OCR Text |
Show the weary time he was wise enough CHAPTER XII. ADT FELICIE, Lady Fellcle! are you here?" A h u d d ering sob, a moaning cry, was his answer. He stooped down, lifted up the board flooring, and then taking her In his arms, as he would have c a rrled a helpless babe, descended the narrow ladder leading Into the subterranean chamber, which his forethought had provided. He laid her down on a narrow, but comfortable bed, and hurried hack to close the door and replace the That secured, he lighted a flooring. candle standing ready on the rude table, poured out a glass of wine, and approached her. Try this first, and then tell me If you arc Injured, dearest child." She looked up, pitifully Into his face. i j "Oh, Emile, Emile, my mother Is dead!" His face writhed In overmastering anguish. ' "I know It, my child; God help us! I was powerless to prevent I discovered that a body of men had left Frejus In that direction, and hurried after them. If I had only known this was to be the wedding night I should have been prepared. As it was, when I came, It was too late. We fought them desperately, and drove them off for a time but I believe It was a useless victory. I thought you were slain too, my child; I was sure I saw your white face lying by the counts; but when I return-a- d to the dreadful scene, I found no trace of you, only your torn veil. I feared that they bad carried you off; but a wild hope also led me to seek you here. Heaven be praised that you are spared!" Oh, my mother, my mother! moaned Fellcle. "Be comforted, my dear child, as I was there was no sign of violence, not a single marring blow, the fright muBt have killed her. She Is secure now from all these terrors which we are left ' I to face. "She has complained of her heart; yes, I thank Heaven, their vile touch did not send that pure soul to heaven," murmured Lady Fellcle, weeping piteously; oh, I am all alone, now. My child, you must be calm; I will try to be father and mother both the love I bore the sainted dead, is doubly yours. Other perils are still about us, I shall need your courage to help me. She wiped away her tears, and laid her hand trustingly In his. "I will do my best, mon pere Emile. He turned away to hide the tears. Which came swelling into his eyes at words, and said these touching huskily: : "I must go back to the chateau be- fore that ruffian band return with augmented strength. We will secure jail valuables possible, that they may believe we were there only for the sake of plunder. And you will need clothing; can you tell me where to find It? Bhe gave him brief directions, and j added anxiously: "But If they return, and overpower what will become of me? There Is no danger. They muBt go to Frejus, first; my men still hold the chateau. We are all masked, so they cannot recognize us; In an hours time we shall be safely dispersed. I shall bring what is needed for you, for one cannot tell how long they may keep us here. The bodies are decently Interred In the garden, by this tlma Have no fear of violence, and try to spare yourself more anguish than is possible. Tou will be calm and patient while I leave you? Will the light show j "I will try. .1 ventilation comes the Oh, no; of another hollow trunk the through you : r We need be cautious about tree. smoke; but light, not In the least you would be dreary enough In the dark. Thank you; do. not delay. ; pale-featur-ed . single-arme- d, ht Go now. He left her to a two hours solitude, but It was not so trying to bear as she had feared. The extreme anguish and excitement of the terrible scene through which she had passed had left her brain numb and torpid. Sitting down by the couch, with her head leaning against the pillow, she dozed away the time, and started to her feet In thi vague alarm of sudden awakening from sleep, when Emile again deA scended from the upper room. young man with a very pale face and evidently weak and suffering who was dressed in a plain citizens suit, accompanied him. Emile at once explained. "A friend of mine, mademoiselle, who has got Into difficulty with the mob, and he must be concealed, likewise. She bowed, and looked compasalou-- at the youth. I not to mention it. But why do I waste the precious time? exclaimed he, suddenly. 1 must have everything safe below greund, ere that disappointed villain can return. He has met his deserts, for all the diamonds he hoped to secure have fallen into my possession. I need "I hope I will not Intrude upon the not assure you they will be saved for lady, observed the stranger In very you. "Why cannot I take the things at the weak accents; If I were not so bedoor? It will save you much time, and wildered and helpless, I would try to the Invalid is sound asleep. find other shelter. "Perhaps It will be wise; the time is "Nay," answered Lady Fellcle, earnestly; I have stood too sorely In need flying rapidly. Come then, and throw of a friend myBelf, to be chary of my down the ladder, as fast as I bring the goods. sympathy for others. She clambered ater him to the upper He ought to lie down at once; he has received a very severe blow upon round, and stood In the secret doorway hts head. I am thankful there are two watching him leaping away. He returned laden heavily. Lady Fellcle compartments to my den. And as he spoke, Emile removed a gathered the lightest of the goods in board at one end of the small room, her arms, and ran down with them, and showed another small