Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-04-09
The Emerald Ring
BY cHAs. FOLEY

her brother, and all the women from
the Vendee who had shared her lot
after the rout of Savenay, had been
driven away like a herd of cattle and
then thrown into the nearest prison,
and so great was their number thai
the iailers did not even trouble to
search them.
In this prison-the old castle of Ma
ranges-time seemed to have stopped,
and the prisoners were kept in abso-
lutte ignorance of all that happened.
The gentle Clotilde had for weeks
been suffering this agony with resig-
nation, when one evening, as she
broke the loaf of bread handed her by
the jailer, she found a letter hidden
inside it.
when the prisoners were satisfying
their hunger, she went over to the lit
tie window and by the fading Fight of
the setting sun she read:
"My Dear SISTER, have bribed
the turnkey. and tonight he win let
me into the prison. As ! can not
save anyone but you, l shall OF
speak to you and shall carry no light
so as not to wake up any of your I'M
fortunate comrades, for If there is the
least noise we are lost. The jailer
tells me that your cot is the first on
the right side of the door. If in the
darkness you feel a hand on yours, do
not be afraid. Keep your hand in
mine. get up and let me lead you out
without saying a word. We will not
secret passage and are outside and
will not speak to each other until we
are in the forest out of all danger.
| only ask you to put on your finger
the emerald ring / gave you three
years ago. AS soon as ! feel the heart
shaped n ! will know it is you I
am saving.
Your brother,
"FREDERICK.'
Clotide had barely finished reading
her letter when the door was opened
and several new prisoners were
brutally pushed inside. One of them
came over to the window, where Clio
tide was fondly looking at the emer-
aid which was to lead her back to life
and freedom. She looked up and rec
ognized one of her friends, Hughette
de la Moiziere.
They fell into each others arms,
kissed each other and cried together.
In spite of all Clotilde's efforts to
cheer her up. the pretty Huguette con-
tinued to sob.
Nothing you can say, Clotilde, will
make me forget the loss of my liberty.
] love your brother Frederick. We
were secretly engaged when he left
on the unfortunate expedition across
the Loire. and l have not seen him
since. How he would suffer If he
knew | was here. My misfortune
makes two people unhappy; my
death will make two victims"
Clotilde looks al her with an ex-
preston of the sincereest pity, thinks
for a momen and then says with a
bright smile: you are not to die,
Huguette. Maybe you will not even
stay long in this prison. Listen!
sometimes a mysterious and benevo-
lent protector in here through
a secret subterranean passage, walks
up to the cot of some prisoner and
takes her hand. To those of us who
have got up and followed in silence
his coming has meant salvation"
"Oh, how delightfully."- romantic!"
murmured Huguette, who almost felt
happy at the thought that the pro-
tector might come to her bed to lead
her back to life.
eff that happiness should come to
me. C!otilde, you cannot imagine how
| would feel, for you are not engaged.
The idea that the unknown man may
come to me and take me back to
Frederick will keep my eyes open all
night, | shall be all feverish. And to
think that have not even a portrait
of my fiance, nor an engagement ring
to strengthen me in my misery"
Without a word Clotilde took from
her finger the emerald ring and said
quickly to keep herself from bursting
out sobbing: Take this remem-
brance OF my brother, dear. 1t really
belongs to you since you are his
f%iancee. Never take it from your
finger, not even when you go to bed.
And then, in return, Yet me sleep on
your cot tonight. | am so nervous
that can hardly sleep because my
cot is right near the door, where /
always hear the heavy steps of the
jailers outside, and / do need rest so
much"
why, certainly, lear I shall lot be
able TO sleep anyway. shall think of
your brother every time l kiss this
dear ring, which | as sure will bring
me luck"
81 am sure it will DEAR" Clotilde
whispered.
The night had come. The two
young girls kissed each other TENDER
" and went IN fbofr antc hut rpithar |