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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1913)
Mount By FREDERIC S. ISHAM Author of / “The Strollers” /lyl “Under The Rose” Coeynght 190*. br The Bobbt-Mcrrin Co. Whereupon the latter, spurring 'his horse nearer his chief, launched into eloquent explanation. "And then,” ended the hard, "the Governor’s daughter walked into our ambush as unsuspectingly as a mouse into a trap!” "The Governor’s daughter cozened l)y Nanette!” “That she was! A clever wer.ch and a brave one, Nanette! Although,” the poet's jovial eyes studied the dark iface, “unless I am mistaken, she found (the task to her liking!” "You treated her, the Governor'/ daughter, well?” said the other abruptly. “Gave her your cabin,*‘nion capi taine, where,” chuckling, "she ruled like a despot. Not once did she whim per, or beg favor—for herself! For the Marquis, it is true, she did plead —that day we took them!” "He’s her betrothed!” said the young man shortly. “A marionette!” gibed the poet. "Some of the men were for making short shrift of him, and they might have—only for her!” “They will soon be safe enough to gether now!” remarked the Black Seigneur. Again a peculiar, half-questioning ex pression shaded the poet’s eyes, while furtively he regarded the young man. “Yes, they ought to be!” “The terms of exchange—what were they?” “You for her! That was our de mand. After the place had been agreed upon, his Excellency asked to name the hour, and further interjected a condition, binding both parties to se crecy in the matter, that the people might not know. They acted badly when the soldiers returned to the Mount without his daughter; they might behave worse, no doubt he thinks, when they come back with her.” ‘‘So will she he safely returned in the darkness! A wise provision!” “That,” murmured the poet, study ing the horizon, “was evidently his tbctfght. But,” as the Black Seigneur, relaxing his pace, drew rein at a fork In the pathway, “yonder lies our cove, mon capitaine, and—” “Do you and the men go there!” commanded the ether, and gave a few further instructions. “See that the ship is kept in readi ness!” he ended. “As for me—” He made a vague gesture. That evening found the Blade Seign eur in the Desaurac ferest; where, as a boy, he had fled for shelter, now some instinct, or desire "he did not strive to analyze, drew him. As slow ly he made his way through the wood, on every hand familiar outlines and details, seen vaguely in the last*light of day, invited him to pause; but without stopping he moved on to the castle, and up to the chan her, where Sanchez, returning from America, had found him, a vagabond lad. Through the window the same unobstructed view of the Mount dimly unfolded it self in the dusk, and for some mo ments he regarded it—august, majes tic; glossing its heart’s Hack secrets with specious and weil-ccn posed bear ing! As he looked, there suddenly came to him the remembrance of an other impression; the same picture, seen through the eyes of a boy—stand ing where he was now! Then had the Mount seemed a marvelous series of structures, air-drawn, magical—home of a /small and fairy-like creature, with hair of shining gold. Dusk turned to night; in the distance the Mount van ished, and through the break in thd forest only the stars twinkled. Then lighting his lire, the young man sat down at the side; with facul ties alert, listened to the wind; looked at the flames. Demor.-like they leaped beforehis eyes, as; when he had wait ed and watched for lire emissaries of his Excellency; and mechanically ho placed his weapons on the tame spot he had been wont to lay them in those days. There was little likelihood they would seek him now, h&v.'ever; the Governor was fully occupied else where, looking to interests more im portant to himself and to— Her ladyship! the fire leaped wild ly, 03 laughing at fate’s foolish prank. Her life for his! What irony! If she had betrayed him? “If?” His laugh crushed possibility for supposition; but almost at once Itself died away! Indissolubly associated with the thought, a scene in a dungeon must needs recur; her denials; the touch of a hand; the appeal of ligijt Ungers Looked Toward the Mount. thrust through the bars! Why? The questions he had asked then, were reiterated now; the hand that had gripped hers opened, closed; once more he seemed to see the steadfast, unswerving eyes; once more seemed to read in their depths, "Believe!” The pine branches continued to crackle as with merriment; but his gaze was somber. How glad she must have been to see the end of her cap tivity! The sudden leaping of yon der flame was like the quick, bright flush that had mantled her cheek at sight of her liege lord to