6
«€llll§)
A CONFESSION.
Dear little boy, with wondering eyes
That for the light of knowledge yearn,
Wlio have such faith that I am wise
And know the things that you would
learn.
Though oft I shake my head and smile
To hear your childish questions flow,
I must not meet your faith with guile;
I cannot tell, I do not know.
Dear little boy. with eager heart.
Forever on the quest of truth,
Tour riddles oft are past my art
To answer to your tender youth,
rtnt some dny you will understand
The things that now I cannot say,
When life shall take you by the hand
And lead you on Its wondrous way.
De:tr little boy, with hand In mine,
Together through the world we fare,
Where much that I would fain divine
1 have not yet the strength to bear.
I.lke you with riddling words I ask,
Like you I hold another hand.
And haply when I do my task,
X, too, shall understand.
—P. McArthur, in Youth's Companion.
M A ROSE OF
NORMANDY
J WILLIAM B. A. WILSON L
CHAPTER VIII. —CONTINUED.
"A contemptible dog that," he said,
looking steadily at him, "who would
subject a lady to such indignity and
alarm; worthy only to be spat upon."
The topic of conversation changed,
and Tonti a prey to a mixture of emo
tions, wishing to be alone, sauntered
f-'lowly away from the circle where he
had been. A moment later a hand was
laid upon his shoulder and a voice
deep with passion exclaimed;
"You may have an opportunity to
spit upon the contemptible cur you
mention, sir capitaine, or be appro
priately spitted by my sword;" and at
the same instant a gauntlet was
thrown at his feet.
Tonti looked up, and seeing it was
the Comte de Miron who spoke, care
fully brushed away at the spot on his
shoulder where his fingers had rested
and replied contemptuously;
"You know the recent edict of the
king against duelling; you are safe in
your offer."
The Comte flushed. "Drive in a
coach to-morrow at noon along the
Chemin de Clamar; I shall meet you
coming from the other direction. Our
drivers can be instructed to collide op
posite Mont Parnasse; we can leap
forth, and with the collision as a pre
text we can fight as though it were a
sudden matter. No seconds need be
present, so that none may know."
"I accept," exclaimed Tonti, picking
*»p Ihe glove.
"With swordo?" asked the Comte.
"With swordn."
"A l'outtdnc:*"
"To the T,ery death."
CHAPTER IX.
DESCRIBES A ROADSIDE MEETING,
A WARNING, A?JD A FLIGHT.
When Tonti had breakfasted the
next morning he explained to Pompon
the nature of his drive, and ordered
him to have a coach waiting in front
of the Louvre at 11 o'clock. He then
sat down and wrote a letter to La
Salle, explaining everything, leaving
to him whatever share of the buried
treasure Pompon was willing to give
him, and wishing him well in his ex
plorations and expressing sincere re
gret that a question of honor had come
up for settlement just as they were
about to start. He sealed and ad
dressed it, with instructions to Pom
pon to deliver same in case of his
death. He then divested himself of a
portion of his clothing and practiced
a full hour making passes, feints,
and guards, so that his joints and
muscles would not be stiff when the
time of need arrived.
Pompon, who had been sent to order
a coach, not having returned, and it
now being a few minutes before 11, he
left a note of farewell for him on the
table, and, girding on his sword, placed
the handkerchief with the letter "R"
upon it within his bosom and left the
house. Luckily he had brought his
cloak with him, for he found upon
reaching the street that a fine rain
was falling. At the Louvre he found
a coach waiting, and he was soon roll
ing across the nearest bridge, through
the Porte Dauphin, along the Rue du
Four and into the Rue de Chasse
Mjdy, then past the establishment of
Les Religieuses du St. Esprit to the
Chemin de Clamor. By this time the
city was left behind, and they drove
through a sparsely built suburban re
gion. back of the Convent des Char
treuses. The open fields in this quar
ter wej-e favorite duelling grounds, es
pecially those about a slight eleva
tion of ground called Mont Parnasse,
which they now approached.
Knowing that the carriage contain
ing lite Comte de Miron would soon
meet his, and that, the collision which
was to be the pretext of the duel was
imminent, he withdrew the handker
chief from its hiding-place and kissed
it gently before returning it. Then
having loosened his sword in it*
sheath, he awaited the end impatiently.
he heard the warning shouts
of his driver, mingled with oaths and
imprecations from another tongue. A
few seconds later came a shock that
almost thre>v him from his seat. The
coa- h stopped and. alighting he found
the vehicle with which they had col
lided on its side in tlie ditch, with the
Comtde Miron climbing through its j
door, face spattered with mud
and his temper not improved by ihe
knowledge of the appearance he knew
he must present.
