Belle-Rose — page 111: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

100 A SERPENT IN THE SHADOW. night to come, and gained the park, thoroughly. deaihad: to ‘make the visitor pay dear for his fatiguing surveillance. — ‘‘Ffe is seeking a deserter,’’ he said to himself; ‘he will find lead.”’ | Soon the shadows invaded the park; the noises died, the : lizhts of the evening were extinguished one by one in the woods filled with those mysterious murmurs which mount — from earth to sky on starry nights. His steps led him to the angle in the park where the secret door gave an outlet — to the country beyond. It was half open. Quite sure this time, Belle-Rose thought fora moment of breaking the | blade of his poniard in the lock. His ear had warned him — that already his promenade through the park had been — spied. But he reflected that his spy, concealed, no doubt, in some thicket close about, understanding by this action | that he was discovered, would escalade the wall and not show himself. Such was not the object of Belle-Rose. He continued his way, passing before the door as if he had not seen it. At the end of a hundred steps he stopped be- — hind a large oak; the moon had just disappeared behind a cloud. He listened. After three or four minutes of waiting, he heard the door turn upon its rusty hinges. The shad-- ows were thick—he saw nothing; a noise of PEE ftir | broke the silence fora moment and soon died out. The soldier left his post of observation and followed the spy, taking care to keep upon the edge of the paths where the thick grass stifled: the noise of his progress. The road — which the unknown followed ended at a glade from which several avenues radiated; one of these avenues led to the chateau. Belle-Rose and Genevieve had frequently tra- — versed it, and it was the route which they were accus- tomed to take when they returned at evening. Belle-Rose — came to the conclusion that the spy, fully informed as to — his habits, was going to wait for him at the corner of the avenue and there throw himself upon him. Thoroughly resolved to spare him the tedium of a long waiting, he was going to hasten his walk, when a cry came from the mid- — dle of the glade, and, at the same moment, the clashing of — two swords was heard. Belle-Rose rushed forward, pistol — in hand, but he had not made fifty steps when the noise suddenly ceased; the moon, emerging from the clouds ~ which vailed it, inundated the forest with light, and in this light Belle-Rose saw pass a fleeing man, who hada naked sword in his hand. He bounded like a stag in pur. suit of him. ‘The murderer glided like a shadow between — the trees and seemed to have wings. Just as he crossed — ‘comicbooks.com— ae it ad. Ot