The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1910-08-18
...;sbt. 1903, by the Ainslee MGsa4ine
C0Py ssF-s Company =. So -

1 n..xr;kht, 1893, by the AinS1ee y uS
Cepyn1s 1-a Company - So :. 80. 1855
r.-,ae she added colorlesslg; 'yoh
Ann, have our packing to I'm
ISL" o,,i ooso :, +hA
' -. sighed Nine. Davezac.
S cTiI YOU see for me if it is secure,
,nAnatoler' Then asst the tWOagirls
ss. the room she added gravely:
r le,i has always been fondeF of YOU,
, as than of any other man You
at help to rouse her from this
l u,oom she wears that mourning now
gOre than a year. Ugh.' She broOdsS;G
abo is so bitter. so stFangs 30 inn
S SuI.ivo so full of morbid impulse.
pooouse her father had no one to pro-
~. DS him the poor child thinks she
sbouId befriend all the world which
Is in trouble. Last week one day CON-
inc home from the cathedral she has
a,Tan her warm cloak TO a ragged wo-
non in the street. That was In the
-oin You must help to rouse her, cher
4 Anatole, from this gloom"
of is no secret from all what I
wouh give to make Ter happy once
more" he replied, with gloomy sim
cerity.
When the young creole and his host
ocr Joined the others at their packing
the General. unnoticed and temporarily
forgotten. had taken his book and Sc
rreted himself under the table, in
which city of refuge he hoped to fol-
low without interruption the further
adventures of his two heroes. With all
q childs adaptation to environment 1t
was not long before he became COM
pletely absorbed in the romance. Pres
emily vague and disturbing cries came
stealing in through the open window,
and these he impatiently shook off, for
natural inquisitiveness as to their orr
gin was trivial compared to the fate
of the two princes. But the voices re-
fused to be thus lightly dismissed. Ex-
cited cries of: HE went this way!
Look in that courtyard! He turned
this cornerm certainly merited the
earnest attention and searching inquiry
Of every healthy eight-year-Old- whose
native inquisitiveness cannot be damp
ened by being dragged from bed be-
fore dawn or discouraged by the pros
pect of an all day journey. After all,
exciting fact is superior to exciting fic-
ton, for the former is but temporary,
while the latter is comparatively per-
manent-to be used as st1mulant or
sedatiVe when real life is lacking In
appeal.
Turning around and looking up from
under the table, the Generals inquir-
ing eyes met those OF Cameo Kirby,
who, standing motion1ess by the cur
tains, was warily scanning the room.
For long moment man and boy mute
" estimated each other, too surprised
to speak. Come; cheer up" said Kirby
at length, unconsciously employing
his characteristic phrase Don't be
afraid s
"1-Pm not afraid.n breathed the
General, creeping cautiously from en-.
der the table. -. se~ss-. 800 ~
Does the roof of this house touch
the roof Of the house next door?' pur
sued the gambler. with q reassurina
smile. 80. rass .a.s 49,
NO." said the child. round eyed. N...
Are there people upstairs Pr ssss4
Yes, there are &'---s
Kirby considered, no hint OF his di-
lemma in voice or bearing. He felt
mat ne could rely upon this child, who
"ltn all the composure of a self pos
SeSSed adult, evinced no alarm OF
amazement at the sight Of an over
heated and disarranged young man en-
terlng a strange house via the win
dow.
Does that lead to the street?" he
asked, pointing to door on his right.
Inc General nodded. He was breath
less and terrified with joy. "Are you,
somebody making a hairbreadth es-
~apet he stated rather than asked.
nope So" admitted Kirby, with a
Smue' DO you want to be somebody
Ueiplng me to do it?' A
les of course, What do dor"
10 out on the balcony" Kirby
etaVely explained, land look. as If
UUIning was the matter. Lean your
elDoW on the railing and tell me what
SOu See He drew aside the curtain
lae child, with flushed cheeks and
'nlnlng eyes, obeyed.
Inere are men up on that corner"
unOunced the General at length.
4, DON'T point" warned the man In
Ct noom' How many men%
rive. Two Of them all got guns"
AN right. Don't turn your head
" t you speak to me-"
=, Aneres more men hunting through
&c Saroen across the street." piped up
Tue Doy' wallowing in the satisfying
n nL1Uwleoge that at last, by some mirac-
S Tous intervention of a benefcent prov
S suence' ne had become an indispen-
tnnu ne character in very real adven-
e which promised to eclipse the
hO Ust thrilling hairbreadth escape he
"ao ever read. #06
are any Of 49,