Together they walked across the
field some 50 paces' distance from
their carriages, Tonti's driver accom
panying them to render any assist
ance needed in removing their outer
garments, while the other remained
with the horses. The preliminaries
being arranged, the two men faced
each other.
"En garde!" cried the Comte de
Miron between his teeth.
"En garde!" came from Tonti in
calm and measured tones.
The swords touched, crossed, and the
fight was on. Both learned in a few
moments that neither had a weak op
ponent before him. Each tried the
other with all the commoner thrusts
only to find liim ready with a parry.
At last Tonti, in order to tire his an
tagonist and thus make it easier when
he next attacked him, maintained the
defensive only. His thoughts wan
dered away from the scene before him
and he seemed to stand in the same
room he had visited yesterday, gazing
upon the face that he realized now
that he loved. Only, instead of her
eyes following the printed pages of a
book, they looked into his own with
a friendly gaze. But as he looked
they suddenly changed and a gleam
of terror and horror filled them, as
though they saw a terrible sight, and
her hand was raised as though in
warning.
At this instant the Comte de Miron
pretended to slip, and Tonti involun
tarily raised his sword-point to enable
him to recover his footing. The look
of terror in the face of the one he
loved brought him suddenly back to a
full realization of his surroundings.
But it"was too late. The comte, count
ing upon the honor and generosity of
his foe when he perceived his mis
step, and seeing the point of Tonti's
sword raised, made a sudden lunge, a
twist and upward movement, and
Tonti's sword was hurled from his
hand and lighted point downward in
the earth just outside his reach. Then
Tonti realized his danger, for his foe,
with unrepressed hatred gleaming in
his eye, made for him as he stood un
armed and defenseless before him. It
was but a second's duration, but
Tonti's thought flew back to the street
where they had met and he heard
again the voice he loved cautioning
him against the treachery of the man
before him. He saw the loved eyes
quiver, yet gaze at him admiringly as
he met his death bravely and without
flinching. Fully realizing the impos
sibility of escaping assassination, he
resolved not to shrink before his
treacherous foe, so witli a look of con
tempt in his eye and the words "For
you, my Rose," in his heart he awaited
the impact of the deadly weapon.
Just as the end of his enemy's sword
was about to enter his breast, the
clicking of other steel was heard and
the point was struck up harmlessly
in the air. Tonti's driver, who had
stood very near during the combat,
seeing his plight, had suddenly dropped
the cloaks he was holding, and, draw
ing a sword from the depths of the
great-coat in which he was muffled,
had parried the blow. "Wretch!" he
said, contemptuously, to the Comte de
Miron. Tonti with a spring recovered
his sword and returned to the attack.
Before, he had had but little heart in
the battle, meaning only to inflict some
trifling wound, knowing that were lie*
involved in any mortal combat the
chances would be that Colbert would
seize that as a pretext for detaining
him, despite the king's protection, and
I.a Salle would have to sail without
him. But now, blinded by the fury
aroused by the vile trick of his oppo
nent, he attacked him with all his
skill and strength.
"Before I count ten, M. le Compte,"
he said, slowly, "you shall die;" and
beginning to count each stroke, he
pressed his antagonist hard, reserving
a half-forgotten trick of the sword,
learned in Italy, for the final. The
Comte de Miron responded with equal
fury of attack and defense, but as he
heard Tonli count so confidently and
saw the smile of triumph on his face
he weakened, and the sacrilegious
charm he wore seemed to burn a bright
red spot in his chest as a sign to Tonti
where to strike.
"One!"
A spark flew between the blades.
"Two!"
The sword play became more furi
ous.
"Three!"
The combatants shifted their posi
tions continuously.
"Four!"
The breathing of the Comte de Miron
grew shorter and more rapid.
"Five!"
His thrusts became wilder and his
face flushed, in strong contrast with
the coolness and precision of his op
ponent.
"Six!"
A terrible oath escaped his lips as
Tonti calmly turned aside a quick
stroke on which he had counted much.
"Seven!"
His attack weakened, and he glanced
out of the corner of 4tis eye to see if
Tonti's driver were near enough for
him to suddenly seize and pull the
man in front of him to receive the fa
tf.l blow in his body, knowing that
before Tonli could withdraw his sword
he would be at the eomte's mercy.
"Eight!"
