Newberg graphic., November 13, 1903, Image 6

^
C H A P T E R X II.—4Continued.) ,
*The brigands were having a merry ca­
rousal after their return; and Gasparde,
maddened by the cool, courageona defi­
ance of his prisoner, and with reflecting
on the loss of the prize he had thought
so 8afe, joined recklessly in the insane
riot. The leaping, dancing fire of fagots
glowed redly in the center of the cavern,
carting a ruddy light upon each of those
dark, swarthy, unshorn countenances,
grim and fierce, that clustered about it.
Higher and higher leaped the flames, and
more noisy grew the merriment of the
brigands, till, finally, there came a lull
In the wild tempest of mirth. One by
one grew lesa clamorous,* slowly drows­
iness overcame them, and shortly every
iimu lay rtretched upon the heaps of
skins that covered the cavern floor, in
a torpor, even to Gasparde himself.
With cat-like caution, a light tread de­
scended the rough-hewn steps; a dark
form was visible by the red glow of the
' smoldering embers; slowly ami carefully
down from the mouth it came, pausing
at each step, and Rnimonde’s eyes glanc­
ed from face td face of those sleepers.
He had been watching ever since this
noisy revel commenced, and now was the
time come when, without guard or watch­
er. the way was left dear for him.
Stealing noiselesaly in, he scattered up­
on the dying embers, from a small par­
cel in his hand, a fine powder that caus­
ed a light crackling sound as it fell
among them, and almost immediately a
cloud of thin white vapor arose, spreading
and circling till it filled the entire env-
era, and a curious odor, faint, yet over*
powering, was perceptibly proceeding
from it. Ralmonde, holding a handker­
chief to his face, waited some five or ten
minutes, then, approaching the senseless
form of Gaaparde, dexterously removed
from the leathern belt‘ about his waist
the ponderous keys that belonged to the
cells.
i “ Safe enough now, monsieur le capl-
taine. I’ ll warrant!” he muttered, with
a low chuckle. “ You should be a little
leas careless. All people are not as hon­
est as yonrself!”
Swiftly and quietly he traversed the
gallery leading to the cells and opened
the first door. It chanced to be the one
in which the count was confined. Louis
heard the heavy key turning in the
wards; he looked to see Gasparde. Bat
k was a careful hand that unclosed the
door, and silently Into the cell stepped
- Raimonde.
“ Hist! be quiet, monsieur le compte!”
’ he whispered, as Louis, recognizing him,
sprang to his feet, with a half-suppress­
ed exclamation of surprise; “ do not
speak. I have come to give you your
liberty:"
‘ *My liberty, Raimonde! Where are
the brigands? Where is Gasparde?”
“ Sound asleep, monsieur; and I have
some reason to believe they won’ t wake
in a hurry. I have given them something
to help^. Here—I will take off these jew ­
els of yours; I dare say you won’t be
sorry to be rid of them.” And stooping
down, lié unlocked and knocked off the
fetters of the count.
“ Ten thousand thanks, Raimonde!” ex­
claimed Louis, warmly. “ But how did
yon ¿now we had been retaken?”
“ I had returned to the cavern to get
something which I had left here, mon­
sieur, and was going away again, when
we saw the men coming back with yon
and Jacques. You were in a swoon, I
suppose, for it took two or three to carry
you. W e had some ado to get ont of
their way—Michel and I—without being
- see».- - I watched, afterwards, while they
were carousing around the fire, and stole
in. They are quiet enough now. Gome,
monsieur; but stop a moment. I see you
will need something more than what you
wear now. I will come back in a mo­
ment.”
He left the cell, and directly returned,
carrying a bundle of garments very much
like those Louis was accustomed to weár
in his excursions about the country. The
young man lost no time in assuming
them, and then left the cell with his com­
panion. How his heart leaped! What
a thrill ran through him as he felt that
he was once more at liberty!
'■ ‘ Raimonde’ s next step was to liberate
Jacqnes. The poor fellow was almost
beside himself with joy, and only the ab-
aolute need of silence kept him from giv­
ing unbounded expression to his delight.
