The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1913-10-10

stone hall where the dark Flemish
pictures stared back at me and my
spurred heels jingled In the silence.
Up, up, and still up, winding around
a Gothic spiral, then through a pas
sage under the battlements and out
across the states, with wind and set
ting sun in my face and the signing
tree-tops far below.
In the north a spark of white fire
began to flicker on the crest of Mount
Tonnerre. 1t was the mirror of a
Photograph flashing out across leagues
of gray-green hills to the rocky pulpit
of the %Pigeonnier.
Instantly l drew a flag from my
pouch, tied it to the point of my sabre,
and stepped out along the projecting
snout of a gargoyle.
had been tagging the Pigeonnier
vigorously for ten minutes without re.
suit, when suddenly a dark dot ap.
peared on the tower beneath the SEM
aphore, then another. My glasses
brought out two officers, one with a
flag; and, still watching them through
the binoculars, l signaled slowly, using
my free hand: This is La Trappe.
Telegraph to Morsbronn that the in
spectOr Of Imperial Police requires a
peloton Of mounted gendarmes at
once"
1t may have been half a minute be-
fore | saw two officers advance to
the railing of the tower and signal:
Attention, La Trapped"
Pencil and pad on my knee, l man
aged to use my field-glasses and jot
down the message:
"Peloton of mounted gendarmes
goes to you as soon as possible. Re-
peat"
repeated, then raised my glasses.
Another message came by flag: "Atten-
ton, La Trappe. Uhlans reported near
the village of Trois-Feuilles have you
seen them?"
Prussian Uhlans! Here in the real
of our entire army! Nonsense! And
signaled a vigorous:
mo. Have you?"
To which came the disturbing re-
lily: BE IN your guard. We are or
dered to display the semaphore at
danger. Report is credited at head
quarters. Repeat"
The Countess de vassart had come
up to where l was standing on the
gargoyle, balanced over the gulf be-
low. Very cautiously l began to step
backward, for there was not room to
turn around.
Il beg you will be careful" she said.
1T is a useless risk to stand out
there"
] had never known the dread of
great heights which many people feel,
and laughed and stepped backward,
expecting to land on the parapet be-
hind me. But the point of my scab-
bard struck against the battlements,
forcing mt outward; l stumbled, stag
gered, and swayed a moment, striving
desperately to recover my balance: |
felt my gloved fingers slipping along
the smooth face Of the parapet. my
knees gave way with terror; then nv
fingers clutched something-an arm
and | swung back, slap against the
parapet, hanging to that arm with all
my weight. A terrible effort and I
planted my boots on the leads and
looked up with sick eyes into the ewes
of the Countess.
Can you stand it?" 1 groaned.
c~lutching her arm with my other
hand.
"Yes-don't be afraid" she saiA
calmly. Draw me toward you; I can.
not draw you over"
Press your knees against the hat
Elements" l gasped.
She bent one knee and wedeed Il
into a niche.
Don't be afraid; you ara not hurt
ing me-" she said, with a ghsstIy
smile.
raised n hand and caught her
shoulder, then, drawn forward.
seized tho parapet in both arms. and
vaulted to the slate roof.
A fog seemed to blot my eyes: I
shook from hair to heel and laid nv