be! They should have arrived at_the Mount ere now; about this time were entering the gates! He could see her, the Mar quis at her side—” A sudden sharp detonation afar dis sipated the picture. Other explosions followed, like volleys of muskets; and, springing to the window, the Black Seigneur locked toward the Mount; from it, flashes of light gleamed and glimmered. Then the loud report o£ a cannon reverberated in the distance. i CHAPTER XXXI. The Attack on the Mount. The rock loomed black before them, as the troopers, escorting the Gover nor’s daughter, rode up to the Mount. I Entering the town, at its base, dark | walls on either side of them shut out ! the broad map of the heavens and left i but a narrow open space above; few | lights were visible, so that many of the houses seemed tenantless; even at the tavern, unwonted stillness pre vailed. Apparently was the return well-timed; in twisting street and tor tuous byway, where hostile faces had been prone to frown upon the soldiers ' of his Excellency, emerging from, or ascending to, the stronghold of the summit, now only chill drafts of air swept down to greet them; passed on ! with shrill whisperings, and died ! away in the distance. Nearing the massive portals that opened wide into his Excellency’s realm, my lady suppressed a shiver; but the Marquis, in a low tone, ven tured to jest on the depressing and melancholy aspect of the Mount at that hour. To these light remarks she returned no answer, and he had just | begun to rally her on a certain quiet i ness of spirits, apparent on the beach and irreconcilable with the circum stances of the moment, when a sharp exclamation fell from the girl’s lips. In front of them, between the sol diers and the entrance to that upper part of the Mount, many dark forms j had suddenly dartcd*-forth; at the same time from near-by houses came unmistakable sounds of life and ac tivity; doors were thrown open and windows raised. The town they thought asleep had merely been watching; now showed its brightie;’es ip a multitude of menacing lights around them; be low', where likewise a mysterious mar shaling had occurred, from alleys, cor ners, and hovels, immediately after the passing of the Governor's party! “What does it mean?” Again she heard the Marquis’ tones, less confi dent now, as he turned to the com mandant. “Treachery!” The commandant’s ! voice rang out. “They’ve broken faith | with us!” Dogs! My loru gazed uncertainly ahead; dubiously behind. “What are we going to do?” ^ “Do?” The commandant suppressed an imprecation. “Push on to the up per gates!” “To the gates!” cried the Marquis; then wheeled quickly. “But you— Elise!” “Never mind me!” she returned, with s*eadv lips and eyes. There was no time for further words; a sharp order from the com mandant and the troopers spurred for ward toward the entrance in the wall and those whose purpose it was to oppose them. What happened thereafter the girl was but vaguely cognizant of; reports of guns, flashing of steel surrounded ; her; the clattering of hoofs mingled i with the leud shouts of men. “The Bastile of the North! Down with it!” This was their battle-cry; on every side she heard it, though hardly real izing the purport of the words; con fused, she listened to her father’s name —her own—bandied about. She won dered why those on the wall, the sol diers within, did not fire and repel all these people. Then almost at once came the an swer. The troopers’ comrades were mixed in the melee without; she and they, too—so adroitly had the moment for striking been planned—might be swept down in the volleys from the ramparts. A cannon boomed above; but its deafening reverberations were answered only with laughter and jeers i —Mon dieu! Did his Excellency think to frighten them with sound, as If they were timid children fleeing from thunder? Was his Excellency ; aiming at stars?” And again that cry: “The Bastile of j the North! We, too, will take our j Bastile!”—dominated the clashing of I arms and the tumult of strife. For what seemed an interminable | period, the Governor’s daughter saw, through flashes of light, men strug gling, striking; then ’aunched sudden ly forward, by an irresistible move ment of the horses, found herself with in the gates. The Marquis who had early been separa ed from her in the strife, was nowhere in sight. Behind now sounded the fray; a short dis tance frsm the wail, and she looked back; fiercer than ever, soldiers and pecplewcontended within the entrance; beneath the portals. As she strove to restrain her horse she heard the voice of her father. “Mon pere! Mon pore!” she cried eagerly, divining his face in the light of lamps on that side of the wall. He answered only with a laconic command to go at once to the palace; and, re garding his features, tragically appeal ing to her at the moment—so strange and different they seemed!