Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-06-15
years older. What have you done?

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Don't shrink from me-" he urged.
'"Try to calm yourself"
Then, with the utmost g~entleness, he
persuaded her to rise and walk about
the little room with him.
at will give you courage" he urged.
"Poor little girl!''
She looked up into his face, a new
light coming into her eyes.
Don't talk now" he said softly.
''1'ake your time. Hold to my arm,
please. There!'
For five OF ten minutes be led her
back and forth across the room very
tenderly. AT first she was faint and
uncertain; then, as her strength and
wits came back to her, courage took
the place of despair. She smiled wanly
and asked him to sit down with her.
"Where are we? What is it all
about?" she asked.
Not so loud" he cautioned. I'll be
perfectly candid with you. You'll have
to be very, very brave. But wait.
Perhaps it will be easier for you to
tell me what has happened to you, so
far as you know. L can throw light
on the whole situation, l think"
She became more excited. Her eyes
flashed; she spoke rapidly. On the
morning of the 23d she had gone for
her gallop in the famous Ganlook road,
attended by two faithful grooms from
the royal stables.
Il was in for a longer ride than usu-
al" she said, with sudden constraint.
She looked away from her eager listen
er. 81 was ervous and had not slept
the night before. A girl never does,
1 suppose"
He looked askance. "Yes?" he que
ried.
She was blushing, he was sure of
+ it. II mean a girl is always nervous
and distract after-after she has prom
ised, don't you see"
mo; l don't see."
81 had promised Count Vos Engo the
night before that / Oh, but it really
has nothing to do with the story. p
Truxton was actually glaring at her.
"You mean that you had promised to
marry Count Vos Engo!' he stammer-
ed.
How very strangely you talk! Are
you sure-I mean, do you think it is
fever? One suffers so'-
He sighed deeply. well. that's
over! Whew! 1t was a dream, by
Jover'
She waited a moment and then, look
ing down, said very gently, I'm so
sorry for you"
Then she resumed her story.
She had gone six or eight miles down
the GanlooR road when she came up
with five troopers of the royal guard.
One of the troopers came forward and
respectfully requested her to turn off
into another road until a detachment
passed, in charge of a gang Of despera-
does taken at the inn of the Hawk
and Raven the night before. Unsus-
pecting, she rode off into the forest
lane for several hundred yards.
1t was a trap. The men were not
troopers, but brigands got up in the
uniform of the guard. Once away
from the main highway, they made
prisoners of her and the two grooms
Then followed a long ride through
roads new to her.
When night came they were higE
in the mountains back of the monas
terry, many hours ahead of any pur
suit. They became stupidity careless
and the two grOoms made a dash TO
freedom. One of them was killed, bu'
one had escaped.
Some time during the slow, tortur
ing ride through the forest she swoon
ed. When she came to her senses sht
was in a dimly lighted ROOM, surround
ed by men. The gag had been re
moved from her mouth. She woulC
have shrieked out in her terror ha(
not her gaze rested upon the figure O.
a man who sat opposite, his elbows
on the back of the chair which h'
straddled, his chin on his arms. HI
was staring at her steadily, his blacl
eyes catching her gaze and holding
as a snake holds the bird it .ha
charmed.
She recognized the hard, hawkllk
face. There could be no mistake. Sh
was looking into the face that mad
the portrait Of the Iron Count so All
horrent to her-the leathery head OF
cadaver with eyes that lived. Sht
broke down and cried herself into thu
: sleep of exhaustion.
l ALI the next day she sat limp ant
l helpless in the chair they had brough
D to her. She could neither eat no
drink. Late in the afternoon Marian,
{ came again. She knew not from
whence he came; he stood before he
; suddenly as if produced by the magi
| Of some tabled genie, smiling blandly
i his hands clasped behind his back, hi
attitude one Of designing calculation.
"He laughed when 1 demanded tina
he should restore me to my friends
He chided me when l pleaded and beg
ged for mercy. My questions wer
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