The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-09-01
CHAPTER xII-Continued.)

SIltAf Ely ll-SOIltlIlutu.
We went down the stairs into an
other room, even more luxuriously fur
nished. The great bed stood at one side
with curtains drawn. One almost ex-
pected to see a small hand pluck them
aside n to hear a shrill voice demand
the meaning of our intrusion, or to be
suddenly confronted by that old gal
liant Favras, oath on lip and sword in
hand Here there were no windows,
only narrow Sits sufficient to admit air
and light, but not wide enough to per-
NIT assault from without. We made a
careful circuit of the department, but
found nothing which could. by any pos
sibility, serve as a rope.
There is Il more chance" said NJ.
lie Comte, and led the way to the bot
tom story.
This had peer divided into two
rooms, one a sort of vestibule into
which the stair assembled, n the 9TH
er q store room. The vestibule was
quite empty, and the store room con-
tanned nothing but a pile of rotten casks
and broken bottles.
My companion looked at them with
a whimsical countenance.
1.-THE fair lady evidently did not lack
refreshment," he said. 81 would she
had had the f%orethought to leave us a
ew botties-we may need them before
we get out of this. l am afraid" he
added, turning back to the vestibule,
that the only possible exit for us is
through that door. There are no VIM
dows in this story nor In the one above.
To jump from the third story Is to
tempt death-or, at least, a multitude
of broken bones. For myself, i prefer
to face the enemy"
w might make q rope from the
tapestries" l suggested.
"TheV ore rntten with ,nSl5n,, ~ ~
objected, and indeed, when we tested
them, we found them ready to fall to
pieces at a touch. Our situation is
not so desperate" he continued, as we
climbed slowly up the stairs again.
They will have to starve us out, since
batter down the wall, and that will take
two or three days, at the least. Many
things may happen in that time"
But though he spoke hopefully, 1 fan
cied his voice did not ring quite true.
When we reached the platform, he blew
out the candle, placed it carefully in
q creV1ce OF the wall, then went to his
wife. where she stood leaning against
the parapet, put IN arm about her and
drew her to him.
"Well?" h asked, smiling up at him
fondly and with perfect trust.
w are not yet out Of the woods"
he said; but, as I have just told Tay-
ernay. there Is no pressing danger.
They will have to besiege us in form.
Perhaps we may yet catch them nap
ping"
1 had approached Mdlle. de Cham
bray, drawn by an irresistible attrac-
ton. which, indeed. I made no effort
to resist.
What Is your opinion, NJ. de Taver-
nay?" she asked, as I leaned against
the wall beside her.
Il confess" I nswered gloomily.
that I see little hope of escape. unless
we can sprout wings and fly away.
For you, mademoiselle. that would not
be SO great a miracle; but I fear I am
too far below the angels to hope for
such a d~eliverance."
1T Is not the angels alone who have
wings" h retorted, her face lighting
with a smile. II have heard of other
spirits similarly equipped"
1t may be that / do not resemble
them either, mademoiselle," I yentured
mildly.
who can tell" she retorted, and
she turned away from me to gaze down
at h scene below.
The wine had one It's work-had
converted harmless peasants an cow
er1ng Wretches into bloodthirsty
brutes, animated by a kind of frenzy
which we, for q moment, did not un-
derstand. Men and women were run
ming about, screaming madly, no longer
needing the fire which they had kin
died on the lawn and which was now
dying away for lack Of fuel. They
We're pouring in n out of the house
with some other n in view-and
suddenly we saw what it was.
For from wing of the chateau
came a puff of smoke, followed al
most instantly by a quick burst of
flame.
They have fred the house. said
M la CnnotQ crir,Iyy orl r,o "
numbly watching the progress OF he
flames, as powerless to check them as
though we had been a hundred leagues
away
They ate their way through the
building with q rapidity which showed
how artfuily they We're being fed. In
deed. It seemed TO me that this whole
drama was moving forward to its
climax with a regularity which proved
its pre-arrangement; It was NOT q
spontaneous outburst of the people: It
was g thing theatric, carefully THOUGHT
out. In which the actors were really
only puppets controlled by wires CEN
tering In n powerful hand. And as
I recalled Pasdeloup's story, there
could be no question in my mind as to
whom that hand belonged. I shtyered
a little as l asked myself what the
crisis was toward which the drama was
mounting. And I felt strangely fmpo-
tSht Go tioUSL ~ were The very h2nd of
fate raised against us, and not merely
that of a vengeful n lecherous scoun-
drel!
The names burst out at last at roof
and windows, casting a red glow over
the lawn n garden, where the mol
stood staring in half-awed triumph at
their handiwork. Madame watched the
destruction with white face, but with
an admirable control.
Can they fire the tower?" she
asked.
mo, I think not answered her hus-
band. Fire from without would have
no effect upon these solid walls, and
they cannot get fire to the inside. The
breeze. you see, Is carrying those
sparks away from u.s."
Thai was my home, she murmur-
ed, "and ] loved IT."
we will build another" said Nj. lie
Comte, pressing her to him. tfWhen
this cloud which covers France has
been rolled aside, we will build another
home. which you will love even more,
for we shall be very happy there"
Not happier than we have been
here" she said, with a smile fuil at
the sauna TINA ~ tonrc op7 4o,, ii m