The base plan was impossible of
execution, as ihe driver now stood far
to one side. He then thought of es
cape by flight, gaining one of the
horses and fleeing to the city. There
were no seconds present to witness
this cowardly action and he eoul.l {
easily bribe the two driv -rs to dis- I
credit any version Tonti might give of !
the affair. This, too. he perceived was I
futile, as Tonti stood between him and !
the road where the horses were stand
ing.
"Nine!"
All hope was now gone and a name
less terror seized him. That cursed
CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1905.
charm burned still brighter over his
heart. He vaguely thought, of throw
ing away his sword and falling on his
knees to implore mercy from his foe.
Had this plan occurred to him when
he was still himself, calm and reason
able, he might have done so, but now,
with his brain a-whirl and the shak
ing fear in possession of him, he
judged Tonti by his own standards of
honor and believed that he would in
turn assassinate biui in cold blood
even as he had attempted to do him
self but a short time befor£. His last
hope was gone. Perhaps the charm
would save him yet.
"T«ii!"
A cry of fear broke from him and
with it came a last appeal to salan for
assistance.
At the word Tonti executed the
stroke he had planned, his foe's sword
was turned, and his own sword-point
running along inside his guard entered
his breast, above the heart, and he
sank to the ground with a groan, while
a red stream gushed from his mouth
and chest.
"Dead dogs do not bite; still, this
is bad work, mou ami; we must leave
quickly," said a familiar voice; and
Tonti, looking into the mufTled face of
his driver, recognized Pompon. Be
fore they could say anything further
the driver of the other carriage ran
up and presented a note to Tonti. It
was written in a feminine hand and
ran as follows:
The death of the Compte Miron will
be promptly avenged. You must flee at
once without returning to the city. Obey
whatever the bearer ot' thi« note sug
gests.
It was unsigned. Tonti was suspi
cious, so, handing the note to Pom
pon, he questioned the driver, endeav
oring to elicit from him some informa
tion as to the identity of the writer,
but it was of no avail.
"I was to tell you that behind yon
der clump of trees you would find two
horses. Take them and set out for
Etampes. Take this ring, and when
asked by any one to show it, produce
it and you will be helped to La Ro
chelle and kept in hiding until your
ship sails. Surrender it when you
reach the end of your road to whom
soever asks for it. Further than that
I cannot speak, but I pray you make
haste."
Pompon approached during this
speech.
"His advice is good. If it is treach
ery we can but be caught. If we re
turn to the city we shall surely not
escape. I prefer the chances of treach
ery in the open country to a certainty
of the Bastille in Paris. It is better
to make conditions in the brush than
in prison. Thinking some such emer
gency might arise I brought some of
your clothes, our supply of money,
and a few things for myself. They
are under the seat of my carriage. I
shall get them."
Tonti finally yielded, and the two
leaving the dying man in care of the
agent of their unknown friend, they
proceeded in the direction pointed out.
Behind the trees stood two magnificent
English horses, all ready for the road,
with provender for beast, and food and
drink for the men attached to the
saddle, while on one was tied a little
bag of money to provide against emer
gencies.
"We shall return this at the first
relay," said Tonti, as they swung into
the road at a good gallop. "Ma foi!
I do not object to using a stranger's
horses to make my escape, but I will
not touch his gold."
"Judging by the fodder for the
horses, they think that there is urgent
need of our not losing time by stop
ping to feed them. We have ten
leagues before us and that means five
good hours of saddle work. How
ever, with another man's horses and
your own whip one can accomplish
a great deal," was Pompon's advice.
As they warmed to their task, the
horses showed their splendid breeding
and staying powers. On they went
all the afternoon through the heavy
rain that had closed down upon them.
Towards dark the signs of approach
to a town, much larger than the vil
lages they had passed through, warned
them of their first halting-place.
Just before crossing a small bridge
two men sprang out and seized both
horses by the bridles; at the same
time each presented a loaded pistol at
their heads.
"We want no money, gentlemen,"
came a gruff voice from one of them,
"we need jewelry. Have you any
rings about you?"
Tonti looked at Pompon, who
nodded. He then handed the ring
which the unknown had provided them
with to the speaker, who took it, and,
after disappearing to some nook where
he had the means of making a light
to examine it, returned in a few mo
ments.
"They are the ones," said he to his
companion, as he returned the ring to
Tonti. At this the bridles were re
leased and the men removed iheir
hats. "You must be in Orleans by
| morning," the leader said, respectful
ly. "Wait here and refresh yourselves l
with the food and wine you have with
you. We shall return shortly, bringing
fresh horses."
