FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96  
97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   >>   >|  
eemed much longer than it really was--the radius of the wood from the hut being never more than two hundred yards in any direction--the others heard her say anxiously, "Are you there, father?" "Where the deuce do you think I'd be?" came the irritated demand. "Do you imagine that your mother and I are skipping down these rocks like a couple of weasels?" "It is quite safe," said the girl. "I and Marie Lafarge went down only last Thursday. Jules always goes that way to Argenteau. He has cut steps in the bad places. Jan and I will lead. We can help mother and you." Dalroy, still holding Irene's arm, pressed forward. "Are we near the tow-path?" he asked. "Oh, is that you, _Monsieur l'Anglais_?" chuckled the miller. "Name of a pipe, I was positive those _sales Alboches_ had got you twenty minutes since. Yes, if you trip in the next few yards you'll find yourself on the tow-path after falling sixty feet." "Go on, Leontine!" commanded Dalroy. "What you and your friend did for amusement we can surely do to save our lives. But there should be moonlight on this side. Have any clouds come up?" "These are firs in front, monsieur. Once clear of them, we can see." "Very well. Don't lose another second. Only, before beginning the descent, make certain that the river bank holds no Germans." Joos grumbled, but his wife silenced him. That good lady, it appeared, had given up hope when the struggle broke out in the kitchen. She had been snatched from the jaws of death by a seeming miracle, and regarded Dalroy as a very Paladin. She attributed her rescue entirely to him, and was almost inclined to be sceptical of Joos's sensational story about the killing of Busch. "There never was such a man for arguing," she said sharply. "I do believe you'd contradict an archbishop. Do as the gentleman bids you. He knows best." Now, seeing that madame herself, after one look, had refused point-blank to tackle the supposed path, and had even insisted on retreating to the cover of the wood, Joos was entitled to protest. Being a choleric little man, he would assuredly have done so fully and freely had not a red light illumined the tree-tops, while the crackle of a fire was distinctly audible. The Germans had reached the top of the quarry, and, in order to dissipate the impenetrable gloom, had converted the hut into a beacon. "_Misericorde!_" he muttered. "They are burning our provisions, and may set the forest ablaze!" And that is
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96  
97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Dalroy
 

mother

 

Germans

 
killing
 
appeared
 
sensational
 

inclined

 

sceptical

 

sharply

 

arguing


rescue
 
contradict
 

descent

 

Paladin

 

kitchen

 

grumbled

 

snatched

 

struggle

 

silenced

 

miracle


regarded
 

attributed

 

audible

 
distinctly
 

reached

 
quarry
 
crackle
 

illumined

 

dissipate

 

impenetrable


provisions

 

forest

 
ablaze
 
burning
 

converted

 
beacon
 

muttered

 

Misericorde

 

freely

 

refused


tackle

 

beginning

 
madame
 

gentleman

 
supposed
 
assuredly
 

choleric

 

retreating

 
insisted
 

entitled