The Detroit times., 1913-09-15

road q. the old Iappis ms caidlc
held forward. he could see few Vet
ahead but an he could see MAS hu,r
blocks OF rough stone. green win
mold water dripping between them
! The air he breathed was heavy IA"
thick: through his Wet clothes he
felt a chill as OF the grave. But What
mattered the road. when the road ieu
10 freedom?
Suddenly il came 10 him thai inc
passage might be blocked II WAS
years since Pietro had been through
| IL some of the stones might nave
| fallen--it would take very httle 10
close so narrow way. WIN an
anxiety which was physical palm, Win
breathless eagerness now. he hurried
on He had TO stop 10 light ms sec
ond candle again he hurried on
| Would the end never come? was al!
mistake possible? With that he STUN
bed against something and fell, ana
the candle few from his hand and was
put out: with hoarse sroan ne
threw out an arm 10 steady himself
! to- rise: his hand went through
Yielding. prickly mass. sllmmer
came In past it--light--the end.
Pushing. crashing, staggering
through. he,came into q strange place.
H. was as II n giant had taken a huge
spoon and scooped out the top of tue
earth deep. very deep. All 81 this
great hollow WAS filled with trees
and tangled underground. 1t was full
OF vague shadows in the glimmer Oh
earliest dawS Francois standing
there sobbing, CHASTITY with paleness,
ha,, al ST
eyes and gasping mouth and wei torn
clothes, was ut demon Tor the
haunted spot. He saw nothing, no
one; with that there was soft
swapping of twigs and NOV ament
in the darkness farthest from him;
movement ;"vard him. Tottering he
crawled 10 iAeet IL: in another sec
ond the shadows had shaped into nS-
ures-a peasant boy on horse lead
ing another horse.
Then he stood close 10 them, ana
the boy. leaning over without WORD
put something into his hand, ana
Francois. swaying with exhaustion,
saw that IL was a flask. He took
long swallow OF cognac and his chill
ed blood leaped. and with that he had
caught the bride from the lad and
was In the saddle.
Silently. without word spoken,
they climbed the shadowy slope un-
der the overhanging trees OF Riders
Hollow Silently. fast. they rode
through the pale darkness. through
the slow-coming day, down wooded
roads, across fields. always toward the
sea- Steadily the day came; now
they were galloping most OF the time.
only pulling in to let the horses
breathe going up a hill, or to guard
IN m from stumbling down one.
In the shadows of trees. in lonely
lane, the peasant boy stopped his
horse suddenly and made short ges-
ture toward the flask sticking out OF
Francois coat pocket. His strength
was going again it was exactly the
right moment Another swallow OF
brandy and he rode on with fresh
courage. But something in the ges-
ture o. the peasant boy; something
about his seat in the saddle, about
the touch OF his hands on the rein.
gave Francois a curious undenned
shock. In the growing daylight he
turned toward the silent rider. The
coat collar was up and the broad
brimmed soft had drawn down. The
slim figure. outlined against the cool
pink vastness of the morning sky
was clad like an ordinary young
peasant-yet. There was poise, a
sure grace, which seemed unlike
peasant. which seemed lie
Have we far TO go?" Francois de-
manded suddenly in French.
The head turned swiftly; black ex-
aggerated lashes lifted and under
them were the blue eyes he knew.
Alike"
He cried II out loud, reckless, for.
getting everything. But she did not
forget. In an instant her hand was
ON his mouth. and she was whisper
ing In terror.
Francois. dear Francois, be care
full. We are not safe yet. We have
village TO ride through--see. there IS
a house. It is almost time for them
to be awake. Ride fast. II Is two
miles yet"
They were racing again over the
soft ground. the horses unshod teet
making little noise, and Francois
heart was playing mad music. NO
need now of cognac. Then they were
galloping down the sand OF lonely
beach. and with that there was a 1T
tie group of people and a boat drawn
up: and they had pulled In the
horses. and Francois felt himseN
fitted off Hike a child and lying IKE
a very little, WORKOUT child In the
arms: and the general was
crying, swearing. hugging him with
out shame Pietro was there: Pie
tro was rubbing the thin hands In
futile. useless sort OF way. and hold
ng them by turns to his face. Alike
her peasant hat of now, bent over
them. lovelier than ever before, not
Winding her boys dress. and smiled
AZ him. wordless. There was huge
man also who took the horses. ana
= -coi~ woroered II he had heard
Alright that Alike called him little
Lat data Wondering very much az
everything, the voices grew far away
and the faces uncertain, and he de-
cided that II was without doubt
dream and that Battista would unlock |
the door shortly and bring in MS
And with that he knew
,othing more till he awoke In boat.
- Continued
STUNG is RIGHT