Indue time they were on their way
again on new mounts, feeling heart
ened by the wine and food consumed.
On through the drizzling night they
went, Pompon showing a strange fa
miliarity with the road whenever any
question of that character arose.
Thus they advanced, showing the
talismanic circlet whenever required
and receiving in return fresh horses,
a hiding-place to sleep, and different
disguises, so that their progress could
not be traced. On they fared through
Blois, Tours and Chinon. Loudon and
Parthenay, and over the mountains to
Fontenay. Here their mysterious ring
procured them a guide, who conducted
them by a roundabout way, avoiding
th# city of La Rochelle itself, to the
const, and along the water's edge to ?.
cave worn by the waves out of the
rock, where they could overlook the
harbor and see. the ship "Saint Hon
otV' that was to bear them to new
lands riding at anchor not half a
league away. They %vatehed it day by
day, as boat-loads of provisions, can
non, soldiers, and passengers were
(aken out and placed on board. Their
faithful guide remained with them,
going out at night for food and for in
formation relative to the progress of
the vessel's lading. Thus passed sev
eral weeks, and they were beginning
to weary of their confinement when
news carne that La Salle had arrived
and that the vessel would sail at the
turn of the tide the next evening.
Their guide also learned that a thor
ough search of the ship had been made
for them by the soldiers, and that a
final visit would be made before dark.
At length the day darkened and the
night came on. A small fisherman's
boat that had been at work all the
afternoon near by, drew in towards
the shore as night fell, and soon a sig
nal from their ally brought it close to
them. Tonti surrendered the ring
upon request and sought to repay their
guide, but as in all the other cases,
he refused the offered money. So help
ing them into the boat, he waved a
good-hy from shore, as they fast dis
appeared in the darkness.
The boatman pulled hard at the
oars, and they soon found themselves
nearing the ship. A few lights on her
decks served to render the confusion
existing there visible, but they were
not bright enough to illuminate the
waters about the vessel, while the
noise of departure—her anchor was al
ready raised and her small forward
sails set—made a cautious approach
unnecessary. At last they found
themselves directly under her stern,
and the rippling of the water warned
them to hasten ere she got fully un
der weigh. By the advice of the boat
man, Pompon, agile as a cat, swung
himself up onto a small swinging
scaffold that had been used in paint
ing the stern of the vessel, and had
been overlooked in the hurry of sail
ing, with a small leather pouch tied
to his body that he had brought with
him from Paris. Tonti then handed
up his sword, and with a parting boost
from the boatman soon found himself
crouched alongside Pompon. A fragile,
swaying seat it was indeed, but safe,
for they would not dare to climb to
the deck above until the vessel had
cleared the harbor.
Thus did three men sail on the
"Saint Honore," parting from the
sunny land of France with diverse
emotions. In the stern stood La Salle,
looking back at the fast-receding lights
of La Rochelle, murmuring the words
of that plaintive song of Mary Stuart
as she sailed from Calais:
"Adieu! oh plaisant pays.
Adieu! oh ma patrie,
plus cherle, qui a nourrlt
Ma belle enfance—adieu!"
Yet tinged as was his mind with re
gret at leaving civilization and the
new love that had arisen in his heart,
he still looked forward with eagerness
to the great, task before him. All was
secondary to this. For this he lived;
for this he would die.
Shivering in his cramped position
on the swinging stage below him, a
little man with scarred face and crafty
eye shook his fist in triumph at his
escape from the land and the woman
that had both used him so ill.
Another man beside him, as the
tacking of the ship brought the dis
tant lights in view for the last time,
stretched towards the shore a hand
trembling with a new and sweet emo
tion, as he murmured: "Adieu! my
Vtose, until we meet."
[To Be Continued.!
Pride of I'rofoMNhrn.
Old Barney Maguigan was as well
known on his "sweep stretch" as the
bluecoats on the beat. As his work
became somewhat burdensome with the
increase of years, the residents of the
neighborhood urged the employment of
an assistant. Barney did not look upon
the suggestion with much favor —it
savored too strongly of the time when
he should be "laid on the shelf," —but
he consented to the trial of a new
hand at last, and a stout youth was
engaged whose broom made quick work
of the leaves and litter. "Yessir," Bar
ney admitted, reluctantly, a few morn,
ings later, when asked by an old friend
if he did not find his assistant a good
worker, "yessir, there's no use deny
ing he's got the muscle to swing a
broom in the open: but man alive!
when it comes to the fancy touches
round a lamp-post, or a sewer mouth,
why, he's no good at all!" —Youth's
Com panic#.