—she pre pared to obey. But ere turning: "You think the soldiers can hold the gate?” she asked. “Yes; yes!” he replied sharply, as if annoyed at the question. “But if—’’ “There is no ‘IF!’’ said the Gover nor, and as the girl rode away, his look, hard, steely, shifting to the sol diers, made quick mental note; they were holding the gates. Satisfied with the front his men presented, and, de livering a few brief orders to the commandant .whose valor in rallying his forces had "been commendable, Tils Excellency walked toward the great stairway leading up to the open space near the church. Arrived at this high, point from which the town unfolded itself, in the starlight and flicker of lamps, he sought, as best he might. to acquaint himself further with the situation; to judge the numbers of the assailants and the extent of their prep arations. The scane that met his eyes was not so reassuring as he had expected; that which until now he^had considered but a spasmodic outbreak of a compara tively few townspeople, excited by the news of the Bastile and bent on any petty mischief, resolved itself into mere than an orderless, desultory up rising. To his startled gaze the rock, like an ant-hill disturbed, seemed swarming with life. Even as he peered down, new relays of men poured up ward from the dark byways to the re inforcement of those already gathered at the portals, and, for the first time, his confidence, bred of contempt for the commonalty, became slightly shak en. Fate, which had struck him sharply in the capture of his daugh ter and the enforced negotiations lead ing to the release of cne he would have dealt with after his own fashion, “They Will Not Spare You!" now gripped him closer. What did it portend? Whence came all these people? Not all of them from the immediate neighborhood! Voices, among the as sailants, had called out in what was surely the Parisian dialect of the rabble; here to propagate the revolu tion; extend the circle of flame! And they had seen that arms were not wanting! Muskets, pikes, swords, must have been kept concealed for some time in the town at the base of the Mount or on the shore. In his mind’s eye, too late perhaps, his Ex cellency could see now how the as sault had long been planned, how all these people had only been waiting. For what? The opportunity afforded by a treacherous word! Spoken by whom? But a moment these reflections surged through his brain; an instant, and his gaze swung around, at towers —turrets—as a magician might appre hensively survey a fabulous architec tural creation, handiwork of his dark craft, threatened, through an influ ence beyond his control, with destruc tion; then with a quick start, his Ex cellency wheeled; walked toward the stairway. About to descend, the sight of a figure coming up, caused him, however, to pause; in the flare of the light below, something in the manner of the man’s advance impressed the governor as peculiar. The movements of this person, who was under-sized, wiry, were agile and cat-like; first would he stop, look around him and listen; afterward spring forward a few steps as not quite sure of his course. But still he came on, keeping as closely as might be to the cover of the shadows, until a growing impression he had seen the fellow before resolved itself into posi tiveness in his Excellency’s mind. And with the conviction and a sudden re me mb ranee of the place and the char Clear Creek Items ' Clarence Fielding has been working at Mr. Van Dyke’s during the past week. Maurice Lowry returned home from Purdum, Neb., Thursday. A few of the young people of this vicinity attended the play at Mason City last Friday evening. News was received here Friday that Mr. and Mrs. Wash Peters of Cole Creek were rejoicing over the arrival of a new baby girl at their home. Miss Lena Zwink and Frank Zwink were in this part of the country Fri day, calling on friends. Mr. and Mrs. Andy Coppersmith visited at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wash Peters one day last week. Miss Inez Van Dyke spent Saturday and Sunday at home. Mrs. Wilt Hill and family spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Frank Potter. Mr. and Mrs. Esterbrook visited with Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kuhn and family Sunday. Bussell Adams 'returned home Tuesday. (To late for last week) Miss Ida Adler’s school closed last week. Mr. and Mrs. Haney are spending a few days at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Reed on Boute 2, before mov ing to Iowa. >> Ed Bishop and wife are staying at the home of Sam Hill until their house is ready for