El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-18

who had suddenly Jumped
from a thicket and rudeIy caught hold
of the bride Of his horse.
4 have fe;Ind a Wolf trap in the
Trois Temeurs clearing the man re-
piled, and ] want to know if that
/ trap was intended for me to fan into
The count looked al the man, and
I in the red beard and the small pierre
| ing and still shifty eyes. he recognized
Chertler, the pOaCner- whom his game
( Wardens had described to him, and
! whom they had tried in vain to catch
for several months.
Il have no explanation to make to
you said the count as he struck him
furious blow across the face with
his heavy hunting crop. The man
made no Outcry, but instinctively his
hands went 10 his face to ward off
more blows. and before he had col
lected his wits the count had put spurs
to his horse and was gone
Very well" Kissed the poacher, Il
VIII make YOU pay for that some day"
The count returned to St. German
des-BOis slightly upset by the incl
dent a beautiful vision appeared To
him and soon effaced every memory
Of the pOacher. His wife, Lucienne.
dressed in a costly gown of silk, was
waiting for him at the door Of the
chateau.
Have you forgotten, dear, that we
are to dine with the Chavannes at
Antheaume tonight. and that the place
is a fair distance from here?" she
asked.
Why. I really had forgotten all
about it," the count exclaimed.
He dressed hurriedIy and as it was
a beautiful evening, he ordered his
phaeton brought out, declaring that
he would drive the spirited horses him
1t was II o'clock when they parted
from the Chavannes- While they were
driving home through the woods a
sudden gust OF wind made the tan
pines sigh, and in few minutes the
air became sultry. the sky was COW
cred with dark clouds; and rain be-
gan to fan. Flashes Of lightning cut
the darkness, Illuminating the road
with their blue white light. only 70
make the darkness following absolute
" impenetrable. The storm became so
bad that the count thought it wiser
to stop at the first cross roads
Listen. LUcienne,' he said. we are
still u miles from St Germain-des-
Bots. and YOU viii be drenched long
before We get there. II we try to 90
on I know a charcoal burners hut
not far from here I shall take YOU
there. and YOU will wait there until
I can come back with a carriage"
He kissed his wife, begged her to be
patient and promised to be back within
an hour.
Lucienne felt very nervous. as she
heard him drive away. and got dread
fully lonesome in this small hut Of
the dark forest
She began to tremble The ground
opened in front of her. and crouching
in q corner half dead with terror. and
with eyes wide open. she saw the
figure Of a red bearded man appear
through an opening in the floor
She attempted 10 run. but the man
threw himself at her In a moment
she was gagged and bound. Then
she was carried into some underground
passage
n, ~. ,-,-,.---f,--- +r,- .-+,-.--- -,--..1
The lightning became less, and the
rain stopped.
The count was returning with the
carriage driven by his coach Laurent
Suddenly he caught Laurent By the
arm
Listen" ne said.
Laurent stopped the horses
Did Monsieur hear2 That vas the
second time"
a cry. painful and despairing-rang
out through the night. Ii was the cry
of human being shouting for help.
The count took one Of the carriage
lamps and started in the direction OF
the sound In the middle of clear
ing he discovered a man. writhinE in
pain. his legs having been caught in a
woe tran.
Aided by the cOachman the count
succeeded in opening the cruel jaws
of the steel trap, and set the unfOr-
tunate man free His legs were bleed
ing freely. so the count told the coach
ne himself hurried towards the hut,
whore L1cienue was waiting for him.
When he arrived the hut was empty.
He examined every nook and corner.
but no trace of his wife was TO be
seen A presentiment of something
dreadful Overcame him. and suddenly
a thought struck his brain. The man
he had just freed from the trap-whO
was he2 Why. il was Chertier. the
DOaCher. And what was he doing here
scarcely 20 steps from the charcoal
burners hut2 Had he taken revenge
for the blow he had received earlier in
the day. He must know something. Z
He must be made to speak.
The count ran back to the carriage
"Chertier." he cried. What has become
Of the lady who was in the hut2 An
swer me! Do you knOw2 Where is /
she2 Why don't YOU speak2"
The man remained silent, occasional
" his pale face was cOnvulsed eithe- J
with pain or because he was making I
an effort to speak. His lips trembIed /
but no sound came
The count placed him inside the car |
riage told the cOachman to drive I
quickly to the chateau, and a doctor /
was sent for. He examined the I
wounded man and worked over him 4
stood by watching his every movement [
and pleading with the man to speak. /
My dear count the doctor said al /
last, that man viii never speak aEain I
ten me that but ne cannot He is able (
to hear, see and understand. but fear {
has paralyzed his tongue.
As the moments passed the wounded /
man grew more and more eNcited-and /
excitement he could express only /
through his eyes Their expression I
changed continually but the language /
they spoke nobody understood
suddenly he made a supreme effort 4
to break the power that held him par I
alvZed He raised his head and his 3
lips moved A few unintelliEibIe sounds I
escaped him, and the count placed his /
ear close to his lips His head fell I
back. his eyes grew CLASSY. and there /
was hOarse rattle in his throat. Then Z
a deeD sigh and Chertier, the poacher.
was dead
Tt was not until two years later tina /
the underground passage from the hut Z
was found accideutally- Tt led into q Z
cave The body of Lucienne was stiU I
dressed in her silk gown and little
blue slippers.