The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-13

her chamber and barred the door De- fore his unsteady steps could follow her. She. spent the night in a state = ot grief and terror, and had scarcely re- gained her self-possession when An-
 nette came to her room the next morn- ing and told her that Ludovico had dis covered that the music she had heard was made by a French prisoner who had been confined in dungeon the win dow of which opened on the platform
 below. Ludovico had made arrange ments to discover further concernins the prisoner, and would report that
 night to Emily. Emily was not sur | prised when . little later she received q summons to attend once more on SiB- nor Montoni. He received her Gs before
 stern1y. and again demanding that she sign the paper. If she did so she would
 be sent back to France, Verexzi would
 be allowed to trouble her no further, and she need fear nothing from any other of the Signor's wild companions. If she refused--
 Emily was at last unnerved. over- come by the imminence of the danger which surrounded her-and signed. No soner had she done so than Montont lowing sarcastically said:
 '-sMademoiselle, 1t was necessary to | deceive you. Retire to your room and will consider your fate"
 The girl was aroused by this decep-
 tion to an anger which overcanie her fears and haughtily confronting Mon toni said: you, sir, will lind my firm. ness hereafter a match for your cruelty and duplicity." But In the secluslon oi
 her own room she gave way to tears. When Ludovico came that night he was full of important information. Un- der pretext of carrying e jug of water
 into the dungeon he had gained admit tance to the prison of the Frenchman. "He would not intrust me with his l name, Mademoiselle," said the faithful | fellow, but when I mentioned yours he was overwhelmed with joy and bade me give you this miniature" He handed l Emily a picture of herself which as shsa remembe cred at once, she hAo once Lost in the fishing house.
 Tt is Monsieur Valancourtw cried Annette. And Emily herself had nc further doubt as to the identity of the | prisoner. "I will see him again lady, | said Ludovico, and if 1t can be arrang- ed will you receive him--say here In the corridor2 There can be no safer place.
 Emily consented with an nseagernesH which she tried in vain to dissemble, and the idea of meeting Valancourt onoA more dominated her thought, though not to the exclusion of an apprehension I of the perils which surrounded her. Whatever designs Montoni had aKal1SI Etnlly was QCA1yC0 AOA 8 NAhsAS by an attack on the castle body Of l government troops sent to suppress the l banditti who held 1t, for such the band
 of Montoni had become. But the force
 sent was small and the attack was beaten off. The victory was celebrated | by wild orgies the tumult of which Elm
 ily could hear ringing through the cas-
 tie. While the revels were at their
 height Annette announced that Ludo- | vfco was coming with the French priB- l oner.
 1 Emily's emotion was so great that | when she heard Ludovico give the ap' 1 pointed signal outside her chamber she I opened the door and crying "Valan- | court! fell fainting into the arms of | a stranger,
 T see" said the stranger, when An
 nette he'd revived her mistress, that
 1t was another whom you expected to
 meet. But permit me, at least, to omer | you such aid in your distressed situa =
 ton as a prisoner may. My name IS
 DuPont. My family Is not unknown to
 you. They live near La Vallee. l nave
 long loved you. though you knew It
 not; and used to haunt the little hsh-
 ing house by the river where had
 the felicity of playing on your flute
 and where I fund the miniature I
 have restored to you |.
 "Ah," said Emily, that explains to
 me. And sir, pray were you the snost
 that glided along the platform?'
 q fear I was," returned DuPont
 with a smile. Taken captive by Mon
 tonis band while serving with the French troops now in this country,
 found in my dungeon a secret panel that gave me access to hidden pas
 sages One of these opened on the
 platform and enabled me to take the air as a ghost It was from another