('lieerliiK Him 1 i».
"Ye-es," Mr. Billings said, reluctant
ly, in reply to his friend's remark that
Mrs. Joyce was "an awfully sweet lit
tle woman." "So cheerful! Always
sunny; always looking on the bright
side!" Billing's friend continued, en
thusiastically.
"There's such a thing as overdoing
that 'bright side' business," said Bil
lings. "The other night I was up there
and Joyce—You know how absent
iminded he is?—put the lighted end of
his cigar in his mouth. He jumped
three feet, and was a little noisy for a
minute. Right in the midst of it all
,Mrs. Joyce smiled blandly, and said:
"'How fortunate you were, dear, to
discover it at once!"— Youth's Com
panion.
Htiiltliiifci.
For nearly 400 years the old "Ship
ping House," at the end of the Breit©
Strasse (Broad Street) at. Lubeck, has
perpetuated the days of the Hansa,
when the Baltic town was the first
city of Germany and the word Lubeck
Shipping association was law. Al
though originally organized for benev
olent and religious puitwses, this guild
waxed so strong in ih,« course of time
that it actually exercised the func
tions of a court of justice in the lat
ter part of the sixteenth century and
the beginning of the seventeenth. — j
From "Lubeck Shipping House," by ;
Hugo Erichsen, in Four-Track News. 1
I j|fsssej!e§@sssesese^§i's®^||
\ Balcom & Lloyd. |
I ==================== |
§ I
If
| WE have th© best stocked
| general store in the county jj !
jj and if yon are looking for re
jjj liable goods at reasonable jj
p prices, we are ready to serve
jj yon with the best to be found. j|
p Our reputation for trust- y
jg worthy goods and fair dealing |j
P is too well known to sell any fJ
H 112,
g but high grade goods. £]
I I
I Our stock of Queensware and
Chinaware is selected with jl
|gf great care and we have some J>,
B of the most handsome dishes Sj
w ever shown in this section, |f
|j both in imported and domestic p
makes. We invite you to visit
p us and look our goods over. Ij
i i
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11
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| Balcom & Lloyd. Jj
vwwirwwwwwffwwirwwwirwiriM
JJ LOOK ELSEWHERE BUT DON'T FORGET
THESE PRICES AND FACTS AT
I! [LaBAR'S | I
M -JJ N
N kl
M We carry in stock i " - 1 £*
fc* the largest line of Car- ./sgPßjejgßßgsni
M %r
ii f ver br °^ ht , to . tim , apfei li
IS town. Also a big line ,>**' - I
Jj of samples.
A very large line ol FOR THE £2J«
£3 Lace Curtains that can- * |P$
m rere e f o", a ,:fpr!ce an> COMFORTABLE LODGING if
Art Squares and of fine books in a choice library
Rugs of all sizes and select the Ideal pattern of Globe- Pfl
M kind, from the cheap- Wernicke "Elastic" Bookcase.
»« est to the best. I Furnished with bevel French I j
D (J plate or leaded glass doors.
Jpjj Dining Chairs, F3n =*lc o* £*
M Rockers and GEO. J. LaBAR, £*
c% jld High Chairs. Sole Agent for Cameron County.
A large and elegant L—————
line of Tufted and
N Drop-head Couches. Beauties rnd at bargain prices'.
M —~~——— S3
§3O Bedroom Suits, (fQP £4O Sideboard, quar- CfOfi
solid oak at ttred tak 4JOU W*
ffj S2B Bedroom Suits, CO If 32 Sideboard, quar- CUT
solid oak at tered cak
$25 Bed room Suits, COfl I $22 Sideboaid, quar- cic Hi
I $ solid oak at JiU tered 0ak,... * ID »«
14 A large line of Dressers from I Chiffoniers of all kinds and jfcs
M $8 up. I all priees. h#
M —— —— lf
|ri The finest line of Sewing Machines 011 the market. j|*
jj the "DOMESTIC" and "ELLRILGE.' All drop- K
J j heads and warranted. Jji
A fine line of Dishes, common grade and China, in **
*2 se t s anf l by t' le piece. PI
As I keep a full line of everything that goes to
make up a good Furniture store, it is useless to enuni- Sfi
M erate them all. kg
Please call and see for yourself that lam telling kg
h* you the truth, and if you don't buy, there is 110 harm £2
done, as it is 110 trouble to show goods.
» GEO. J .LaBAR. »
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