chamber. returning speedily for the others. He did not hint for whom he had pre- They worked steadily for nearly an pared It, to wound afresh the daugh- hour.. Then Emile came dashing back to the tree with a small trunk. ters grief. "The last, thank Heaven! and it Is My men are bringing the needed only just In time. They have returned spoils from the chateau; I must go and with reinforcements; I hear a terrific them In, for I bade them leave bring all at the edge of the wood, not daring din around the chateau. "I hope none of your friends are to trust even those brave fellows with the secret of this retreat. Can you, there?. "Oh, no; I charged them to disperse mademoiselle, bathe this poor sufferas rapidly as possible; there Is little er's head, while I am gone? And bending over her, he whispered: mischief they can do except What? except what! cried Fellcle, "Do not betray your name and rank. He believes you to be a lowly born frightened at the uneasy look on his relative of mine; ds not undeceive face; "they will not desecrate the him. graves, surely? "They are fiendish enough for anyFellcle obeyed him promptly. It was Indeed a blessed relief from torturing thing, but there Is little to be gained thought to be doing anything. As the by such a course. They have fired the weary head sank feebly upon the pil- chateau. Lady Fellcle. Will you take a low with a moan of anguish, she look at It, ere it falls, and fiot be disdipped the cloth Into the ewer of water, tressed beyond my comforting? She caught her breath convulsively standing near, and began bathing It and stood a moment In shivering siShe shuddered as she parted tenderly. the silky, brown hair, and saw the lence, then held out her hand to him. He had closed the door of the tree, frightful contusion, where some terriand new took her hand tenderly, and ble blow had fallen. "He does not look like a peasant, so led her forward to the edge of the delicately featured, with such a refined wood. The stars had paled in sudden look!" mused she. I have never seen a finer face. It reminds me of some affright at the bright glare which rose princely youth I have admired In pic- up from the turbulent scene below. The chateau was like one huge mantures. Is It, Indeed, to be proved sion carven in glowing carbuncle. misthrough this rc!gn of terror, to guided France that her noblemen must Never had Its symmetry and beauty be those of natures dubbing only? struck Lady Fellcle so forcibly as now Where will It end? and what will when every arched window, and quaint become of me, wretched child that gable, and doomed porch was framed I am, to have survived all that I hold In a burning line of dazzling flame. It was so grand and beautiful a dear? The last words were unconsciously sight, she forgot her personal Interest In its fate, and with hushed breathing spoken aloud. Nay, dearest one, responded the and entranced eye, sbp watched the voice of Emile, as he entered with his huge sea of fire waver to and fro,' as If arms full. "If this world were all, you playing with Its victim; now sweeping might have cause for despair; but a broad dash of red, seething flame when you remember that an angel across the lofty front, now rising up In mother waits for your approach to an- one vast spiral column of dense smoke other and brighter world, surely you to the very sky. All at once It wavered the whole can pluck a rose even from the ashes of desolation; you are young, this great building seemed to give one direworld it ay yet afford you the sweetest ful shudder at its fate, and gather Itand purest happiness. Be comforted, self up proudly to meet It One brief Instant Lady Fellcle saw Languedoc my child be calm and courageous. chateau before her eyes, every line di"I will, my noble, generous friend, answered Fellcle, with the first feeble stinct every arch perfect the next It rmlla. toppled, crumbled, disappeared. She turned with a wild sob. Emile took her hand again, and CHAPTER XIIL FTER depositing without a word led her away toward his load, Emile the wood. Between It and them rose up a dark turned to look at the Buffering youth. figure. "Halt! thundered a hoarse voice, His eyes were closed, and a wan "and let me know who It Is watching circle of deathly the burning of the accursed nest of pallor was around aristocrats with grief. Emile set his teeth hard upon his the parted lips, through which the lip, and caught his companion up in his breath came fit- arms. She uttered no single cry of alarm. fully and hoarsely. "I feared It, murmured Emile, anx- Already had she been taught the courhe will have a tedious Illness, age of desperation. iously; He ran swiftly as was possible with at the very lightest. It is very unfortunate, as I hoped to get away before such a burden, in the direction of the the general rising. But he deserves our chateau, and gained the shelter of a tenderest care; he is a noble youth. I thicket of trees; then as his pursuer met him first one of those wild nights dashed by them, he wheeled suddenly In Paris. The maddened crowd, surg- and made desperate efforts to reach the ing back from the palace of the king, wood again. were maltreating a poor old priest, He succeeded, and that was all; as who had ventured to rebuke them. the door of the hollow tree closed beThe young man, without hind them, the fierce spy came stuma weapon of any kind, sprang to the bling along In the path. rescue of the poor wretch. I shall Emile