Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-07-05
CHAPTER XIII.

The abbess, who understood the impor-
lance of speedy conclusion, left her
visitors in the parlor, and, in order to
avoid any misunderstanding, herself I'M
dertook to fetch the two young ladies,
after giving a lay sister orders to call
the carriage into the first courtyard.
The leave-taking was short for there
was no time to lose in vain compliments.
The young ladies drew down their wells,
and proceeded to the courtyard under
guidance of the abbess. The carriage
had been drawn as close as possible to
the cloisters, and the court was entirely
deserted, only the abbess, the sister por-
ter, and confidential nun witnessing the
departure.
AS the Frenchman opened the door of
the carriage a piece of paper lying on
the seat caught his eye. He seized it
without being seen, and hid it in the hol
low of his hand. After kissing the good
abbess for the last time, the young ladies
took the back seat, and Don Martial the
front, as did NJ. Railier, after previously
whispering to the coachman, that is. to
Curumilla, two Indian words, to which
he replied by a sinister grin. Then, at
signal from the abbess, the convent gates
were opened, and the carriage started at
full speed, drawn by six powerful mules.
It was about seven o'clock in the morn
ing. The fugitives-for we can give them
no other name-galloped in silence for
the first ten or fifteen minutes, when the
Frenchman gently touched his compan
ions shoulder, and offered him the paper
he had found in the carriage.
Read he said.
The paper only contained two words,
hurriedly written in pencil:
Take care"
ooh, oh" the Tigrero exclaimed, turn
Tag pale what does this mean"
"It means that in spite of our precau
tioRs, or perhaps on account of them,
for in these cenfounded affairs a man
never knows how to act in order to de-
ceiye the persons he fears, we are dis
covered, and probably have spies at our
heels"
And what will become Of the young
ladies in the event of dspute?"
I'm the evemt of q fight, ysu mean, for
there will be an obstinate enc, | foretell.
Well. we will defend them as we'll as we
can"
81 know that; but suppose we are
killed?''
"Ah! there is that chance; but l never
think of that until after the event"
Dona Anita hid her head in her
friends bosom.
"Reassure yourself, senorita,' the
rranchman said, land, above all, be ST
lent. for the sound Of your voice might
he recognized, and change into certainty
what may still be only suspicion. Be
sides. remember that if you have enemies
Won have also friends, since they took the
precaution to warn US. Now, IN all
probability, this unknown Of Of advice
will not have stopped there but thought
of the means to come to our assistance III
the most effectual manner"
General Don Sebastian Guerrero had
organized a band of spies composed OF
leneros and sc0nndrels, who, however.
nossessed Acknowledged eieverness and
skill and if Valentine had escaped their
surveillance and foiled their machina-
tions. it was solely through the habits
which he contracted during Heightened
life in the prairies, and which lad De
come an intuition with him, so far did
he carry the quality Of scsntins and I'M
masking an enemy, whatever might be
the couptenance he borrowed.
The Convent of the Bernardlnes had
naturally become for some days past the
center of the surveillance, as it was the
Swing headquarters. OF Don Sebastian
accents. The arrival OF carriage with
closed blinds Mt the convent at once gave
the alarm: and though N. Rallier was
NOT nersonally known, the fact of his be
;,g Frenchman was sufficient to rouse
suspicious.
While the Frenchman and the monk
we're conversing with the abbess, lepero
pretended to hurt himself, and was con-