The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1910-08-18

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ADELE DREW BACK, FR1eHrENED, uN-
think / shot down an unarmed man
because they found no weapon upon
him" tHA e&GG1 &
"You mean it was stolen p she asked
wonderingly. yT q ~le@as &
He smiled, shaking his head. "No.
common thief would have dared to.
Whoever did it must hate me worse
than did the dead man. Stealing that
pistol finishes me If I don't get away.
That's all. and all can say. II you
can't believe me- he added quietly.
there's only one thing for you to do
go to that window and call those
men In here for me. But If you can
believe newell, permit me to take
this hat" j
There was a pause, during which
they looked each other in the eye, he
calmly waiting for her decision, she
as calmly estimating him. Then she
! quietly left the room. quickly return
ing with black felt planters hat
take this instead" she said evenly,
| rendering it. 1T is my brothers."
!! Thanking her. he turned to go. But
| now she was at the window, and after
one hurried glance she confronted him
with white, drawn face and eager, re-
straining hand.
'Do you know they are still there,
watching?" she cried. How cruel to
hunt man down like that! You will
never be able to get by them. They
will kill you Isl
eff / start they'll know somebody
tried to get by" he returned lightly,
land they'll probably finish me one
way or the other. This way doesn't
I inYolye any legal demonstrations.
That's why prefer it,
'Don't try it, please don't" she
whispered, pushing back her heavy
hair. 81 cannot let you make the at
tempt. 1t is suicider' aifia s
''Why, that's about all that's left to
me-to make a good try" he smiled.
Then, suddenly serious and difhdent,
he added: MAY tell you something?
Perhaps the circumstances might ex-
| cuse it If it sounds OVERLOAD for a
stranger to say. But it is something
mighty precious that the last thing /
heard before going out to make my
| try was the voice Of merciful lady
speaking kindly to me and, more
precious still, somehow, that it was
you. l only wish 1 was going to have
! chance to remember it longer"
! ut isn't kindness" she returned SIM
ply. II know that you told me the
truth. believe you are an honorable
gentleman wrongly in great danger.
Fl have. suffered so much myself that
It is enough for me to know about you.
Listen! Would it be safe for you to
cross from our front door to a car
riage?" 9f..-
Don't try to do anything for me
that
IF it were a closed travelling car
riagejust by the door?" she persisted
steadily. '''@
my story is true. and you have be-
lieved it-somehow. But nobody else
would" he said grimly. please do
not try to do anything for me. don't
|
tain that they'd turn me over to-
You really must permit me to do
as think best" she interrupted, with
an imperious little gesture softened by
her eyes. 1--WE must make the best
plan possible under the circumstances.
/ It is out of the question for you to
boldly leave the house, and that set
ties it. / couldn't let you make the at
tempt IL you were my worst enemy.
Now, viii see that the General prom
ises to keep entirely secret the method
Of your entrance and on no account
to mention the word escape know
he will promise faithfully, and we can
rely upon 1t. Meanwhile we must
think OF some plan. There must sure
IL be some way She stopped and
assumed an unconcerned expression as
Poulette, one Of the servants, entered.
The French mulatto hesitated and
then. pointing straight at Kirby, in
quired. ''Shall I take the colonel gen.
tleman's portmanteau to the carriage?"
Adele turned. sudden inspiration in
her eyes. Eyes, yesT' she cried,
breathless with excitement. "And,
Poulette, tell them to lift the top and
let the carriage be closed"
The servant obeyed, picking up the
late Colonel Moreau's green portman-
teau, and when she had gone Miss
Randall cried:
Now know! Now 1 have found
the way!'
Butt don't understand" stammer-
ed Kirby. "T cannot permit you to
make any effort on my behalf. And,
then, there is your family
"HushP' she whispered. Here comes
the family now"
Kirby uneonsciously started tAaE