Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-08-12
ARoman@ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1HE MARSHAL
%MaryR Raymond Shipman Andrews
A@eA~' The Perfect TZbUe. etc
CHAPTER xx1I-(continued).

CHAPTER NXII-(Continued).
Pushing. crashing. staggering through
he came into q strange place. 1t was
I as Ii a gian: had taken a huge spoon
and scooped out the top Of the earth
~deep-very deep. All Of this great hol-
low was filled with trees and tangled
underground. 1t was full OF vague
shadows in the glimmer of earliest
dawn. Francois. standing there Sob
bling. CHASTITY with %paleness, with mat
| ted hair n wild-staring yes and
gasping mouth n wet torn clothes
| was a fit demon for the haunted spot.
! He saw nothing. no one; with tina,
there was a soft swapping of twigs and
a movement in the darkness farthest
from him. q movement toward him,
Tottering he crawled to meet 1t; IL. an
other second the shadows had shaped
| into figures--a peasant boy on q horse,
leading another horse.
Then he stood close to them. and the
boy. leaning over without a word put
| something into his hand. and Francois.
swaying with exhaustion, saw that it
was a flask. He took a long swallow
Of cognac and his chilled blood leaped,
| and with that he had caught the bril-
die from the lad and was IN the saddle
Silently, without a word spoken, they
climbed the shadowy slope under the
ov%erhanging trees Of Riders Hollow.
Silently. fast. they rode through the
pale darkness. through the slow-com-
ing day. down wooded roads. across
| fields. always toward the sea. Steadily
the day came; now they we're galloping
most Of the time. only pulling to let
the horses breathe going up a hill. or
to guard them from stumbling down
one
In the shadow Of trees. in a lonely
lane: the peasant boy stopped his horse
suddenly and made a short gesture to-
ward the flask sticking out of Fran
! co.'s o pocket. His strength was
going again; III was exactly the right
moment. Another swallow of brandy
and he rode on with fresh courage. But
something in the gesture Of the peas
ant boy: something about his seat in
the saddle. about the touch of his hands
on the rein. gave Francois a curious
underlined shock. In the growing day
light he turned toward the silent rider
The coat collar was up and the broad
bri.nnled soft hat drawn down. The
slim figure. outlined aginst the cool
pink vastness of the morning sky was
clad like an ordinary young peasant
yet! There was a potse, a sure grace
which seemed unlike a peasant. which
seemed like
Have we far to go?" Francois de-
znanded suddenly in French.
The head turned swiftly; black ex-
aggeratcd lashes lifted and under them
were the blue eyes he knew.
Alike"
He cried it out loud. reckless. for
getting everything. But she did not
forget. In ar instant her hand was
on his mouth. Inc she was whispering
in terror.
Francois. dear Francois. be care
fui. We are nor safe yet. We have
village to ride through-see.- there is a
house. 1t is almost time for them to
be walk Ride fast. It is two miles
| yet"
They We're racing again over the sof,
ground. the horses unshod feet makins
little noise. and Francois heart was
PLAYING mad music. No need now OF
down the sand OF a lonely beach. and
with that there was a little group OF
people and q boat drawn up: and they
nad pulled in the horses, and Francois
felt himself lifted off like a child and
lying like a very little. worn-out child
In the generals arms: and the
general was CRYING. swearing. huggine
him without shame. Pietro was there:
Fietro was rubbing the thin hands in q
tueite useless sort of way, and hold.
ms them by turns to his face. Alike
her peasant hat of now, bent owe,
them. iovelier than ever before. not
minding her boys dress. and smiled a,
also who took the horses. and Fran.
co.'s wondered II he had heard arigh,
that Alike called him little Battista.'
wondering very much at everything
the voices Rrew far away and the face.
uncertain: and he decided that 1t wa
wltnout doubt q dream and that Bat.
tista would unlock the door shortly ant
orfng In his breakfast. And with. tina,
ne knew nothing more till he awoke ii
q h0et.