Stepping cautiously among the extend­
ed forms of the dragged slumberers, the
three rapidly ascended to the entrance,
sprang out upon the forest soil and sped
rapidly and silently hway in the early
dawn.' Cool and fresh the morning wind
came to the brows of these men, so lately
prisoners, and it was like the benediction
of an angel. For some distance they
pursued their way together, and then
Raimonde paused.
' “ Now, monsieur le compte, I will leave
you, as I wish to «trike off to the right
■ here. I should like to have Jacques go
with me.”
“ Well—well; then I bid you adieu!” re­
turn«! the count, warmly, grasping his
hand; “ and I trust we shall meet again,
when I may offer yon a more adequate
reward for your services than you re­
ceived Inst night. I thank you a thou­
sand times, my friend!”
And they separated, Raimonde and
Jacques taking a right-hand direction,
and Louis keeping the path to tbs cha­
teau.
Suddenly, Its he advanced, some object
upon the. ground attracted hi* attention.
Picking It op, he found it to bs a little
tiny slipper, i t was one of hers! He
had teen her wear it often. He gazed
upon it for a moment with feelings of un­
utterable emotion, and then placed it in
his breast.
“ Poor little Rose!” he murmured ten­
derly; “ where are you now?”
With the little relic safe in his breast,
he pressed on. Soon he observed that
the turf all-about him appeared to have
been trampled and crushed with many
feet, whose impress it still bore. Every­
where as he went this appearance con­
tinued. Further on, he came upon a
torch lying extinguished upon the ground.
Anon he picked up a handkerchief, em­
broidered with a delicate cipher—Francis
Efgerton’s own. What could it mean? He
reflected a moment. Ye^—they had been
seeking her—the people from the chateau
—seeking for Rose, their lost darling.
And this torch was evidently one which
they had carried in their search by night.
He was encouraged to think that they
had found her.
“ And now, Gasparde,” he said, invol­
untarily speaking uloud—“ now, ifm ll
your anticipated victims are- safe from
your toils, look to your otfrn safety! for
that den of yours shall be opened to the
light, and its iniquitous secrets revealed.
An hundred men shall gather this day
and rout you from your fancied security!”
Even as he spoke he suddenly seemed
to hear voices shouting, one to another,
at a distance, though so faintly that he
paused to find whether he were not de­
ceived. No! faintly still, but sufficiently
perceptible not to be mistaken, the echo
o f those voice» came to hi* ear- on tha
still, clear air o f the morning, and the
sound came from the direction in which
he was going. He could scarcely doubt
that *they proceeded from parties in
search of him.
But at that very moment, as he Was
hastening forward, he also heard sounds
from the opposite diiection—a confuted
mingling of men’s voices, with harsh, dis­
cordant shouts, and the crashing and
tearing of forest branches. Could it be
that his captors had aroused from their
torpid slumber, discovered his escape and
were pursuing him? He paused to look
back.
Even os his glance pierced the inter­
stices o f those leafy, shadow« behind he
distinguished, at a considerable distance,
the figures of men whom he could not
V>5
,*
w
e« /'v
LOOTS P U R S U E D B T O À I P A K D K .
mistake—those wild-looking forma which
he had so lately beheld lying about the
smoldering embers of the cavern fire.
Three or four were in sight, but one was
far before the others, and dashing for­
ward with mad speed. It was Gasparde!
with his unshorn hair streaming wildly
about his face, and a long and glittering
knife brandished in his hand.
With sudden and firm resolution, Louis
turned, unarmed as he was, save with
the stick which had served thus far to
clear his puth, and prepared to meet him.
With a louder yell of triumph at be­
holding his anticipated victim so near,
the brigand rushed on.
“ I have you, monsieur!” he cried, with
a fiend's laugh'—*“ I have you! Who will
win Rose now?”
“ Not you, villain!” answered Louis,
sternly. And meeting the assassin, in his
mad career he struck down, with his
stick the uplifted knife that was ready
to drink bis heart’ s blood.
