The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1908-04-09
CHAPTER II.


softly, and opening the window wi.
great caution lest it should squeak upo
its iron hinges. looked out again upo
the front Of the house. Everything W.
developed in flood Of moonlight. TIL
fine grasses upon the lawn glittered lik
spears Of ice with the heavily fallin
dew drops. The call OF night bird {
is mate was the only sound that brok
the stiffness. The beauty OF the nigh
touched her deeply. and the song Of III
nightingale more profoundly yet Sh
leaned her head against the window fran,
and her slight form shook with suppress
ed sobs. The thought came that every
minutes delay would make il more diff
cult for her lover TO escape from the
house. In a few hours the village would
be stirring He would be seen BY some
peasant going early a6eld. as he left the
grounds. She must at once summon him
from his hiding place. In a few min
utes he could be gone. and she would
breathe freely again.
Advancing on tiptoe to the door Of the
chamber. she turned the handle softly and
stepped out into the passage. The house
was perfectly quiet In the semi-dark-
ness she crept timidly up the corridor,
feeling her way with the tips Of her I'm
gers against the old oaken wainscoting.
At last her foot struck against a door
mat She tried to recollect what door
mat it was. She stopped and passed her
hand over IL II was an old-fashioned
rag mat Of American make. such as one
sees in the houses of middle class farm
ers in New England II had been her
lfnr~r. - - :
the door Of his room 1t reminded him
OF his old home across the seas 1t was
all right This was the apartment she
wanted. She placed her fingers upon the
handle Of the door. opened it little way,
and called softly:
Charles 70
To her surprise there was no answer.
She opened the door wider yet. and went /
In The moonlight. shining in through /
the window streamed over the carpet and Il
made every portion of the chamber plain
~ visible She glanced quickly around
To her intense astonishment tie room
was empty. Trembling with fear and ex-
cirement she again issued forth. and stood
once more in the corridor. At the very
moment that she did 50, pistol shot
reverberated loudly through the chateau
And then from all parts Of the house its
inmates rushed hurriedly.
1t was a terror-stricken assemblage Of
mec and women. aroused in the dead Of
sss s:Sht b. that sharp. crrirous appall-
Ing sound. In the supreme quiet Of the
chateau the pistol shot had rung out with
terrible distinctness- Though terrified
beyond measure In the almost certain
knowledge that some dreadful tragedy
bad taken place. Harriet Weldon did not
hesitate a moment Dashing along the
corridor she flung aside the heavy drap-
cries which separated Nine RoupelPs
sleeping apartment from her sitting room,
md bravely entered
Face to face, NJ. Chabot and her lover 8
we're standing On the floor between I
hem. lying at full length. her face turn
d upward. CHASTITY in the dim light Of the I
olitary candle, lay Ame- Roupell- From b
bullet wound in her forehead, a little
Hood was slowly oozing on to the floor I
nd mating with its crimson food the ?
ray, waving and carefully combed hair. r
he room seemed suddenly to ill with q
eople. all looking through kind Of mist
CHASTITY, unwholesome pallor was on
III Ad[r~ 4 NC 0AAAnaAl RAOPAAr~Ar1 "
fe were set at naught- The conven- i.
Qualities Of dress were forgotten Emily \
as bending over the PROSTATE woman. /,
er fine features pale as death. but set I,
) In marble, and showing no trace Of ),
ars OF womanly weakness She seemed -
lie only collected one in the room: all :,
le rest stood gasping and staring. help =
IS, bewildered. frightened group Emily :,
-inced no surprise at seeing Van Lith :,
ere so unexpectedly, as everyone else :,
d. With much presence of mind. she at :,
ice turned her attention to the sufferer, :.
see what could be done for her. She -
We orders clearly and rapidly. and with -
marvellous self-command. -
Lift her up and place her on the bed. =
eep her head raised This pillow so. y
ring me water. quickly" =,
She bathed the cold inanimate face;
E folded her handkerchief up into a
I'd and placed it over the fatal spot. u u
Re bound over it as tightly as possible =.
long bandage torn from the white coy
let. Then she turned TO Jean, the -
achman, who, hearing the disturbance -
pm the adjoining stables, had rushed -
10 the house accompanied By the gar ~ ~
Ber. -
Take the fastest horse you have and -
lie to the village. Send DR.. Croizet Ia
here; and then keep right straight on
% Paris. Here. take this with you wa
She turned to the writing table and col
Silly penned the following note: In
please come to us Immediately. and OF
ng with you the best surgeon you can tn'
d. Aunt Ruth has been shot fear In
ally. Come at once, l beg of you, or ma
q may be too late. MI
EMILY WELDON" g1
She folded the note and addressed II to In
"Dr. Paul Mason,
'Rue de Reverdy, No. "a" COZ
How long will 1t take you to deliver he
tn she asked, as she handed 1t to roo
coachman- mo
1t Is fourteen miles" replied the man.
can do II In an hour and a half.1 ma
I can cover the distance in half the
e." exclaimed Van Lith. eagerly step an,
& forward. He had been standing to
city by Harriet, endeayorIng to com wo
her. give me the note, will 70 wa
once"
smily was about 10 hand It to him. wa