Bogalusa enterprise. [volume] (Bogalusa, La.) 1914-1918, 1915-12-23
PAGE !

I ~
yond, at the base of the cliff. narT
row, slitlike aperture showed in the
rock wall. Perhaps there is another,
cave" said she.
Hurry said Count Frederick.
Run and hide yourself there at once.
AS she obeyed he set about certain
plans of his own. He flung himself
. down upon the sand at the edge OF the
cliff, and left trail, as though he
had been flung over and down. Here
and there he pulled loose certain
| shrubs to strengthen that impression
in the mind of any pursuer who might
come. Then, retreating toward the
mouth of the cave where Kitty had
secreted herself, he Obscured his own
trail in the sand as best he could by
brushing away the footprints with q
broken bough, trusting to the strong
wind to complete his own bunglingl
work at covering his trail.
"Mademoiselle,' said he, when at
length he joined her. I'VE now have
done all that we can do. We have no
food, no water, no weapons-' he
showed his empty revolver All We
can do is to wait and hope"
Covering in their hiding place, they,
lay for what might have been an
hour before they heard the voices OF
any pursuers. Then they saw emerge
along their old passageway the IT,
ures of several of the natives, who
stood jabbering, weapons in hand.
looking this way and that, seemingly
too much excited to have much care.
One Of these ran to the broken trail
mark at the edge Of the bluff, and,
shouting in excitement, returned.
With no more ado, and apparently
without suspecting the actual trail Of
the two fugitives, they all now made
of to the right, shouting loudly, and
. disappeared from view-no doubt
along some steep path known only
to themselves.
.. They have gone" said Count Fred.
erick, land fancy will not return.
They think US dashed to death on the
. rocks below"
.. I'VE might as well be-" said Kitty
: Gray, alphabetically. What hope 10
there for US now?" o
= Courage, mademoiselle! was his
response. THAT we have lived
through. such perils means that there
}, is purpose for tone purpose"
, mo, said Kitty Gray. 1T has been
too much. We are lost. There Is no
food, no water. Even II there were
: what chance is there for an escape?
Even should there never be an es.
= cape, mademoiselle, life here with you
would be better than life anywhere
else in the world without you"
But, utterly worn out, she only
shook her head and turned away.
!, Completely exhausted, at length she
fell asleep. He spread about her his
own coat and kept watch. !
Night came at length, and with It
it's chilling airs. They must have
fire, yet fire might announce their
presence there. Count Frederick
gathered some bits of dried wood here
and there, and at length ventured to
!. build a fire where it would Ofler
warmth within the cave, and where
it would be practically invisible from
any direction except from the sea.
:. Indeed, he felt that they must take
this chance, since only from the sea
, could they have any hope Of escape.
Their beacon light would shine wide
ly, and perhaps some passing mariner
> might see it.
. The night wore away. passed az It
was in hunger and in chill, with moth
ing to soften the hard floor of the
; rocky cavern. There was no break
fast for them, there was not even q
I drop of water to assuage their grow
ing thirst.
Once more Count Frederick searched
out every corner of their narrow refuge
ground. To attempt escape directly
|. down the face of the cliff would have
,, been sheer madness. He followed the
trail which the natives had made
when they passed to the right along
the rock wall. Apparently they had
descended by swinging from one tree
:: trunk to another. 1t would be equal
I to madness for a woman to attempt
: a descent here-still more hopeless
> for woman weakened with hunger
l and fatigue. He told Kitty the truth,
. as he now found it.
Leave me" said she, weakly.
Save yourself"
. Leave you, mademoiselle? said
he. Never! Not until death do us
part shall we be separated
He read something of his answer in
.. the look in the eyes turned upon him
y | now.
1T is WE'LL" said she at length, sim.
ply-"we shall live or die-together."
). Together, madem0iselle? Tell
: me-"
But her hand, raised in sheer weari.
. ness, arrested him, calling upon all his
chiyalrv