“ Ah!” shouted Gasparde, raging and
gnashing like a wild beast, as he snatch­
ed a pistol from his belt; “ I will know—
I will know who is to win! Come on, my
men! Strike—stab—slay!”
And, blind
with rage, he dashed at his adversary.
W hat was to be the fate of Louis?
There were four to one! But the other
three, tearing forward to the assistance
of their master, suddenly paused, and
then hastily turned and fled. Neither
Louis nor Gasparde, however, saw any­
thing beyond each other; while the young
count, with firm courage, grappled with
the brigand rtrief, and wrenching the dis­
charged weapon from his grasp, cast him
at full length upon the turf.
And now aid was at hand; for the
Marquis of Montauban- and Francis Eg-
erton, followed, by two or three of the
villagers, dashed into the little glade, to
the scene o f combat. With exclamations
of Joy, Louis and his uncle threw them­
selves into each other’ s arms; while Fran­
cis Egerton waved his cap gaily in the
air, and rtepped lightly forward to greet
Louis, calling, “ gound—found! my d e a r -
dear fellow!” and he clasped the young-
man In a cordial and laaghlng embrace;
bat hia handsome, deep-blue eyes spar­
kled with t o n * - -
— — ------ -
But their attention was attracted, la an­
other direction; for Gasparde bad risen
to his feet, end hie cry of rmge end de­
spair rang through the forest. Deserted
by his companions, who had fted on wit­
nessing the numbers o f the approaching
party, and destitute of weapons, he turn­
ed and was bounding away, when a shot
from one o f the villagers struck him.
With one horrible cry he sprang into the
sir and then fell heavily to the earth.
There woe n convulsive movement of the
limbs, a contraction, a sudden spasm,
and the,form was stretched out in mo­
tionless silence. Gasparde was dead!
There waa a time of silence, and then
Francis clasped the hand of Louis and
drew him gently away from the scene.
“ It Is too horrible!” he uttered, with a
shudder. “ Gome, dear Louis, to where
a fairer sight awaits yon; let us go and
meet Rose, oar sweet little blossom, who
owes to you her safety!”
“ She is safe, then!” said Louis, with
animation; “ at^ that repays me for all!”
“ Ay—sofa! W e found her in the wood
an hour or tw o since; and without wait­
ing longer than to meet Helen, and assure
her o f her aefety, the dear girl insisted
on guiding os instantly in th e. direction
of the cave in which she had been con­
fined. W e were proceeding thither, with
the domestics and villagers, armed with
any weapons St command, when we per­
ceived your term and that of your as-
sailant. But eee—yonder comes Rose on
the arm o f the Count de Clairville!”
It waa indeed the beautiful Rose, pale,
but smiling, who, advancing lightly in her
white robes, over the forest turf, met
Louis with a low cry of joy, and with
fervent gladness returned his silent but
eloquent embrace. Then she stood apart
as the Count de CtairviUe, with unspeak­
able emotion, greeted the escaped cap­
tive.
The bands o f people who had gathered
to assist in the search for the yonng count
were gay with rejoicing as they wended
their triumphant way back to their
homes; and at the gates of the chateau,
-the good marquis extended to them, one
and all, a cordial invitation to a merry­
making, during the following week, to
celebrate the happy return of his loat
children. -A n d then, among that joyful
family, there were fervent thanksgivings
and explanations followed and recitals of
past plot and peril; and not the ieast
blessed o f off was Helen Montauban,
who rejoiced none might know how deep­
ly, for it was as if life itself were re­
stored to her with the restoration o f her
cousin.
Jacques, making his appearance next
day at the chateau, was made a hero of;
and fain would all have heaped favors
and rewards upon him, but he would
none of it. “ He was going to Lyons, to
seek master Hugh,” he said, “ and follow
his fortunes.” And that very day he de-
parted. Rose was deeply affected when
she heard of this resolution. She longed
to see her father, and confide to him all
the trouble she had so lately endured—
all tin t had been on her mind concerning
Robin; bat, with further thoaght, she
decided that it was better to retain her
vexation antT trouble within her own
breast until she had confessed sll to the
marquis; for now she resolved to delay
that confession no longer.
