The Light That Lures

in these days. An orator, waxing enthusiastic on patriotism, had made mention of its doings in the Convention, and in villages remote from the capi

the road behind him who were more cautious. They made a wide detour by devious bypaths, and came at length to a lane which joined the Soisy road between the Lion d'Or and Paris. They had taken care to avoid other travelers

k, S

was the answer. "There has been devi

" murmured

hrow, and he was a man too marked in features to be mistaken. He went his way, u

at I shall quarrel with him some day," said Seth. "I ca

Barrington. "We must not run

yet before half the year was out had been sighing for another woman's favor. Richard Barrington might hold to his conviction longer than that, but there are many half years in a lifetime, and the indefinite variety of women gave few men the chance of escape. For the present, Seth never doubted that his master had had his lesson, and was glad. There were periods in a man's life into which a woman should not enter, either in reality or in thought; they were but drags on the turning wheels of circumstance. This was such a period, and Seth let a great load of anxiety slip from him as the dist

n, the Lion d'Or, is along the

le," was

ghtfully. Seth's opini

came from there," h

t. It would not have been conveni

ther pause of

hunting, stoppi

rather a speculation unc

gged his

the patriots I have encountered, nor do I like the aristocrats I have seen any better. For my part I would as lief sail ba

d mademoiselle and her escort u

d, Master Richard?"

strange that we did

knowledge of the country

n d'Or at this moment, and in t

anxiety which had slipped from him was suddenly at his feet

hands," he said. "Think what it may

could he have seen the heap of ashes which had once been the inn at Trémont a

tle of the story. We may have been the bearers of a lying message. With her knowledge of facts, ev

use for her sendin

ay have thought me was not fit to live.

Master

g to the L

g, but as though he would get the burden he

h such good luck a second time. W

here till dark. I shall go back on foot, you will wait for me here with the horses. An hour should suffice. If she is in danger I must do what I can to help her. It is impossible to sa

. We could tether the horses here. It

two could not," Barrington retur

this occasion it came almost at once. Seth looked into his face, saw the fixed purpose in his eyes and the sudden set of the determined mouth, and said no more. They

e underst

sun get well up befo

together," said Richard

or a moment. Then Richard passed into the lane and turne

ent round to look at the back of the house. There was a garden, mostly of vegetables and not ill kept, a low, wooden fence, broken down in one place, enclosing it from the field in which he stood. A dim light came from two windows on the ground floor, but above every window was dark. If Mademoiselle St. Clair were there she must be without lamp or candle, or the windows must be closely shuttered. He took careful note of the back of the house and how the road lay in regard to it, for there was no knowing what difficulties the next few minutes might bring. Then he went back

get the emigrés into their power was to lie to them and cheat them. He stayed to hear no more. Surely this man's presence there, and his words, meant that he had l

was no one in the entrance,

om came, and the man fell upon the threshold. He drew back to the wall lest he should be seen, and touched some one. In a moment, for his own safety, he had grasped the arm beside him and then

e, silence!"

to their wine. Barrington quickly calculated all the chances. To leave by the inn door without being seen was impossible; another way must be found, and there was not a moment to lose. Directly

e whispered. He still held her arm,

dded h

ly," he said,

xactly when she realized who it was who touched her she did not know. It never occurred to her to think it strange that he should be

se?" he asked when they w

not

eir dire necessity would compel one. "

lass, now the noise of voices broke out again, angry voices, raised in argument and qua

probably there. If another staircase existed it would be in the direction of the kitchen. He turned along a passage to

mb from a window?

eans of escape possible. He felt sure such a way did not exist. He might have dropped from one of the windows in safety, b

he said. "Keep near, and wh

and in the dark. Barrington strained his ears to locate

anding by the wall. The man was startled. So sudden an encounter was unusual, and in these days the unusual was dangerous. Only a fraction of time was necessary to bring him to this conclusion, but in it, Barrington had also reached a

ght," Barrington

o, obeying h

s at his throat were feeble and futile. He was borne backward and downward to the flo

said Bar

rrow stairs which had a bend in them. There was a

he broken place in the wooden fence. There he paused, looking back and listening. There was no sound of an alarm yet, no cries to suggest that the fiends had rushed up the stairs to wreak their savage

oiselle. My servant

d her skirt

hand again-it

ing for the road and the clump of