Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 236: what you’re looking at

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

THE QUEEN’S BODY GUARD. 229 “ Yes, yes, it was enough to startle any one,” said Struthers soothingly ; “it was a face at the window, was it not? Yes, I thought so. Who was it?” “ It was Louis, my butler!” said the countess. “Louis!” gasped the men in chorus. “ Oh, surely not! Think again. Was it not the count now?” asked Struthers. “No!” was the reply. “ There is no mistake; it was Louis, and if ever a man looked murder, he did.” “ Dick,” said Cottrell excitedly, “ there is only one explanation, and that is that the fellow has escaped from Kent.” “Tam of the same opinion,” said Struthers gravely. “It is a thousand pities,” he added, “for he will inform the count as to the strength of our forces.” The two men prepared to leave, first telling the countess, who was now more composed, about their plans for a night defense, and for substituting for her French servants the English people Struthers had brought with him. And in all these plans Marie de Villiers heartily agreed. “TI will discharge all the men in the morning,” she said. “ They will of course appeal to the marquis, but he can make no legal objection, for this is my own house.” } They then bade her good night and went at once to the beach. Here they found Kent and the sailors in a great state of mind. If it had not been for the gravity of the situation, it would have been laughable to witness the chagrin of the English tars over the escape of their prisoner. - ~ ‘“T don’t see ’ow ’e hever done it, sir!’ said Kent, in humble amazement, racking his brains for a satisfactory explanation, and scratching his head as _ though to stimulate his thoughts. _ “The Frenchy is as slippery as an eel! We bound ’is feet and harms, sir, with rope and put ’im in the bottom of the boat. Thinkin’ to save two trips an’ bein’ desirous of bein’ on deckSshould you want us sudden like, I didn’t ‘ave ‘im rowed to the Albatross, but kept the boat beached till you should be aready to go yerself. ‘ Fer,’ ses Hi to meself, ‘ you wouldna object to the Frenchy’s company for such a short voyage as from ’ere to the yacht.’ “Well, sir,” continued the captain, “ we kept our weather eye on the oily willain, but being bound, we had no dream as ’ow ’e could cut loose. ’E, kep’ still, but ’e grooned with hevery breath.” ‘“ Never mind all that, Kent,” broke in Struthers impatiently; “ just tell us how he escaped.” “ Hi was jest a comin’ to that, beggin’ yer pardon, sir. Yer knows, I dare say, that there’s a small iron brace up forrard in the gig. Well, hit ’as a sharp edge, not rounded like most, an’ that son of a gun of a Frenchman jest rubbed and scraped the rope that bound his hands across it till ’e was free; then he fished a knife out of ’is pocket and cut the rope about ’is legs. I knows that cause hin ‘is infernal ’urry ’e left the knife be’ind ’im.”’ “Well?” said Struthers and Cottrell in a breath. “Well,” continued Kent rather shamefacedly, “ bein’ so sure o’ hour pris- Oner, p’raps we wasn’t as watchful as we might a’ been. You'd already gone GONG OOO UN ceo