occupancy. Miss Anna Dorman closed a very successful term of school last Friday. Geo. Zahn and wife were Mason City visitors Monday. Bussell Adams left Monday for a short visit at Natick, Neb. Harry Zahn spent a few days last week at Mason City, helping his brother, Arthur Zahn, move. BIG SPECIAL PRIZE OFFER Contest Closes March 31st., 9 P. M. Two Passenger Ford Runabout Car ■WTl 1^1 "I • 1 I /N J r| • Now is the time to get Every Candidate Wets a rrize for a few days effort and.lay a foundation of votes for the capital prize. Your friends will help you if you help your self. Many votes are coming into the Northwestern office for the candidates. No contestant should miss this chance to get a nice Special Prize. Make a big effort to get in $25 by March 19 at 6 o’clock p. m., and you are sure of a prize and a little more than that amount may win you the Diamond ring or one of the better specials and this effort may pave the way to other bigger prizes. Now is the time to get busy, Every contestant can rest assured that there will be no better prizes given and the contest will close March 31st, if death or sickness does not prevent. The special prizes mentioned will be given away March 19. ✓ Special Prizes to be Awarded Between March 6 and March 19 One Diamond Ring - - $25 One Toilet Set, Stag Horn, Plate Glass $6. One Silver Mesh Bag - $15 One Gold Calling Card Case and Purse $2.50 And Every Contestant who turns in $25 will get a $2.50 Hand Bag f Prize To Be Awarded At Close Of Contest SPECIAL PRIZES One Diamond Bing.. One Silver Mesh Bag.$15.00 One Toilet Set. Stag Horn Finish, Plate Glass.$ 6.00 One Gold Callinsr Card Case and Purse .# 2.60 And every contestant who turns in $25 will get a hand bag. To be given between the dates of March 6 and March 19, inclusive, of both dates. The choice of prizes will be given to the candidate having the most money to her credit and the candidate having the second largest amount will get second choice and so on down until the four better prizes are taken, and then each candidate turning in as much as 5-5 will get a nice $2.50 leather hand bag. The special prizes will be on exhibition at Vaughn & Hinman’s and Swanson & Lof holm’s. They are all nice prizes, and are fully guaranteed by fhese gentlemen, they say they are first class and their word goes. Go and see these fine prizes. How easy you can get this $25 00. Just ask twelve of your friends to subscribe for the Northwestern for two years each, and possibly you can get people to give you a five year subscription each1 Now Contestant you are asking no favors of a man when you ask him to subscribe for four years in advance, as he will get his money’s worth. Get busy and get a fine prize. Call the Contest Manager and tell him your troubles. 1 I Special Prize Awards The candidate that has turned in the most money be tween the dates of March 6, and March 19,(both dates in clusive) will get choice of the special prizes and the can didates that have the largest amount of money in respec tive" rotation, will, get choice until all the larger prizes are taken, and every candidate that has turned in $25. betwee March 6 and March 19 at 6 p. m. will get a hand bag, so don’t get discouraged you will get a prize. It s easy to collect $25, all you have to do is to ask four subscribers to pay 4 years each and you have it. You must not be afraid to ask for big subscriptio ns. Your friends can pay ahead as far as they like. A virord to the wise is sufficient, the subscription price of this paper is $1.50 per year. r _ Contestants who live outside of Loup City may send their money by mail with list of sub scriptions, but the post1 mark must show that the subscriptions were mailed not later than six o’clock p. m., Mar, 19 Schedule of Votes on Sucscrip tion Contest 1 year $1.50.— 300 votes 2 years $3.00.700 v<**s 3 years $4 50.1200 votes 4 years $6.00.1800 votes 5 years $7.50.2500 votes 6 years $9.00.3300 votes 7 years $10.50.4200 votes 8 years $12.00.5200 votes 9 years $13.50 .6300 votes 10 years $15.00.1500 votes Not The Close of The Contest Do not confuse March lath and the prises to be awarded at that time, with the close of the contest. The above prizes will be given as an extra reward for work done by centestants from March 6 to March 19. The clos ing day of the contest when the Auto mobile is to be awarded will be an nounced later. The regular schedule of votes will apply to money turned in on special prize period, and the votes will count on the Automobile and other capital prizes. Prizes For Everyone All contestants wno turn in at least $25.00 who do not win one of the above prizes will receive a beautiful feather hand bag. j. w. Burleigh Contest Manager, Proprietor Care Northwestern