The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-06-14
NUMBER 49,
twill not open till you say who 1t is."
There was O whispering outaide, after which

| II Will not open till you say who IL is.n
There was q Whispering outaide, after which
| o voice answered:
| "Open to your doctor; open to ChsrieIss.D
With trembling hand she hastily unlocked
the door, which, as abe did 80, was pushed
| inward. She saw Ave or six men standing In
the passage, the foremost Of whom entered,
and ut once closed the door again behind him,
but without locking 1t. That man was
Lygdus. She at once knew her brutal capios.
| and, indeed, had she never seen him nor been
| in his cruel power since that afternoon when
he had tried to kill her brother with Cneias
Piso's sword, she would still have remembered
him. She was too weak now to scream, and,
besides, knew it's inutility. She fell ON her
knees with clasped hands, and gazed ct tn
assassin wildly. He babe her put on her cloak
as she must take n short journey with him.
She seemed not to have heard him. He
repeated his command with an oath. She
merely continued to stare at him. He shook
her roughly by the shoulder. At the toueh
Of his hand she rose, and hastened with reel
ing step to the furthest corner OF the room.
and fell down there, but partly recovered
herself SO as to lean against tho corner Of the
wall, where, half.sitting, halflying on the
hoor, her beautiful face was changed into o
deadly hue; her eyes were wide open and
fxed upon Lygdns; her lower jaw had parti-
ally dropped. The monster approached her
with his fist olinohed; but she then suddenly
seemed to regain some little strength, for ahe
motioned him away with her right hand, and
said slowly, and with q gasp:
"Paulus, brother dear why leave your poor
Agatha to be so treatedf"
At this Lygdus stopped, and struck her ON
the delicate shoulder, yelling out:
"Perish your brother Paulusp
Agatha put mp o hand TO the stricken
shoulder, and orouched into the angie of the
wall, an object of such helpless terror, rs fined
beauty, simplicity, innocence, and suffering,
as would have melted, II might be supposed,
the hardest and most ruthless heart that an
assassin over had In his bosom Bat Lygdus
only seemed to be still more enraEea AZ thtn
affecting spectacle.
He was in the act Of repeating tho dastardIY
caitid blow when he was suddenly arreofed By
. terrible succession Of sou nds which he eonld
well understand. u was the rush Of footsteps
in distant part Of the building, followed By
the violent trampling Of men to and fro - II
in deadly struggle, the noise Of blows en-
changed, the shrieks Of womsnSsrios, easseS.
o loud shout from many voices, aud all the
tumult Of sudden aua desperate CONTEST.
EO8oA~
ing pleas Of compassion, bad been unable %
move the heart of Lygdus against his love Of
eruelty but there was one thing before which
his lust of cruelty instantly gave way, ard
that was bis cowardly love for his own pre-
cious carcass. Leaving his victim where abe
crouched, he crept to the door On tfptoe,
placed his ear at 10 In a bent attitude, aud
listened TO the nproar which perceptibilk1
40 ND voJu al
the door and peered forth, jest as the tunaIt
rolled and thundersd into the passage iaselfs
the door hastily fast again, Lyg6ns
locked it inside. aud, FetFeatinE to tho mia6ls
Of the chamber, drew from the breast OF kia
iiphtkera, or tunic, long koife. and sbus
waited. Not long bad be TO waitS bTiee
combat seemed to take place Outside; arhoagy
body or two were heard ~ IL Sangbly f1Hpg
upon the ground, and then she d6ax isseff waa
sharply struck with sOme metSl tnstEument
while above the din, voice which sent
thrill fEom the Grown Of ARasha'a head 10 thG
,oIes Of her feet rang clearly 0ut, cTyings
= sister DEAR be Hot alarmed help has eoGo
( IL PAalua who kuoOks."
Agatha raised hsz eyes toward heaven, ha8
'oula NOS speak and LyRdus Of oouESs 20
sainoA silsut, knife in hand, as We hsg@
lascrilssd aim.
One moments pause, as IL those vithe1s
we're listening for some answer, essSsd sid
hen the door literally IeaPed from the hiaSs-
Tide ana the loek-side enthusiastically Inward,
snd PauIas, armed, stoOd on the threshold.
yish TheIluS, ChREiaas and Lonainas behina
lin, all armed too, and having dreadful stains
nSiss on their weapons. There was atroug
fight Ia the ro0n. oas glaEes revealsd his
cry. Asaskn pat up both hands 70 her syssto