The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-06-23
CHAPTER II.

snort ana rat, req FACE, eyes ike
gimlets, and head as bald as an egg"
My captor nodded
CHAPTER II.
In an Enemy Find a Friend.
For an instant, was too astonish-
ed to resist; then~the indignity of it
the indignity of the strong and
cruel hands which seized and held
me--swept over me like flame, and
shook off my assailants and faced
Dubosq with a fury which surprised
even myself.
Loose NEIL cried, struggling with
my bonds loose me! I demand that
you loose mel"
Dubosq laughed sardonically.
Eat your service!" he sneered. ANY
other orders?"
/ realized how impotent I was, and
the knowledge struck chill to my
heart. Dubosq could stand me up at
the side Of the road and order me
shot down, and no one would ques-
the word! I felt as the wild beast
feels, caught in a sudden trap; my
strength was of no avail; were Ito
escane, 1t must be by cunning. /
must keep my head and wait my cap
tors pleasure.
But this is an outraged" pro-
tested thickly, striving to still the
trembling of my lips, for was young
remember always that I was young
and new to the world. IAN out
rage"
Dubosq stood regarding me. gnaw-
ing his mustache savagely. dare
say the trembling lip did not escape
him.
Outrage or not" he growled, you
are under arrest, citizen"
And for what?" demanded.
''As an accomplish Of the ci-devant
Favras."
My establishment was so over
whelming that even he discerned It.
"Of course you are Innocent" he
sneered. Suspects always are!"
Citizen Dubsoq," I said slowly, II
give you my word. Of honor that I
have never before even heard of the
person you mention. AS for being
his accomplice, that is too absurd to
Discuss VI ...-,.r--.
1T IL strange, then" commented
Dubosq, grimly, that you should
have been so complaisant as to permit
him to ride away upon your horse.
But, no doubt, you have an explana-
ton. There Is always an explana-
toni"
oh" cried, understandingiy sud
denly and looking down the empty
road. so that was the ci-devant
Favras! I am glad to know his
name, for have an account to set
tie with him. So far from permitting
him to take the horse, had an inn
pulse to murder him."
And. WIN did you not?" Dubosq
have saved your own neck" =.
Il had given him my word" I ex-
planned, and related the dilemma In
which I had found myself. But even
then" L concluded, IT would have
killed him had he not turned his
! back"
Dubosq listened looking at me keen
ly; then he glanced modify away
across the field. ,..
followed his eyes and saw APP
preaching us from the grove two men,
bearing the body of a third. go, --t
| us that his work." asked. 49,.
"Yes," said Dubosq, and fell silent
until the bearers reached the road and
| placed the body on the grass beneath
the tree. I saw, with shudder, that
| the man had been stabbed in the back.
Yes, repeated Dubosq, fercely, that
is his work. He crept upon him from
not hesitate because the mans back
aristocrats, with their talk OF honor!"
and ne SHOOK his ocienc he'd fists above
his heaay-' $500, So e~-f .f..--
But how did he escape. I queried,
| LOT, even yet, QlO uOI uuQeTSCduQ.
"How did he escape?'. yeiied Dubosu
his face purple HE escaped because
his wits were better than ours. There
| is that to be said for the artstocratS-
their wits are better than ours, 'clOds
that we are! He murdered this man"
mot murder. citizen ! interrupted.
mot that-self defense"
"Self-defense!" roared Dubosq. '1n
the. back? Murder, say! Then,
! shielding himself in that ditch yonder,
he worked his way back to the road,
mounted your horse and was of, while
we were laundering around in that lit
tie grove yonder. should have
thought of the ditch" and he stood
glowering at it. II did--too late! !
disgust myself" -e ~
and / suffer In consequence"
added. Come my friend, confess that
you believe my story. Look at me.
am no conspirator-in your heart you
know 1t. II / had been the friend of
that fellow. ! would have ridden away
behind him--certainiy would not have
remained here, waiting for your return.
Don't revenge yourself on me because
your trap has failed-that Is unworthy
of you. Besides l have suffered enough
already--and for no, fault" 1850.
He looked at me for moment and
his face softened. / saw that the storm
was over.
II believe you Citizen" he said:
you are free" and he whipped out his
knife and cut my bonds.
For thanks held out my hand and
he gripped 1t warmly.
Come" he urged, "join my troop
pin on the tri-color, and will make q
man of YOU" hr-, s0+
But I shook my head. -
mo my friend" / said, IAN errand
Of honor calls me to Poitiers."
He looked at me with renewed sus'
picion. --,a,
! (Which reminds me-" he added, "tha
you have not told me the nature Of tina
errand." t-r
II will tell YOU" said, .'as a friend,
and whispered a swift sentence II
his ear.
He burst out laughing. his goot
humor restored In an instant.
well. go your. way" he said. slap
ping me on the shoulder, "and goot
luck go with you. At the fete, citizen
drink q health to old Dubosq. AS TO
me, have the pleasure Of burying m!
dead. and reporting In my superior
that am q fool and that the trap 4