The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-03-14
CHAPTER XVIII.
= ANS TuRorGa 1HE NIGHT.

CHAPTER XVIII
= RIDE THROUGH THE NIGHT.
& The streets were stll filed with peo-
PIE KEPT abroad apparently by ru-
rno7s Of the Spanish plot, n l was
compelled 10 draw rein and go at a
slower gait as l turned into tbs Rus
81 LOUIS, Skirting the Quays and
crossing the river, I was soon in the
suburbs Of Paris and comparatively
sale from pursuit Here the extreme
darkness delayed me as the crowds
a26 IL the buster portion of the city,
but l knew that the distance to ST.
<GNtoua was only about six miles n
thai b regent could not reach the
trap 2 HAD been set for him for an
hour at least So I gave the horse his
head. confident that l should yet be
able TO defeat this last resort of the
duchess As I went l wondered who
it was to whom she had committed
this desperate mission, and to this
question l could find no answer. 1t
seemed TO me an enterprise which no
gentleman would undertake and at
which even a rogue would pause un-
less he were already without the pale
of the law and so with little to lose.
But that the Madame du Maine would
stoop to use such an instrument, even
in her extremity, 1 could not believe.
4 ~ 4 PAA N1lt " w pSllllIll "a dilu
addressed myself to the question in
hand. that of reaching st. Cloud in
time.
had one morning during my first
week in Paris amused myself by loiter-
ing about the barrier and watching
the arrival and departure of carriages
or the versailles road, and though l
had never been over this road 1 had
little doubt that I should be able to
find the way without difficulty. So my
heart was light as l passed through the
gloomy f~aubourgs, seemingly inhabited
only by shadows, which skunk along
under the walls of the houses. 1t was
not until this moment that 1 realized
what the failure of the plot meant to
Richelieu, but even upon this point l
soon felt more at ease, for ~perchance
I if l succeeded in saving the regents
, life he might be more inclined to listen
10 me.
: The flare of a torch at the end of
the street brought me from my revery
, and l pulled my horse to a sudden halt
, and peered through the darkness
, ahead. could dimly discern the bar
rter, and my heart seemed to stop as
I saw that the gates We're closed and
that two ssntries We're pacing up and
> down in front of them. 1t would seem
: that l myself was in a trap.
I slid from my horse, led him to a
: side street, tied him and then moved
! cautiously onward to examine the sit
uation. Owing to the darkness l drew
5 quite close to the gates without being
discovered and concealed myself behind
II a fight of steps which projected from
Icne CT the houses. AS l had seen be-
fore, two sentries wereZguarding the
: gates and had they been alone l might
have had some chance of overpowerine
them. But from the guard house at the
d side came the sound of laughter anc
the click of dice, and l knew that there
were others there, who, at the frsj
cry of alarm. would rush to the res.
cue of their comrades. Force, Their
n was not to be thought of and s~trateg,
was necessary. But by what strategy
n could I hope to persuade these me
/ to allow myself and my horse to pas.
70 unquestioned, when they had doubt.
less received strict orders to allow n,
one to leave the city without clos,
scrutiny? Here was an obstacle upo,
" which l had not counted. In times o
peace the gates We're never shut, ant
| had thought to pass then withou
difficulty, but the discovery of the plo
must have alarmed the authorities. A
any rate. the gates We're closed ant
l did not doubt that some pass wore
t was necessary to open them.
AS l was cudgeling my brains owe
this problem, which seemed on it's fac
to BATTLE solution. l heard the rapi,
4 beat of a horses hoofs from the direc
ton of the city, and a moment late
p q horse and rider came into view. III
Of was riding with a fine disregard of tn
10 dangers of the loose and uneven pave
" ment, and the sound Of his rapid an
proach, which awoke 1000 echoes alony
Ill the gloomy street, drew five or si
ae guards from the sentry house.
III who goes there?" cried one of tn
I'll men at the gate. Stand, monsieur"
Mt WHO is In command here?" aske
the newcomer, refining UP his horse Jus
Is IN time to escape running down on
IS, OF the sentries. Quick, l have no tim
to lose"
Id Il am, monsieur" answered anothe
voice from he direction of the nous,
es and an officer hurried into the ligt
DIS cast by the torches over the gat'
a What Is it?"
Sc Orders for you. monsieur. You vi
CO read them at once. And now, open til
he gate. have further advices for III
in regent, who Is at Versailles.
at The password. monsieur. % said III
commandant of the post.
"Rocroy." answered the courie
he Quickly. let me pass
he The gates We're opened on the fr
he slant. and the rider pitt spurs to h
TX horse and disappeared into the darf
ne ness Of the road without Tie gat,
on were shut again, and the commando,
in retired to the guard hcuse to read h
lid orders.
or In an instant / saw my opportungt
I crept along the street until 1 reseFls
he my horse. Quickly mounting. turn,
de him down a side st-eet, and came D
again a little Distance array on q
he road by which the courier had con
ed With a touch of the spur / urged n
is horse into a gallon. and approached Il
III. gate precisely AZ the first courier h,
for done.
Hopens. ! cried. on ths kins
low SERVICE
I 1Pardieu,s grovied the sentry,
OF seems to mo there are many colrie
i passing here tonight. Something MT
ha afcot The Doxvwnrd - !.