The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-09-15
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Of a day even more oppressive
than its yesterday. In the valley
OF the Dourbie the air was stag
nant, Meless, After eight miles Of
1t Duchemin was guilty Of two
mistakes Of desperation.
In the first instance he paused In
La Roque-Sainte-M Marguerite and,
tormented by thirst, refreshed him
self at the auberge where the
barouche and guide had been hired
to convey the party from /Montalais
on to Montpelier. The landlord re-
membered Duchemin and made be-
lieve he didn't, serving the way.
farer with a suriy grace.
Duchemin drank sitting on a
bench outside the door OF the
auberge. He could hear the voice Of
the landlord inside, grumbIing and
growing, to what purport he
couldn't determine. Before Duche-
min was finished he found himself
the cynosure Of more than a few
pair of eyes set in the ill.fayored
faces of natives OF La Rogue.
One gathered that the dead guide
had enjoyed fair amount OF local
popularity.
While DuchemIn drank, a lout Of
a lad shambled out Of the auberge.
caught and saddled dreary ami.
NAL amounted and rode of In the
direction OF Nant.
Then Duchemin committed his
second error Of Judgment, which
consisted in thinking to find better
and cooler air on the heights
across the river.
Accordingly he crossed the
Dourbie, reaching the top in a
bath Of sweat, and sat down TO
cool and breathe himself.
The view was splendid. almost
worth the climb. Duchemin could
see for miles up and down the
valley. Across the way Duchemin
identified the figure Of the land
lord, standing in the door of the
auberge with arms raised and
elbows thrust out on a level with
his eyes: the pose Of man using
field-glasses.
Having rested he picked him
self up, found his road, mere
trail of wagon tracks, and mindful
OF the cooling drinks to be had in
the Cafe de rUnivers, put his best
foot foremost.
After a time something, call II
Instinct, impelled him to look back
the way he had come. Half mile
distant he saw the figure of n
peasant following the same road.
Duchemin stopped and waited for
the other to come up. But when
he stopped the man stopped, sat
him down upon a rock, filled a
pipe, and conspIcuously rested.
Duchemln gave an impatient ges.
ture and moved on. After another
mile he glanced over shoulder
again. The same peasant occupied
the same relative distance from
him.
In dusk of evening he stumbled
down into the valley again and
! struck the river road about midway
between the Chateau de Montalais
! and Nant. At this junction several
dwellings clustered. Duchemin no.
ticed a few shadowy shapes loiter.
ing about, but was. too far gone in
fatigue and thirst to pay them any
heed. He had no thought but to
stop at the first house and beg a
cup OF water. AS he lifted hand
to knuckle the door he was attack.
ed.
With no more warming than a
cry, the signal for the onslaught,
and the sudden scuffling noise Of
several pair Of feet, he wheeled,
found himself already closely
pressed by a number of men, and
struck out at random. His stick
struck on somebody's head with a
resounding thump followed by "a
yell of pain. Then three men were
graphing with him, two more seek