The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-10-06

L b
and neck with the cool water from the
brook. How good II felt--like the hand
or God Himself! saw that she had
filled bottle with 1t and guessing the
wish had not strength to utter. she
held II to my lips and gave me long
draught.
1t sent new life through me. The
pain or swallowing was as nothing to
the delight It gave me. I lay still q
moment looking up at her. then sat
What is it?" asked hoarsely.
What has happened to me?"
Then you are not dead" she cried.
\ thank God"
Dead" ! repeated in amazement.
| "No-nor like to be!'
Then my eyes fell upon an object
at my feet and In flash remembered.
| l sat for moment looking down at
| that huddled shape, touched here and
| there into hideous distinctness by the
| rays Of the moon.
But even yet. 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 convusive shud-
dering.
| leaned down and looked at the
body. Was 1t blasted, shriveled as
IN a furnace? Had really been
! saved by Gods Intervention? And
how else. ] asked myself; what less
than miracle could have saved me?
The body was lying on its face, and
as stared down at II, fancied saw
something protruding from the back
l touched lit was the handle of a
knife. drew 1t forth. not without some
~
-Pasdeloups-the knife / 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. "You!"
She did not answer. Only sat and
shiyered her head in her arms.
YOU! l said again. 1T was you
who saved met"
She raised her head and looked at
me.
Il saw - that - he was-choking-
you. she gasped. "God-guided nv
hand-to the knife" and she held il
up and looked at it with a kind of
horror
l caught the hand and drew 1t to
my lips.
"Mademoiselle." said hoarsely, II
loved you betore-I reverence Won
now. But where is the other? I
thought there were two of them?"
There WERE" she answered. 1.-THE
other tried to stab you. but you struck
l started UP in alarm.
Then must we flee, too, and in
stantly," I cried. HE will return and
bring others with him. Come" and I
raised her to her feet.
asked
Strong enough? am strong as
Hercules-why should l not be. since
JOY gives strength? Come"
Then l remembered her ragged
shoes. What hope OF escape was
there when our flight must be at a
snairs pace
Come. ~ repeated and held out
my arms
What do you mean?" she de-
manded. looking at me darkly.
II am to carry you, you know. un-
I'll we reach the road. That is al
ready settled, so we need not waste
time arguing 1t over again."
indeed! she retorted. But that
was under different circumstances.
Besides. we are not going toward the
NO" I admitted: I'VE are going
straight up this hill"
Very we'l." she said. Then our
agreement is at an end. and / refuse
to reconsider. 1t is you who is vast
ing time" ~
saw she was inmovable. and a mad
Impulse seized me to snatch her I'D
despite her protests; to overpower her
resistance.
Then my glance fell upon the body.
In an instant l had dropped beside IL
and was pulling the rude strong shoes
from its feet.
What are you doing?" she gasped,
staring down at me-
'Sit here beside me-" / commanded.
my heart beating triumphantly: ana
as she obeyed, still staring, l 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
roughness Of the road until better ones
could be found. Then 1 stuffed the
dead man shoes with grass until they
fitted my own feet snugly.
Now" I said, I'VE are ready to be
off," and l sprang to my feet and drew
her after me.
You are q most ingenious man. M.
de Tavernay," she commented. II am
ready" and she followed me up the
hill and through thicket Of UNDER
brush which crowned its summit.
Not 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 be no chance Of failure
this time.
Come / 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
breathless at the bottom.