The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1907-12-13

The man stumbled hastily forward
Town the dark, narrow street, every
now and then casting a frightened
ook behind him. The streets of Paris
were not a pleasant or a safe place for
gentlemen of the court just then, and
Gomte de Labour shuddered and
luickened his steps as a hoarse, sui
ZEN roar rose in the distance, a roar
which he knew too well meant that
the sans-culottes had found another
victim.
At the end of the street he stopped
before little door set in high wall.
and opened it with a key he held in
mis- hand. Springing inside, he quick
ly relocked the door, and for a mo-
ment leaned painting against the wall
81 the passage he had entered. In
that moment this, the last survivor of
a noble and historic house, realized
what he was-a coward
With a bitter curse at himself, he
followed the passage to its end, where
he unlocked another door and stepped
into a brilliantly-lighted room.
Two persons were in the room, a
woman and man. The woman was
about 20 and strikingly beautiful. The
long cloak which she wore scarcely
concealed the lines of her graceful
figure, but the beauty of her face was
marred by a certain hardness. Her
companion was an elderly man,
dressed in court costume. of a stern,
handsome countenance and a com
handing figure.
He turned on the comte as the lat.
ter entered. frowning look of inter
rogatory, but remained silent. The
woman was the first to break the
silence
What is the matter with my Pipi?"
she said in a hooking tone. He
looks frightened"
Her companion laughed disdainful. !
ly and a flush burned the cheek of de
Labour.
Lucille he cried, imploringly. |
they have burned my house and are |
looking for me to kill me- You can |
save me if you will. / know that you |
got passports. l know that you have
>,
BAH" broke in the elderly man
with an angry contempt. Come,
mademoiselle, let us not waste time
on this cur. My carriage waits"
The woman took the proffered arm
and with a dsdainful smile over her
shoulder at de Labour swept out of
the room.
The comte remained standing for a
moment overwhelmed with a futile
rage. Then, with wild cry of de-
spair, he rushed back into the pas
sage and out into the street. He had
known that he was a coward, but
never before had he known how ut
terly craven he was.
AS he wandered on a sudden clamor
broke on his ears. He heard a man
calling loudly for help while the fierce
cries which answered him and the
clash of weapons fold him that the
nights foul work was not yet com
)lete.
His first impulse was flight. but
age at himself swept over him. and.
lrawing his sword, he ran in the di-
ection Of the sounds. turn in the
treet brought him to the scene. An
elderly man in court costume was
tanding before a broken-down car.
iage, defending himself against the
stacks of six men, three of whom
we're armed with swords while the
ther three had pixies which they
hrust savagely at the legs of the car.
iage defender.
De Labour felt himself suddenly
glow with courage. He ran forward :
alling to- the men to turn, but before ,
e reached the place the end had
ONE. One of the pike men sprang
4 upon the nobleman, who promptly
an him through, but before he could
isengage his rapier one of the swords .
len had pinned him to the wall with a a
cree thrust. .
Paying no attention to de Labour. c
ne five men wrenched open the car I
age door and dragged forth young {,
Irl who apparently was unconscious. Il
The scene had passed so quickly
lat the girl was on the ground be.
ire de Labour reached the spot.
18th shout he ran blindly at the r
an nearest him and thrust him n
rough. u
The man fell without a sound. but -
he did so the weight of his body =,
apped the rapier off near the -
indie. De Labour hurled the useless "
eapon into the face of the pikeman
no was rushing at him. and snatched
the sword which had fallen from le
e hand of the dead nobleman.
AS he turned three OF the ruffians Sc
shed at him together. The remain nc
g man had had one Of his eyes N,
ocked out by the broken rapier and ci,