sat down his trembling comnever forget the picture, as he stood panion, and put his ear to the side of in the middle of the street, the red the tree trunk. torch-ligA volley of oaths escaped the bafflaring over his erect figure, placed before the priest as a shield, fled wretch. .with his Indignant, flashing eyes, his "They have cheated me again. I heroic, defiant bearing. My heart went swear it must be some of the royalists, out to him at once. For a moment, too, or they would not have fled so desperhe held the crowd back but, mon ately. Ill go back to Captain Pierre, Dleu! there were some demented crea- and well search the . whole ground tures who could have slaughtered an over; there sha'nt be a head left on Innocent babe In Its mothers arms one of their necks, If I can help it. without a scruple. With a yell they And muttering other Inaudible anleaped upon him. Then it was my turn athemas, he went away again, to step forward. I had some power :to ns mxrisrosu. then, and they yielded. So from that A Squirrel Capacious Month. time, I have watched the gallant felDummerston A (Vt.) man wished to low, and never once has he disaphow many kernels of corn a ascertain pointed my high expectations. What could carry in Its mouth. say you, Lady Fellcle, shall we let him chipmunk kernels were placed on a board, Thirty die now? carried them all away at A "No, no, cried the girl, eagerly; "it onesquirrel time. Forty-fiv- e kernels were then shall be my task to nurse him back to In position, and chippy got away placed health. with all of them at that trial. Seventy Emile smiled quietly. kernels were put on the board for a If it was much satisfaction to know third trial The little striped animal she would have an Interesting employ- was beaten this time, but succeeded In ment to keep her mind from brooding carrying of the kernels in over her misfortunes, and to beguile his mouth. Boston Herald. fifty-eig- ht BROADSIDE SHOTS. land. On the 22d day of last September the bankers of London Joined la unanimous protest against bimetallism QUESTIONS SUGGESTED BY and the English government has now refused to make the concession for BRYANS SPEECHES. which our commissioners asked. Does this not support our contention Tho Kind of Firing Thnl Will Sink tho that the gold standard Is advocated by tho Bopnbllena Ship Host Ynr Tho the capitalistic classes of the world? of a liaaBa la Bad Box uold Party 15. The Republican party, in ts Cannot Wla. platform of 1896, after pledging Itself to International bimetallism, declared L The United States adopted bithat the gold standard must be mainIn 1792 unmetallism and continued It tained until the leading commercial 1873 elghty-on- e til years during nations rhlch time no party ever condemned lism. joined in International bimetalbimetallism in a national convention. Is It well to thus allow the leading Has any other financial policy been commercial nations of Europe to dic10 universally commended? tate the financial policy of the United 2. The United States adopted the States? nagold standard In 1873, without any tional party asking to have the change PROSPERITY STRIKING IN. made. Has congress ever made any other Bradstreets: "While the general change approaching this In the Im- trade movement la somewhat irregular portance without the people demandand there are further evidences of ing it through some party? falling off in demand and volume, bus3. The gold standard was maininess continues of large proportions. tained In the United States from 1873 to 1896, during which time no party Speculation in wool has ceased and demand for the staple Is less than for commended It In a national conven- weeks past. Cotton goods are dull on tion. the weakness of raw cotton, and jobHas the United States ever endured bers report dry goods slower than a any other policy for so long a time week ago. Interior merchants In the without some party defending the central West have not distributed fall policy? stocks as promptly as expected, and 4. The law repealing the purchasmany Jobbers at Western centers find ing clause of the Sherman law de- that they overestimated the consumpclared it to be the policy of the United tive demand when securing fall States to continue the use of both gold goods. and silver as standard money, and furR. G. Dun ft Co.: "After the heaviest ther declared that the efforts of the buying known In many branches In government should be steadily directed September It was natural and desirable to the establishment of a safe system that a more quiet period should give of bimetallism. time for testing the size and temper Why should the government direct of the retail trade and for distributing Its efforts toward the establishment of part of the enormous quantities any kind of bimetallism If the gold bought In textile goods the rush of standard Is satisfactory to the peo- orders went far beyond all distributive demand In August and prevented great ple of the United States? 5. When, In 1896, the bolting Demreplenishment of stocks and the simocrats Indorsed the gold standard they ilar rush for goods has been correpolled less than 1 per cent of the votes spondingly great In other lines during of the United States and carried only the past two months. In Iron and steel one precinct in the union a precinct and In boots and shoes there was actual danger of a speculative Inflation In which there were only six votes and the bolting Democrats only polled of prices, such as was seen in 1895, but It has been avoided apparently for three out of the six. this season by the solid sense of leadmore ever Was any financial policy business ing men, who regard time of completely repudiated? 