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Show 140 TIIF. LILY AND Til£ TOTEM. nicrrc and l1is young companion followed in the steps of La GcorC towards tlw fortress. TnAT night the young Alphonse D'Erlach might have been seen l!tc!lling cautiously from tho quarters of La.udonnicrre, nod winding along under CO\'Cr of the pali83dcs to one of the entrances of the fortress. llo was wrapped in a. hugo and heavy cloak which effectually disguised his person. Hero he \vas joined by another, whom he immediately addressed: "Don Pre?" "The same: all's rcndy." " Have they gone?" "Yes!" "Let nsgo." They \vent together to the cntrnnee. Til(~ person wl10m Alpl10llSC called Don Pre, was a short, thick~ct person, fully fifty years of age. They appro:tchcd the sentry at the gnto. "Let us out, my son," said Bon Pre; 11 we nrc late.'' When they were without the walls, they stole along through the ditel1, concealed in the deep shade of the place, cautiously avoiding all exposure to the stnr·ligbt. On rcael1ing n certain point, th<>y ascended, and, taking the cover of bush and tree, made their way to the river, and getting into a boat which lay beneath the banks, pushed off, and suffered her to drop down the stream, the old man simply using the paddle to shape her course. A brief conversation, in whispers, followed between them. TilE CO~SPIRACY OF LE OENRf::. 141 "You told him all ?" asked Don llrc. "No; but just enough for our purpose. As I told you, he believes nothing. lie is too good a. m:m himself to believe any body thoroughly bad. 11 "lie will grow wiser before he is done. You did not suffer him to know where you got your information ?" "No-surely not. He would have been for having a. court, nnd a trial, and all that sort of thing. You would have sworn to the truth in vain, and they would assassinate you. \Vc must only do what we cnn to prevent, and leave the punil!hment for another seaF-on. If time is allowed us-" "Ay, but that u if!" said the old man. "Time will not be allowed. Lc GcnrC will be rather slow-but there are some persons not disposed to wait for tl1e return of the partic.s under Ottigny and your brother., " Enough !" said D'Erlach-" Here is the cypress. 11 With these 'words, the course of the canoe was arrested, tho prow turned in towards the shore, and adroitly impelled, by the stroke of Bon Pre's paddle, directly into the cavernous opening of an ancient cypreSll which stood in the water, but close to the banks. This ancient tree stood, as 'it were, upon two mnssive a.butuwnL!I. The cavern into which the boat po.s..~ed was open in ]ike manner on the opposite side. The prow of the cnnoc ran in upon the lnnd, while the stern rested within the body of the tree. Alphonse cautiously stepped ashore, nnd was followed by his older companion. They were now upon the s:une side of the river with the fortress. The course which llu>y bad taken had two objects. To avoid fatigue and detection in a progress by land, and to reach a given point in advance of the conspirntors, who Lad t.akcu that routo. Of~oursc, our two <:ompaniousluLd timed |