And so Jacques went, and Rose only
gava him a thousand loving messages for
her father, and bade him-tell o f her ad­
venture, and her final safety, and of the
death o f the villain Gasparde. Nothing
of all her sorrow did she desire her father
to know yet. He must think of her only
as happy and content.
The next day there was a gathering of
stout and sturdy meu from far and near,
armed with serviceable weapons; and the
forest was searched, and the robbers’
cave discovered—a place never known till
then by the dwellers in that region. But
the brigands had fled—their chief no long­
er with them; j>nd the cavern was empty
—deserted. T m robbers never returned
to it. It is probable that the horde broke
np, and the nufen went in various direc­
tions to gain 'ffir unlawful living else­
where; but th*y never were heard of
ag<un. Raimonde went to Italy, and
thenceforth was unheard from.
(To be continued.)
MARSHALL FIELD A M MANAGER
..'V
I'V J r.v .
Cured
‘ %
W om en A re S ca rce .
In Sonth Australia there are only
eighty-five women for every 100 men.
by
H O N. JOHN T . S H E A H A N , O F CHICAGO:
. Hon. John T. Sheaman, who has been for seventeen years manager of
Marshall Field ft Co.’s wholesale warehouse, and la corporal 2d Regiment
Infantry, I. N. G., writes the following letter from 3753 Indiana avenue, Flat
Six, ‘Chicago, 111.:
__£_____
Peruna Medicine Co., Columbus, Ohio.
Gentlemen— “ Last summer I caught a cold which seemed to settle in
my kidneys and affected them badly. I tried a couple of kidney remedies
largely advertised, but they did not help me any. One of my foremen told
me of the great help he had received in using Peruna in a similar case, and
I at once procured some.
“ It was indeed a blessing to me, as I am on my feet a large part of the
day, and trouble such as I had affected me seriously, but four bottles of Pe­
runa cured me entirely and I would not be without It for three months sal­
ary.”— JO H N T . 8 H E A M A N .
„
Mr. Jacob Flelg writes from 44 the serious nature of the disease is at
once suspected, but the chronic varie­
Sumner avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y.:
ty may come on so gradually> and in­
“ I am now a new man at the age of sidiously that its presence is not sus­
seventy-five years, thanks to- your pected until after it has fastened it­
wonderful remedy
Peruna.”— Jacob self thoroughly upon Its victims. - -
Flslg.
At the appearance o f the first symp­
Catarrhal Inflammation o f the mucous tom Peruna should be taken. This
lining of the kidneys, also called remedy strikes at once at the very
“ Bright’s disease,” may be either acute root o f the disease.
A book on catarrh sent free by The
or chronic. The acute form produces
symptoms o f such prominence that Peruna Medicine Co., Columbus, O.
G ood Pitts
Ayer’s Pills are good liver
pills. You know that. The best
family laxative you can buy.
They keep the bowels regular,
cure constipation.
Want your moustache or beard
. ’T o W ER j *
CI.OTHIHt ^
a beautiful brown or rich black? Us«
OF QUALITY
SOS M o s t nus
SAIS A CESTOS Y
-X .
:
. I__
^ iï]
g****"' IS *»?1
BUCKINGHAM’S DYE
fgp.flkk>j»wiwm «-q> s >• SAI4» co .J a w a ,« . B-
BAD
BLOOD
¡u n a n cas»raKma.uAA
ORDBR QUICK—Special Dargein Hat, new
goods. Mouth Bend Steel Plow«, w ood be sms,
14 In., |10; South Bend ( hilled Blow«, wood
beams, 14 In., «7-70; South Bend Chilled Plow»,
w ood beam«, S in., fS.flO; all fixe« and style« In
plows. Y oung America Cream Separator, No.
S o, *56; Steel W ind Mill.B-foot, «22: W ood Wheel
Wind Mil’., 12-foot, *85. Write ua for price« on
anything in the m achinery line. Relerson Ma-
cwlnery Co., foot of Morrison S t.. Portland, Or.