6. The bolting Democrats, when comparative quiet as essential to the members of the Chicago convention of coming and permanence of prosperity In their lines. As the buying for re1896, joined In a minority report declaring In favor of International bi- plenishment Is partially satisfied and diminishes there Is some decrease In metallism. the volume of transactions. bimetDemocrats Were the bolting allists at Chicago, or did they try to Wilson wholesale and retail practice fraud upon the rest of the Jewelers ofBros., have made an asBoston, convention? No statement signment. of the liabil7. The Republican party had never ities and assets have been given out, declared the gold standard to be a but the former are to said be In the 1892 blessing to the United States. In of neighborhood 375,000. the Republicans at Minneapolis declared that the American people from The stockholders of the Mutual Untradition and interest favored bimetal- ion Loan and Building Association at lism. , have decided that the organChicago Have the traditions or the Interests ization go Into liquidation. of the American people changed since The assets of thevoluntary association are 1892? and the liabilities about the 8. In 1896 the Republican party same. promised to promote International bimetallism and Mr. McKinley, In his Deputy Attorney-GenerReeder, at letter of acceptance, pledged himself Harrisburg, Pa., applied to the court to carry out that promise. for a receiver for the Iron City Fire If the gold standard has been a Insurance comprny of Pittsburg. The benefit to the United States, why application was at once granted, and should the Republican party try to Elmer W. Moore, of Pittsburg, was apabandon it and substitute the double pointed receiver. Judgments to the standard by international agreement? amount of 330,000 have been entered 9. As soon as Mr. McKlnely was against the company. elected he asked congress for authorJohn S. Cunnlnr m ft Co., plcklers ity to appoint a commission to visit and leadsecure of aid the the and grocers of Philadelphia, have Europe an assignment for the benefit of made in commercial of nations Europe ing creditors. Liabilities 335,000; assets abandoning the gold standard. If the gold standard is a blesBlng not given. why did Mr. McKinley send a commls-isio- n The Worcester Cycle Manufacturing to Europe to get rid of It? 10. A Republican congress, by an Company of Middletown, Conn., has almost unanimous vote, appropriated been declared insolvent by lodge Da3100,000 pay the expenses of the mone- vis In the probate court on application of a stockholder. tary commission. If the gold standard Is the standard Aa Unmitigated LI a. .of clvillzaztlon, why did the RepubWendell Phillips, being asked lican party spend 3100,000 in trying to What can be better than a good bank 'get rid of It? bill with a gold dollar behind It? rz 11. The French government expressed a willingness to restore bi- piled, Oh, sir, that would be pretty metallism by International agreement good money If It were not a He. But and joined our commissioners In ask- the whole thing is a false pretense a swindle. The gold dollar Is never being England's standard j has been a hind a dollar bill, except Just when If the gold no one wants It The moment It Is .blessing to France why is France willneeded It Is not there, and can't really Its to abandon gold standard and ing be there. Why? Simply because the substitute International bimetallism? 12. Within three years the German worlds trade, despite all the aids of the most recent and Improved bankrelchstag has adopted a resolution deing, properly requires, say ten times of favor biin international claring as much currency as both gold and metallism. furnish. The two metals comsilver If he gold standard has been a some six thousand millions each prise was the popblessing to Germany why 312,000,000,000 thousand milular branch of the German assembly lions in all). This(twelve Is the total accumuwilling to abandon the gold standard lation of the ages. But the world cant and substitute International bln..tal-lism- ? do business, cant exchange Its commodities, without using more than a Will the Republicans say that the hundred thousand millions of currenproducers of wealth do not know what cy. So the gold and sliver will not Is good for them, or should only finango around. If one country has enough ciers be consulted In monetary legis- some other is drained and cornered. lation? Paper money was invented to over14. The monetary commission recome this difficulty. But If there ! mained in England for three months, ouly one metallic dollar behind ten and the press dispatches reported that dollars In bank bills, or five, or the commissioners were confident of why not recognize the fact andthree, not j 13. The gold standard has been Inpromise an Impossibility, specie redorsed by bankers, financiers and demption on demand? The great lie chambers of commerce, but It had called specie basis has destroyed the never been Indorsed by the producers commercial prosperity of the United of wealth In any nation In the world, States once In about every seven years obtaining some concession from Eng slice the nation started. 382,-13- 0, al : 1 J ; |