Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-07-08
CHAPTER n.-(continued.)

8uIleu my seat DG1edlH It's DTdiClsS,
for / was curious to see the n of this
encounter. My sympathies were wholly
with the fugitive. Whatever the mer-
its of the case, so gallant a dash for
liberty deserved to be successful. And
yet he could scarcely hope TO escape,
with 20 men at his heels.
Once a chorus Of frantic yells came
TO me from the grove. n / thought
for a time that the chase was ended.
But the moments passed n | saw
no sign of either the fugitive or his
p~ursuers. Perhaps he had eluded them,
AFTER all; or perhaps they were push
ing across the country after him. In
either event, IL was useless for me 10
tarry longer ii was time for me 10
be getting forward IL / wanted to reach
Chatellerauit, as / had planned, by
nightfall. Only I should have liked to
say goodby to Sergeant Dubosq. There
was about the mai. q fascination, an
air OF deyiltry that pleased me. Per-
haps, at another time. / might even
have found myself listening to his
words; but now
''Sit still, monsieur said a low
voice just behind me and / started
round TO find myself looking down
the long barrel OF a pistol just above
which cleaned two eyes blue and
gold as steel. IT was moved to shoot
II ~ AC NAAk vi 6S NAAR
shortest way out, but after all, / am
not a murderer. / viii give you n
chance. I must have u horse.
yS.s -os1 CO fToiIoT 20 ST
there quietly and you are safe; re-
fuse" and he made a menacing lit
BE motion with his pistol.
There could be no doubling his
Lutte and implacable countenance con-
WINGED me that it's owner would not hes
ttate to shoot me down. But to lose
my horse
Come" he said, decide quickly.
Faith, the choice ought not to be diff
1cult!" and he laughed grimly.
Take the horse, monsieur" / said In
q voice trembling with rage and cha
grin; but my hou will come"
He laughed again. put up HIS pistol
and came out upon the road.
As l watched him unite my horse,
I realized suddenly all that this loss
would mean to me, Inc a blind i'm
pulse seized me to rush upon him and
run him through. / think / must have
yielded to II, In spite of my passed
word, had he not seemed to trust II so
implicitly. For he even turned his
back TO me as he bent to adjust the
stirrups.
He seemed In no hurry-indeed. / was
apparently far more excited thar he
and had time to admire the erect fig
ure, the easy carriage, the grace OF
movement. Dubosq had spoken truly
when he remarked that no one could
mistake me for this finished cavalier.
lie sprang to the saddle with superb
~unconcern II paused FOR a look about
him. He was even humming a song.
An. there they come" he said, and
Following his eye, ] saw Dubosq and his
men burst from the grove and come
charging across the field. "At last they
have discovered how / eluded them!
Awkward louts! Adieu, monsieur"
.'spAl we meet againl"I corrected.
He laughed bIithely.
AZ sset VIII" he said, and satiieret
up the reins, Whittier are you bounds? p
he added, turning back to me.
Il Poitiers," / answered.
Then we may indeed meet again."
and waving his hand TO his enemies,
who by this time were very near, he set
squirt 10 flank and gaiioped AVA down
the read.
A shower OF bullets followed him.
but he kept or apparently unhurt, and
IN a moment more was u OF gun
shot.
Dubosq came painting up. his men at
mis- heels. He was fairly livid. He
stopred for an instant to shake his
fist at the cloud of dust far down the
-S1S-~ IssSIs 10 Turned 10 lire.
Traitor" he cried hoarsely. "Aris-
tocTat!" And ! saw how the great
veins stood GU across his forehead. so
you had the effrontery to wait for
mel
"Assurediy.. | replied. as calmly as |
could, since you requested it."
He glared at me for a with
b.oodshot eyes. Then he turned to his
men.
Secure himl" he said. we will let
him espouse Madame Guillotine."
And before / could open my lips TO
protest, my hands We're dashed behind
me.
For the horse was not all that | had
lost. In the holsters OF the saddle was
q pair OF handsome pistols which had
belonged to my father. and In the port
mantcau strapped behind II an array OF
gallant clothing such as. ! had never
possessed before and would in all like
iihood never again possess. AS TO re-
plenlsnlng my purse, l remembered
only too aeutely how my mother had
pinched herself for months to provide
me with this outfit. No, decidedly. TO
repair this miSfortanc. | had only my
own prowess TO depend upon, n /
am free TO say that II was not OF a
quality greatly TO ~enhearten me. Ger
tainiy. my first adventure in the world
had ended most d~isastrously.
So / trudged on. looking neither TO
the right nor to the left, turning my
misfortune over I'm my mind, and re-
calling the good points OF my horse,
tbs comfort III my saddle. and the beau
ties or my wardrobe. as a starving man
will picture to himself the savory de-
tails OF Some banquet he has eniovad in
happier days. And / almost found ii In
my heart 10 regret that I had not struck
the rObber down In that moment when
he had dared to turn his back upon
me.
There were a few people on the road.
but such as / met stared at me curious
". evidently unable to understand how
II was that q young fellow so gall
lantly arrayed should be footing Ii
through the dust with sour counte-
nance. This. Of course, served only to
increase my spleen. and ended In ms
putting ~ s@ NY eyes anu rrudg-
inw on without xIa ncina nm auAa .t
the rustle OF Il petticoat. know not
how great a distance I covered In this
fashion. but at last the sun. rising
High iii the heavens, beat down upon
me with such ardor that my head be-
gar 70 swim dixxiiy. So | looked about
FOR shelter. and seeing just ahead OF
me a little cluster OF mean houses,
haSsened my steps in the hope that
there might be an Inn among them.
@ 60 indeed there proved to be.
But when came TO the threshold
OF the low, III smelling room, dark
II. R2F"I $500 .-L---f. - 81,