The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1906-04-05
CHAPTER vi.
UNDER THE PIC NJ MIDI.

west ABOVE the uloNu NoouS. nt
yond that lay Spain. Once across the
border. might be detained. " no worse
happened 10 me. as prisoner OF war;
for we we're then at war with Spain
on the Italian side Or I might be
handed over 20 one OF the savage
bands. half smugglers. half brigands.
that held the passes; or be delivered
worst fate OF all--into the power OF
the French eNilcs. al whom some
would be likely to recognize me and
cut my throat.
1T Is long way into Spain. NUT
tered. watching 10 kind OF fascina
ton Clon handling his pistols.
Il think you will find the other road
longer stilli" the landlord answered
grimly. But choose. aud be quick
about H."
They were three TO one. and they
had firearms In effect had no
choice. We'll. II must must"
cried, making up my mind with seem.
ing recllessness. Vogue la galerel
Spain be H. II will not be the first
time have heard the dons talk
The men nodded as much as 20 say
that they had known what the end
would be, the landlord released my
rein; and in a trice We were riding
down the narrow track. with our faces
set towards the mountains
On one point my mind was now more
easy. The men meant fairly by me:
and ! had no longer 10 fear. as had
feared. pistol shot In the back at the
first convenient ravine As far as
that went ! might ride In peace On
the other hand n let them carry
me across the border my fate was
sealed. A man set down without ere
dentials or guards among the wild des.
peradOes who swarmed In war time IN
the Asturlan passes might consider
himself fortunate II an easy death fell
to his lot In my case could make
shrewd guess what would happen
A single nod Of meaning, one NUT
tered word. dropped among the say.
age men with whom should be left
and the diamonds hidden IN my boot
would go neither to the cardinal nor
back to mademOiselIe-n would 4,
matter 70 me whittier they went.
So while the Others talked 10 their
iaoiturn fashion. or sometimes grInned
at my gloomy face. / looked out over
the brown woods with eyes that saw.
vet did not see. The red SQUIRE,
swarming up the trunk, the startled
pigs that rushed away gruntlng from
their feast OF mast. the solitary rider
who met us. armed TO the teeth and
passed northward after whispering with
the landlord all these saw. But my
mind was not with them Il vas groD.
ing and feeling about like a hunted
mole for some way OF escape. For time
pressed. The slope we were on was
growing sleeper By-and-bye We fell
into southwark valley and began 20
follow u steadily upwards. crossing
and TecrOssing swiftly rushing
stream. The snow-peaks began 10 be
hidden behind the rising bulk OF hills
that cverhung us; and sometimes we
could see nothing before or behind but
the wooded walls Of our valley rising
sheer and green thousand PAGES on
either hand. with gray rocks half
masked by fern and ivy getting here
and there through the frs and alders
II was wild and sOmbre scene even
at that hour. with the midday sun
shining on the rushing water aud
drawing the scent'out OF the pines; hut
knew that there was worse TO come
and sought desperately for some rilse
by which might al least separate the
men. Three we're too many: with Oae
! might deal A; last. when had cud.
gelled my brain for an hour and almost
resigned myself to a sudden charge on
the men single handed-a last desper-
ate resort thought OF a plan. dan
gerous. toe, and almost desperate. bot
which still seemed TO promise some.
thing. u came Of my fingers resting In
my pocket on the fragments of the
orange sachet, which. without having
any particular design In my mind
had taken care 20 bring with me |
had torn the sachet into four pieces
four corners. AS played mechanical
~ with them, one OF my fingers fitted
into one. as into a glove: a second
finger into another. And the plan
came
Still, before could move In n. had
10 walt until We stopped 20 bait the
tagging horses. which we did about
noon at the head Of the valley. Then,
pretending TO drink from the stream.
managed TO secure unseen a handful
Of pebbles. slipping them into the samo
pocket with the moFsels OF stuff On
getting TO horse again, carefully fitted
a pebble. not too tightly. into the larg-
est scrap and made ready for the at
tempt.
The landlord rode on my left, abreast
Of me: the other two knaves behind.
The road at this stage favored me, Tor
the valley which drained the bare up
laEds that lay between the lower spurs
and the base Of the real mountains.
had become wide and shallow. Here
we're no trees and the path was a mere
Il ..stt l. -