Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-10-14

| and neck with the cool water from the
brook. How good II felt-lke the hand
Of God Himself! I saw that she had
filed a bottle with 1t n guessing the
wish l a not strength to utter, she
held 1t to my lips and gave me a long
draught.
1t sent new life through me. The
pain OF swallowing was as nothing to
the delight 1t gave me. I lay still q
moment looking up at her, then / sat
erect unsteadily.
What is it?" I asked hoarsely.
What has happened to me2"
Then you are not dead" she cried.
Then you are going to livel oh,
thank God!"
Dead" 1 repeated in amazement
"No-nor like to bel"
Then my eyes fell upon an object
at my feet and In a flash 1 remembered.
that huddled shape, touched here and
there into hideous distinctness by the
rays Of the moor
But even yet, I do not under
stand" I said at last. What killed
him?' A bolt from heaven? God
saves me from my vengeance then"
She did not answer, only huddled
her head into her arm and swayed
forward, shaken by a convulsive shud-
dering.
7 leaned Down and looked ct the
body. Was It blasted, shriveled as
in a furnace? Had I really been
saved by Gods Intervention? And
how else, I asked myself; what less
thar a miracle could have saved mel
The body was lying on its face, and
as l stared down at II, I fancied I saw
something p~rotruding from the back.
! touched tit was the handle Of a
knife. I drew 1t forth, not without some
effort, and recognized the knife as mine
-Pasdeloup's-the knife I had used to
cut the bread-the knife I had left ly-
ing In the hollow beside the bottles.
Then I understood.
"You!" I cried, staring at the bowed
figure. "Youl"
She did not answer. Only sat and
~shtyered, her head in her arms.
"Youl" said again 1T was you
who saved met"
She raised her head and looked at
me.
IT saw - that 49, he was-choking-
YOU" she gasped. "God-guided my
hand-to the knife" and she held It
up and looked at 1t with a kind Of
horror.
I caught the hand and drew it to
my lips.
'Mademoiselle," I said hoarsely, IT
loved you betore-r reverence you
now. But where Is the other? /
thought there were two Of them?"
There were," she answered. 1.-THE
other tried to stab you. but you struck
him and he fed"
I started UP In alarm.
Then must We fee, too, and in
stantiy," I cried. He viii return and
bring others with him, Come" and 7
raised her to her feet.
But are you strong enough?" she
Strong enough7 I am strong as
Heroules-why should 7 not be, since
Joy gives strength? Come"
shoes. What hope Of escape was
there when our hight must be at q
Come" I repeated, and held out
my arms.
what do you meanr~ she de-
manded, looking at me darkly.
Il am to carry you, you know, n
til we reach the road That Is al
ready settled, so we need not waste
Indeed" she retortsS. ted But tbs,
was under different circumstances.
Besides. we are not going toward the
road, are we?"
No. I admittsdi we are going
Very WELL" she said. Then our
agreement Is at an end, and I refuse
to reconsider. It is o who is vast
ing time"
I saw she was immovable, and a mad
impulse seized me to snatch her up
despite her protests; to overpower her
resistance.
Then my glance fell upon the body.
In an instant I had dropped beside IL
and was pulling the rude strong shoes
from It's feet.
What are you doing?" she sasped.
staring down at me.
sit here beside me-" I commanded.
my heart beating trtumphantly: and
as she obeyed, still staring, I pulled
off my own shoes and slipped them
over hers. Worn in that way, they
fitted as well as could be desired-they
would at least protect her from the
could be found. Then I stufred the
dead man shoes with grass until they
fitted my own feet snugly.
Now" 1 said, I'VE are ready to be
off" and / sprang to my feet and drew
her after me.
You are a most ingenious man, M.
de T~avernay," she commented. II am
tSauy' aito sho AollOWeu me up the
hill and through q thicket OF under
brush which crowned It's summit.
Not a moment too soon, for as we
paused to look back before starting
downward, we saw a score OF torches
advancing up the valley toward the
spot which we had left. Evidently.
there was to De no chance or nature
this time.
Come" I said, and caught her hand.
The slope was free from underbrush
and fairly smooth.
"A race!" she cried, her eyes dane
ing, and a moment later we arrived
h-nakblnzu ~ Rhn hn4A