The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-11-17
CHAPTER xxvI--(continued.)

piecing together the adventures which
mad befallen me since that moment
when Duboq had halted me on the
highway from Tours. My heart quick
oned as recalled that evening in the
garden. as / rebuilt 1t, as i lived IL
over again, second by second An
that had been the one hour or my
Nfe! And yet, even in the SHADOW Oh
}he perils which followed, / had not
been unhappy, for she had been beside
me- with her clear eyes and smiling
lips; and IL she chose to smite me now
and then, why, certainly, had invited
the blows and even in way, deserved
them.
Then. at the end, / had won. That
qnal disaster had driven her straight
boats TO harbor. She had laid her
head upon my shoulder and whisper
cd that she loved me! My pulses
@uickened at thought OF 1t. She loved
me-that superb, matchless woman
bowed me! What did all the rest mat
word? i would take her--I would
Aever give her up! She loved me!
That should be my justification. And
gripping that thought tight against
my heart dropped away to sleep.
The sun was shining brightly at the
open window when i awakened for
the third time, and again / saw that
Kindly face bending above me.
You are better, MONSIEUR" she
asked, and again her cool hand
touched my forehead. "Yes--your
Fever Is almost gone."
IT am quite WELL" assured her, Sex
cept for a little soreness of the head.
Where are my clothes?"
you will not need them for some
days yet, monsieur" she said, smiling
1t my eagerness.
"Nonsense!" ! protested Il must
~n~t - 80 N 40 IN.
nent to throw back the covers, but she
held my hands and I found with sur
prise that she was stronger than /.
You see," she added still smiling,
you are weaker than you thought"
But I cannot lie here / cried, half
engrily. Il must get up. have many
things TO do"
shrank, somehow from asking her
outright where my love was waiting,
why she did not come to me. And sud-
den fear sprang to life in my heart;
perhaps she was i'll and could not comet
Only that, only desperate illness,
could have kept her from me.
Il must get up" i repeatedly dog
Hedly, but again she held me back, her
Kindly eyes reading the trouble in my
lace.
IF you will lie STILL" she said, 81
wiz bring you someone who will tell
gov an, you wish to know-and who,
TO see"
THANK you," / answered, my heart
beating madly. II will do as you say"
She nodded, went to the door and
ppoke a word to someone in the room
beyond.
Then my heart chilled for it was not
the dear face had hoped to see which
appeared In answer to the summons,
but an ugly bearded countenance, set
on gigantic shoulders. And yet, at a
second glance, I saw that the counten-
ance, though ugly, was not repulsive,
and that the eyes were kindly and that
fhe lips could smile winningly.
M. de Tavernay," said my nurse,
bringing him to my bedside, this is M.
de Marigny."
! IN his great palm, then sat down be-
: side me, while / gaZed with interest at
perhaps the most famous among the
leaders Of the Bocage
And very pleased / am to find you
doing so well, monsieur" he said, in a
Thought for time that we had rescued
you from the rope merely to condemn
you to the budgeon."
Even that would have been a serv-
Tee, monsieur" I answered, smiling in
response to him. But it seems ! am
to get we'll again"
Eyes; you had youth and health to
night for you. Alas, they are not always
on ones side!"
but the rescue, monsieur" asked.
How came 1t so pat to the moment 2"
II must confess that that was an
4ccidept," he laughed. my spies
Drought me word that this regiment
was marching to Thouars. l deter
mined to strike one more blow be-
tore Easter, so I called my men to-
eether and we waited behind our
hedges. When night fell, we turned our
sheep skin coats and mingling with
the flock upon the hillside, gradual
ly descended upon our. enemy's pick
cts. IT was then that a sudden COM
motion in the camp below attracted
our attention.; we saw a fracas.
from which emerged that little pro-
cession OF which you Were the cen
trail figure. We saw them prepare
for the execution. and supposing
them to be about to hang some cut
they should accomplish It, Then
suddenly you cried Long live the
king and brought us headlong to
your rescue In fact had not even
to give the word to fire"
1T was fortunate that / chose to
make theatric exit" / commented
laughing.
Permit me to say it was the act
Nf * brave man, monsieur. | trust
that shall meet my end as bravely."
Poor, gallant gentleman. He met
1t more bravely still-the victim Of
Q treacherous envy, he faced the
muskets erect. with eyes unbandaged
and himself spoke the word which
lOosed the messengers of death.
TEL me more urged. You
won?'
oh, yes; we cut them to pieces
and seized store of arms and am
munition which will stand us in good
stead. But we. captured something
else, thousand times more wei,
GOMEZ
what was that, monsieur?" 7
asked
THAT was Citizen Goujon." he an
swered. and his eyes grew cold as
steel. I'VE found him writing in
his tent"
"Yes--I planted one good blow" 7
said, seud told him the story. what
did you do with him?"
I'VE brought him forth screaming
with terror, begging for mercy. offer
ing TO dkulge ! know not what Sc
crets, and hanged him with the rope
which had Seen prepared for YOU. II
was a pretty vengeance--even YOU
could not desire a better"
NO" I murmured mo"
his fare softened into smile
1t has certain resemblance to a
famous bible story, hasn't it?" he
asked, II did not then know Che