The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-26

There had been the sudden sharp
I snap of something breaking. and the
I American had reeled for an instant il
+ the saddle.
Its one of my stirrup feathers. 1t
I has fallen
/ Can you find it:'
"Yes. but / can ride as well without
it. Let US push on"
/ Every good. l can just see you
/ now"
They had calloped for about FIVE
minutes in this fashion, De Catinat's
horses head within a few feet of the
others tail. when there was a second
4 snap. and the guardsman rolled out of
\ the saddle on TO the ground. He kept
I his grip of the reins. however. and
/ was up in an instant at his horses
| head
! a thousand thunders of heaven"
| he cried What was il that happened
/ them
Your leather has gone too"
Two stirrup feathers in five min
utesF
1T is not possible that it should be
chance said the American gravely.
swinging himself off his horse. why.
/ what is this? My other leather is cut
1 "And so is mine. / can feel it when
/ pass my hand along. Have you a
finder box? Let us strike n light"
NO. no: the man who is in the dark
is in safety. l let my enemy strike
lights
MY rein is cut also"
"And So is mine"
"And the girth OF my saddle"
I IL, To-
with whole bones. Now, who has
played us this little trick?'
who could it be but that rogue
Jacques? He has had the horses in his
charge. BY my faith. he shall know
what the strappado means when l see
Versailles again.
But why should he do it?'
"Ah. he has been set on to il. He
has been tool in the hands Of those
who wished to hinder our journey"
very like. But they must have had
some reason behind. They knew we'll
that to cut our straps would not pre-
vent US from reaching Paris, since we
could ride bareback or, for that mat.
ter, could run it if need be-
They hoped to break our necks."
zone neck they might break. but
scarce those of two. They could not
have thought to stop us. What did
they mean. then? They could only
have meant to delay us. And why
should they wish to delay us?''
For heavens sake broke in De
Catinat impetuously.
"Why should they wish to delay us.
then? There's only one reason that
can see--in order to give other folk
time to get in front OF us and stop us.
That is ii. captain. I'd lay you a
beaver skin to rabbit pelt that I'm
on the track There's been a party OF
dozen horsemen along this ground
since the dew began to fall. If we
were delayed they would have time to
form their plans before we came"
"By my faith, you may be right"
said De catinat thoughtfully. what
would you PROPOSE
That we ride back, and go BIZ some
less direct way
"It is impossible. We should have
to ride back to the Meudon crossroads,
and then it would add ten miles to our
journey. We are surely not to be
turned from our path by a mere guess
u.
about a mile below When we reach
it we can strike to the right along the
south side of the river and so change
our course"
They mounted and rode on. Sud-
denly De Catinat's eye caught some
thing in the gloom which brought
smile to his face. Away I'm front of
them. between two dark tree clumps,
lay vast number of shimmering. gilt
tering yellow points, as thick as flow
ers in a garden. They were the lights
OF Paris
See he cried. pointing. There is
the city, and close here must be the
st. German road. We shall take 1t,
so as to avoid any danger
Every good. But I should not ride
too fast. when your girth may break
at any moment"
Nay, come on. We are close to our
journeys end. The St. German road
opens just round this corner. aud then
we shall see our way, for the lights
will guide u.s.
He cut his horse with his whip. and
the two galloped together round the
curve. Next instant they were both
down in one wild heap of tossing heads
and struggling boots, De Catinat part
ly covered by his horse, and his COM
rade hurled twenty PAGES, where he
lay silent and motionless in the center
OF the road
NJ. de Vivonne had laid his ambus-
cade with discretion. With closed
carriage and a band of chosen ruffians
he had left the palace a good half hour
before the kings messengers On
reaching the branch road he had or
dered the coachman to drive some lit
tie distance along it and had tethered
all the horses TO a fence under his
charge. He had then stationed one of
the band as sentinel some distance
up the main highway to flash q light
when the two couriers were approach
ing. A stout cord had been fastened
eighteen inches from the ground to the
trunk of wayside sapling. and on re-
ceiving the signal the other end was
tied to gatepost upon the farther
side. The two cavaliers could not DOS
sibly see 1t. coming as it did at the
very curve of the road, and as conse-
quence their horses fell heavily to the