The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-05-10

private letters from England, a vast flask Of whisky, and half a box of ex- cel1ent cigars
 It occurred to me that with any luck we might get to the neighbor- hood of VendoIne by dawn, in which case I could wake the old gentleman at six o'clock or so, obtain his re- sponse, and be in Paris at the ap- pointed time. With which comforting thought, having watched the wonders of the famous Bordeaux high road for some time, at length fell fast asleep, to discover, when awoke, that the stars were shining upon me, and that we had left Chartres some way behind us.
 The Adventure Begins.
 Here I may say that the military traffic of which I have spoken had practically ceased. The war lay east and north of Paris, as we know, and although latter1y the great West was active enough, at that time it was only so ct intervals I had passed great deal of transport in the vicinity of Paris, but it ceased beyond Yer sailles, and now when I awoke I dis covered the famous old high road as deserted as had known 1t in the days before Armageddon.
 I had been listening for some while. wondering if I did not hear a car behind us. At last 1t came to me that We were being followed by d motor cyclist, and, looking through the back glass of the limousine. I could Just make him out, perhaps 50 yards behind us.
 There was nothing here surely to cause alarm. Military cyclists abound F,11 +t,,, r3,4 would be a despatch bearer as I was a Kings Messenger, and it was rath- CT pleasant to discover that we were travelling in company With this in my mind I sat back in the car again. and was almost asleep, when two pis- tOl shots rang out quite clearly above the din of the engine. A moment later our car swerved badly as though a tire had gone, and as it swerved 1t almost knocked over a cyclist behind us.
 On Fire.
 I heard a wild "Helloi" saw a black figure dash by. and then heard the voice of my own chauffeur telling me that he had burst a cover, and . that 1t would take probably ten min- 1 utes to change it. For this purpose he unlocked one of the side lamps and proceeded to inspect the dam age, while I stepped out on a the bank by the roadside, and took a cIg- arctic from my pocket. Imagine my astonishment when I could strike a match, the whole rear of the car was a mass of flames and the driver was staggering back from it as though somebody had fired pistol in his face. ''The petroI,' he cried to me ir French, it is the petrol The tank has burst Look out, monsieur! Stand away from it!''
 Well, there 1t was. I know thar | the motor cycHst first shot through one of our tires, ad then sent a bull 1 let thorugh the petrol tank beside it I did not know it then. What | thought had happened was that we l had had an ordinary puncture, and i with the car pumping on the road l suddenly, we had struck some ob. 1 stacIe which burst our reservoir. i Yet these were only theories, ant l the fact was a fire flaring up as higt | as the trees and lighting the coun- 1 tryside for a long way round. Sc | bright was it, and so intensely die the car burn, that I felt sure that we 1 should have assistance presently. IT l this I was not mistaken, for we haC 1 not been there five minutes, I sup 1 pose, when a very old man who look 1 ed like 8. steward of some mansion | came hobbling down a lane upon ouI 1 left-hand and uttered about a dozer 1 eXclamations. when he saw the con. i flagration. Then he disappeared a, l quickly seekin;g l am sure. son7f assistance for us.
 Taken In. l Monsieur is going to Tours" ht i said.
 told him that my road lay tha way.
 But monsieur cannot go now" ht 1 said. Tt will have to be the morn ing. Will he mt rest a little while i or would he wish to telephone?"
 At that I pricked up my ears How can I telephone?" asked him.
 He seemed astonished that I di, i not know
 '.Is there not the chatea,u?" h,
 said, and he pointed across the val | ley to an old white house standin! 1 upon the apology of a green hill
 Madame the Marquise would be de l lighted; she would wish monsieur t,
 make every use of her house. If vol
 will let me, I will show you" An, 1 he began to thump upon his sticl down the road, and [ to follow hin 1 as he had suggested
 l have said that it was a summer
 night; but it was very dark for al
 that. What I could make out of tn chateau was a building of the Renais
 sance period, with a fine pair of Iodg
 gates and an avenue Dordered b.
 pOplars leading to it's door. I shoul
 not have the slightest suspicion of tn
 house but for a quite excellent ca
 which prevents my ever forgettin l the identity of a voice.
 | This gift saved my reputation tha
 night
 We were. suppose, some twent
 or thirty paces from the door of tn
 chateu, when from the darkness of
 window above somebody asked m
 old friend the English gentleman ha
 come.
 In a twink1ng knew my lady
 It was distressed temale of the pack i et-boat, who had tried so hard t win my sympathy.
 Well, here was a pretty go. O
 course I realized instantly the peril i l which I stood.
 Immediately I preceived the whoI
 plot-the meaning of the burst petrc l tank and the character of the motn |, 1 cYclist who had hrOupht 11c +o orIe.