Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1915-12-14

rock wall perhaps tnSIc 80
cave" said she.
"z5urry.s said Count Frederick.
aRun and hide yourself there at once.
AS she obeyed he set about certain
mans of his own. He dung nimsen
down upon the sand ct the edge OF tns
cl;s and left a trail, as though ne
had been flung over and down. Here
and there he pulled loose certain
shrubs to strengthen that impression
in the mind of any pursuer VINO might
come. Then, retreating toward ene
mouth Of the cave where Kitty hao
eacreted herself, he obscured his own
trail IN the sand as best he could Dy
hrnsbing away the footprints with
broken bough, trusting to the strong
wind to complete his own Dungiihs
work at covering his trail
"Mademoiselle, said he, Wnen at
length he Joined her. I'VE now have
done all that we can do. we nave no
food no water, no weapons ne
showed his empty revolver. All we
can do is to wait and hope
Covering in their hiding place they
law for what might have been an
hour before they heard the voices OF
any pursuers. Then they saw emerge
along their old passageway the ng'
nres of several of the natives, who
stood jabbering. weapons in hana'
looking this way and that, seemingly
too much excited to have much care.
One of these ran TO the broken tran
mark at the edge of the blum, and
shouting in excitement, returned.
with no more ado, and apparently
without suspecting the actual trail OF
the two fugitives, they all now MADE
off to the right, shouting loudly, ana
disappeared from view-no DOUBT
along some steep path known only
TO themselves.
"Thev have gone" said Count Fred
erick. and / 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 is
there for US ncw?"
Courage, mademoiselle! was his
response. That we have lived
through such perils means that there
is a purpose for it-one purpose.
mo, said Kitty Gray. 1T has been
too much. We are lost. There is no
food. no water. Even il 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 1t
it's chilling airs. They must have
fire. yet a 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 offer
warmth within the cave, and where
It would be practically invisible from
any direction except from the sea.
Indeed, be 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 1t.
The night wore away, passed as 1t
was ia 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 a
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
to madness for woman to attempt
a descent here-still more hopeless
for woman weakened with hunger
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
now
1T is WE'LL said she at length. sim
ply-"we shall live or die-together"
Together, mademoiselle? Tell
ne"
But her hand, raised in sheer weari-
ness, arrested him. calling upon all his
chivalry.
We will be able to endure our hun
ger for day, at least" said he. Our
light shines far. Let US devote at
least another day to hope. II none
comes. why, then we can die"
"Yes," said she, simply, that comes
at last to all. But let us try to
hope!"
They faced second night, endless
in length, and faced another dawn-at
first they thought hateful dawn, and
no more kind than the night had
been. But even as this feeling of apa-
thetic resentment grew in their souls,
Kitty Gray raised her lusterless eyes
as she heard an exclamation from her
companion.
Look exclaimed Count Freder-
lex. Look, A salt"
She stared out over the sea. There
lay the dearest object that could meet
her eyes-a low white fieck, or dot,
rising and falling. just inside the rim
OF the defiant