The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1907-11-21
CHAPTER XIII.

The abbess, who understood the impor-
lance of a 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 a 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 Rallier, after previously
whispering to the coachman, that is, to
Curumilla two Indian words, to which
he replied by sinister grin. Then. at a
signal IFOn the dDDtSS. lie COuNtul SdltS
were opened, and the carriage started at
full speed, drawn by six powerful mules.
1t 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"
"Oh, OH" the Tigrero exclaimed, turn
ing pale what does this mean"
st means that in spite of our precau-
tons, or perhaps on account of them,
for in these COMPOUNDED affairs a man
never knows how to act in order to de
ceive 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 dispute?"
I'm the event of a fight, you mean, for
there will be an obstinate one, 1 foretell.
Well, we will defend them as well as we
cam
81 know that; but suppose we are
killed."
"AhI there is that chance; but I never
think of that until after the event"
Dona Anita hid her head in her
friends bosom.
"Reassure yourself, senorita,' the
Frenchman said, "and, above all, be ST.
lent, for the sound of your voice might
be recognized, and change into certainty
what may still be only a suspicion. Be
sides, remember that if you have enemies
you have also friends, since they took the
precaution to warn us. Now, in all
probability, this unknown offer of advice
will not have stopped there but thought
of the means to come to our assistance in
the most effectual manner"
General Don Sebastian Guerrero had
organized a band of spies composed of
leperos and scoundrels, who, however.
possessed acknowledged cleverness and
skill, and if Valentine had escaped their
surveillance and foiled their machina-
lions, it was solely through the habits
which he contracted during a heightened
life in the prairies, and which had be-
come an intuition with him, so far did
he carry the quality of scenting and I'M
masking an enemy, whatever might be
the countenance he borrowed.
The Convent of the Bernardines had
naturally become for some days past the
center of the surveillance as it was the
spying headquarters, of Don Sebastian's
agents. The arrival of carriage with
closed blinds at the convent at once gave
the alarm and though NJ. Rallier was
not personally known, the fact of his be-
ing Frenchman was sufficient to rouse
suspicious.
While the Frenchman and the monk
were conversing with the abbess, lepero
pretended to hurt himself. and was con-