Show CHAPTER XIV XIVA A Prisoner of Love Alice put on her warmest wa clothes and followed Captain Farnsworth to the fort realizing that no pleasant experience experienCe ence enee awaited her ber The wind and rain still prevailed when they were ready read to t set forth and although It was nOt hot extremely cold a ri a searching arching chilt chU went with every e er throb that marked the storms waves No o lights tights shone in inthe Inthe Inthe the village houses Overhead a gray gloom covered cO red stars and sky sk making the darkness in the watery water streets seem densely black Farnsworth of offered offered Alice his arm but she did not accept it itI ItI itI I know the way better than IOU jou ou do she said Come on and dont don t be afraid that I am going to run I Ishall Ishall Ishall shall not play any an tricks on you youVer ou Very Ver well wen mademoiselle lle as you ou like I trust you Jou JouHe He followed her from the house He lie was so filled with the bitterness of or what wha he lie was doing that lie e carried her sword in his hand all the way to the fort quite unaware that its point often touched her dress so that she plainly plain I felt it Indeed she thought he was w s using that and dangerous means of keeping pace with her He had bad sent the patrol on its rounds tak taking lag ing in upon himself the responsibility of delivering her to Hamilton She al almost almost almost most ran urged by b the strange excite excitement excitement ment meat that burned in her heart and he be followed somewhat awkwardly a lly stumbling over oer the unfamiliar way in inthe inthe inthe the rain and an darkness At every eer step he was wishing that she would escape from him Coarse as his nature was vas and distorted by hard hardening hardening hardening ening experiences it was rooted in its good English honestly and imbued with a spirit When hen af ea happened too often he fell feU under the Influence of liquor the bad in hi him promptly came caine but at an all another another other times his better traits made him hima m ma a good fellow fello to meet genial polite generous and inclined to recognize the finer sentiments of manliness To march into his bis commanders presence with Alice as his prisoner lacked ev everything e everything of agreeing with his taster taste yet et he be had not been willing whiling to give ghe her h r o over er into the hands of the patrol patro If H his regard for military obligation had not been en exceptionally strong stron even n for an English soldier he hf would have hae given ghen way wa to the temptation of taking her to some place of hiding and safety instead of oC brutally subjecting her to Hamiltons harsh judgment He anticipated a trying experience for L hr hron r ron on account of this new fled fie transgression They The hastened along until a lantern in the fort tort shot a hazy haw gleam upon them Stop a moment mademoiselle Farnsworth called hI I say a Miss iss lions Rous Roussillon sillon stop a moment please Alice Allee halted and turned facing fa ing him so 50 short and so o suddenly that the lh rapier in his bis hand pricked through her wraps and slightly scratched her arm What bat do you Jou mean sir she de demanded demanded thinking that he be had thrust purposely purpose Do I deserve this bru brutality taUt You mistake mev rne Miss iss Roussillon I cannot you now non fear me I only had a word to say 53 Oh Ob you yon deem it very ery polite and aDd gentle to jab me with your sword do doyon you yon If I I had one In my m hand haud you would not dare try such a thing and you know It very ery well wen He was amazed un d not knowing that the sword point had touched her He lie could not see fee her face Cace but bat there was wac wasa waca a flash In her voice olee that startled him tim with its indignant contempt and re resentment resentment resentment What are you saying Miss Rons ROls sillon I dont understand you ou Then Where did I ever when did I jab you yo with I my sword I never ne er thought of such sucha a thing I This moment sir you did and you yon know you Ou did My uy arm is now She spoke rapidly in French but he I caught her meaning and for the first time became becam aware of or the rapier in his hand Even Een then its point was wag toward her and very near her breast He low lowered lowered lowered ered it instantly while the truth rushed into his mind Forgive e me he murmured his bis words barely audible in the the th wind and rain but bat charged with witta the feeling g |