Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-02-14
CHAPTER XII.

when they found that they had
recaptured in this extraordi.
nary manner the messenger whom
they had given up for lost.
"A thousand t%hunders!" cried one.
"And this is the man whom that devils
brat Latour would make out to be
deadr'
"And how came he hereT'
"And where Is Etienne ArnaudT"
HE has stabbed Etienne, and taken
his coat and hat"
What! While we were all within
stones cast|'
AYE, there is no other way out Of
L."
"By my SOUL" cried old Despard, II
had never much love for old Etienne,
but ! have emptied a cup of wine with
him before now. and I shall see that he
has justice. Let US cast these reins
round the fellows neck and hang him
upon this tree"
Several pairs Of hands were already
%unbuckling the harness Of the dead
horse when De Vivonne pushed his
way into the little group.
'It Is as much as your lives are worth
to touch him." said he.
But he has slain Etienne Arnaud."
That score may be settled after
ward. Tonight he Is the kings mes
senger. Is the other all safer
"Yes, he Is here"
tie this man and put him in beside
At~n IIohuobla fha trornc ~ thn 1aod
horse. So! Now, De Carnac, put your
own into the harness. You can mount
the box and drive, for we have not
very far to CO."
The changes were rapidly made.
Amos Green was thrust In beside De
Catinat, and the carriage was soon
toiling up the steep incline which 1t
had come down so precipitately. The
American had said not a word since
bis capture and had remained abso-
iutely stolid, with his hands crossed
v his chest while his fate was u n
der discussion. Now that he was alone
n more with his comrade, however,
he frowned and muttered.
"Those Internal horsesr' he grum-
bled. "Why, an American horse would
have taken to the water like a duck.
Once over the river, we should have
had a clear lead to Paris" =.
my dear friend" cried De Catinat,
laying his manacled hands upon those
of his comrade, how nobly you have
stood by me! But how came you there?
Never in my life have l been SO aston
ished as when / saw your face"
Amos Green chu. ed to himself. 81
thought that maybe it would be a sur
driving you," said he. when I was
thrown from my horse l lay quiet,
partly because It seemed to me to be
more healthy to lie than to stand with
all those swords clinking In my ears.
Then they all got round you, and I
rolled into the ditch, crept along it, got
on the crossroad In the shadow Of the
trees and was beside the carriage be-
fore ever they knew that l was gone. l
saw in a fash that there was only n
way by which / could be of use to you.
The coachman was leaning round, with
his head turned, to see what was going
on behind him. l out with my knife,
sprang up on the front wheel and
stopped his tongue"
"And thenf'
81 pulled him down into the ditch,
and l got into his coat and his hat. l
had hardly got the reins before they
were all back and bundled you into the
coach. / was not afraid of their see
Ing me, but I was scared lest / should
not know which road to take, and so
set them on the trail. But they made 1t
easy to me by sending some Of their
riders in front, 80 I did well until I
saw that by-track and made a run for
t."
The guardsman again pressed his
comrades hands. "You have been as
true to me as hilt to blade" said he.
"It was a bold thought and a bold
deed"
"And what nowT' asked the Ameri-
can.
81 do not know who these men are,
and I do not know whittier they are
taking us. I fancy that they are tax
ing us to some place where they can
shut us up until this business blows
over"
"well, they'll need to be smart about
It"
"WhyT"
ELISE maybe they won't find us when
they want US"
"What do you mean?"
For answer the American, with a
twist and a wriggle, drew his two
hands apart and held them In front of
his comrades face.
"Bless you, It's the first thing they
teach the papooses In an Indian wig
wan! Put your hands out" With a
few dexterous twists he loosened De
Catinat's bonds until he also was able
to slip his hands free. snow for your
feet, If you'll put them up. They'll find
that we are easier to catch than to
hold"
But at that moment the carriage be-
gan to slow down, and the clank Of the
hoofs of the riders In front of them
died suddenly away. Peeping through
the windows. the prisoners saw a huge,
dark building stretching In front of
them, 80 high and so broad that the
night shrouded 1t In upon every side.
A great archway hung above them,