, the captain
and following abreast, and eying
one another suspiciously-the lieuten-
ant, with the sergeant and five troop
ers, bringing up the rear. Clon moved
slowly, moaning frors time to time,
and but for the aid given him by the
two men with him, must have sunk
down again and again.
He went out between two houses
| close to the inn, and struck a mar
row track, scarcely discernible, which
ran behind other houses. and then
plunged into the thiclsest part of the
wood. A simple person, traversing
the covert, might have made such a
| track; or pigs. or children. But it was
the first idea that occurred to us
and it put us all on the alert
The captain carried a cooked PTS.
toll, held my sword drawn, and
kept 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 g
jump into wider and lighter path.
4 looked Zip and down it, and saw be-
| fore me wooden bridge, and an open
meadow, lying cold and gray in the
twilight: and l stood in astonish-
ment 1t was the old path to the
chateau! I shivered at the thought
that he was going to take us there
to the house-to mademoiselle!
1 The captain also recognized the
place, and swore aloud. But the dumt
man went on unheeding. until he
reached the wooden bridge There hi
paused as If 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 ant
seemed to wiring them towards thu
house.
Have a care!" the captain growled
"Play me no tricks, or" But he die
not finish the sentence; for Clo1
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 hundred yard
before the ground grew rough an,
the underground thick: and ye
through all ran kind of path whicl
enabled us to advance, dark as l
| was growing. Very soon the bank o
which we moved began to rise abov
the water, and grew steep and rugged
, We turned shoulder, where tn
, stream swept round curve, and say
we were in the mouth of small ra
, vine, dark and steep-walled. The waite
brawled along the bottom, over boul
ders and through chasms. In front
the slope on which we stood shaped it
: | self into a low cliff. bl1t halfway he