Colds
Dr. Oldun—You mean, if be doesn’t
understand his business.—Baltimore
American
.___________
>
...
of Catarrh of Kidneys
P e-ru-na.
G reatest B o o k T h ie f o f A ll.
Probably the most audacious and
successful book th ief that ever lived
w as Count Libri o f Florence, who,
emigrating to France, became in 1842,
secretary o f a government commission
to examine and catalogue the books and
.
Correct.
manuscripts in the many communal
Gobang— I wonder who this is who
libraries o f the country. Availing him­
self o f his opportunities, o f the care­ advertises for the return of a watch,
lessness and ignorance o f the custodi­ “ and no questions asked” ?
Uperdek— Some man.
No woman
ans, and a consummate knowledge o f
w ould do it.— Judge.
the treasures unveiled to him, he quiet­
ly and leisurely despoiled the libraries
o f hundreds o f their choicest manu­
scripts and most precious heirlooms,
carefully obliterating afterw ard all
signs that might lead to their identifica­
tion.
H ow the collection thus acqnlred
came Into possession o f the late Lord
** I had a terrible cold snd could
hardly breathe. I then tried Ayer's
Ashhurnhani; by w hat means LIbri’s
Cherry Pectoral, snd it gave me im­
robberies were afterw ard discovered
mediate relief.”
and traced back to him; together with
W. C. Layton, SideU, III.
the recent sale o f the library at a stu­
pendous increase o f price, and the meth­
ods by which the French government
finally recovered a portion o f their long-
lost treasures, form a most remark­
able and romantic chapter in literary
history.
D o cto r » n d P atien t.
Dr. Yungun—No, air; I do not ap­
prove o f admitting others than the
physician to |he sick room. I f the
physician understands his business he
can prepare the patient for the here­
after.
.v “ ‘S S * *. :
How will your cough
be tonight? worse, prob­
ably. For it’s first a cold,
then a cough^then bron­
chitis or pneumonia, and
at last consum ption.
Coughs always tend
downward. Stop this
downward tendency by
taking Ayer’s Cherry Pec­
toral.
"' .
Three «too: He., *Se.,H. AltQmcgMs.
■‘ O A S C A S m
d o a ll a la la
and are a truly wonderful medicine,
wished for amedtolne pleasant to ta*e ana at iaa«
have found It In Ca*careta. Slnee taking them, my
blood baa been porifled and my complexion baa Im­
proved wonderfully and I tael much better In every
way.
M r s . S a l L i b a. B e l i a k s . LnttreU. Tens.
CANDY
CATHARTIC
m a )ié to
Z*GU, LATE the :
_ Pleasant. Palatable. Potent. Taste Good, pa
Rood, Never Sicken, weaken, or Orlpe. 10c. Me. Me.
...
C U R E C O N S T IP A T IO N .
...
•HI«* »«■ ■ «J C ..M W , CklMO*. « M im i. S.w l e i M
«0-T0-BAQ
W. L. DOUGLAS
*3.32 & »3 S H O E S
Ton can m t i from $3 to $ 6 y e o i
wearing W. L. Douglas $8.60 or $3
They equal ttaoee
'
that have been coot-
JT
in«. you from 34.00
to” 35.00. The im- m .
mense sale of W. L.
__ __ .
Douglas shoes proves M M *"](S b.
their superiority over I B y
all other makes.
¡4
Sold by retail shoe
dealers everywhere.
Look for name ami
price on bottom.
,
That Doaylaa bum Cor.
onaColt proves there is
▼ slue In Doa a I ms shoes.
4 orona Is the highest ■ H h k ^
pride Pit.Leather made.
Ftut Color HyeleU w ed.
RStfV
/
//
'
/J k
wBHNHP-»
Our «4 0//t fey* Line cannot WtqualTtd at an j
t he«« by bm II, 3« rests extra. Illes
Catalog free. W. L. DOLULAH. Brockton.
S o ld k y a m im .
HI