The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-02-03

pa1sionately foud Of books, and above all
things, "a enthusiastic student Of astron.
omy. His fhyorite resort was z IN 7sold
tower on I wooded hill IN the xneiehbor.
hood, which insmedieyal times had. bean.
used 8 lookout by the knightly noble.
men. Of Touraine. From the top .of thsE
tower Lucrece do .Precy often made .s..
Economical observations, IN which E he-
spent there occasionally whole days s1s,tg
b; As time wore on, his predilsction for
this lonely spot grew stronger and strong.
er. 70 show On, appreciation Of his. at.
tatchment TO It, he had ! tail flae 7sltafr
erected on tho top Of the tower, over
which thenceforth aoated the banner of
his noble house. 80. -, .,'....,. -,
u Young Charles de Montb.issonni Y was =
widely different character. His tastes;
were singularly gross. He was cruel to
animals, and had on one occasion beaten
servant 30 severely that the latter had
died in consequence. Tho noble young
murderer had not even been arrested for
this shocking crime so great were the
privileges Of tho aristocracy3 yet. It re:
manned for the great revolution to avenge
the crime he had commit,ed:so long, with
such srecklessnsss and impunity. .Ofhis1
hatred Of young II. Do Precy. Charles de
Montbaisson had made no secret. '''''-
|" II shall kill the young rascal one day."
he had repeatedly said. n j;''.< f's;: ,'''>;I !
People who heard him utter these
words believed that, when grown up, he
would challenge young Precy, but they
had no idea that he intended to put him
to death in widely different manner.
0on a. &c. 17oA rhA ~1>o Ia Meat.
baisson returned from journey to Italy,
| where he had been for over . year. On
the same evening he had secretly repair.
ed to the tower, where he had ascertained
that Lucrece de Precy was still watching
the silent stars. When near tho tower.
Charles stood still. The lamp which was
lighted, showed him that the last scion Of
the house SO hated by the Montbaissons
| was there.
With \ chuckle Charles said to him.
| self:
II have got him as q rat in trap.
This time no Montbaisson will fall in the
combat, but Precy will die and die
how!'
His savage expression,as he uttered these
words, showed he had conceived terri.
BILE scheme for the staying of his unsus.
pecting adversary.
Lucrece de Prccy WAS on that evening
in better spirits than usual. The night
was clear and the stars unusually bright.
He had for hours been watching through
his telescope various consultations par
ticularly interesting to him, when sudden.
ly he heard I noise in the tower.
1t was close to the entrance. The
tower contained an old wooden staircase.
which led to the platform on its top.
Young Precy listened = moment. and
then he heard the noise again.
"Who is there!" he shouted down.
lis that you, Lucrece de Precy!" ask
ed threatening voice below.
eyes,"
Il am glad to know that you are there
very Glad l assure you!'
"But who are you p
II am your friend, Charles de Mont
baisson r.
Young Precy was silent for few mo-
ments. Then said:
"Of course you are not my friend,
Monsieur de Montbaisson. But will you
tell me what you want in this tower!
You know it is my property, and I. have
= notion to have you punished for intrud.
ing here.'
"Ha ha ha - laughed Montbaisson.
"By the escutcheon of my ancestors"
cried Precy, stung by the scornful laugh.
ter of the enemy Of his house," shall
have you logged by the game.keeper if
you ever show your face here!"
"Really! really" replied Montbaisson,
mockingly. "What = terrible boy you
are! But tell me what the stars, which
you read SO often, prophesied you to.
night!''
"Get away from here, impudent fel.
low! cried Precy, now fairly beside him.
self.
"Ah, then, will predict your fate to
you,'' replied Montbaisson, land you will
find that am splendid prophetic
Precy, struck by the sinister tone of
his unweicomed visitor, listened in silence
to him.
''Now," continued Charles do Montbais
son. II predict to you, Lucrece dc Precy
that this very night you will be slowly
burnt to death in this tower. Unless tho
smoke smothers you before the flames be-
gin to burn your flesh, you will be slowly
roasted. You might throw yourself from
the tor of the tower, but you would break
every bone in your body BY the f.l::.''
"What do you mean:'' cried Prccy,
now seriously alarmed.
Il mean to build 4 fire under this dry
old wooden staircase" shouted Mont
baisson back. II have all the dry wood
need for it here, and
He Was interrupted by piercing cry
for help which young Precy uttered.
'Oh, you need net hope for any assist
ance from without! No one can hear you.
even though you shouted At the top of
'Oh, you cannot intend to murder me
in 50 cruel . manner!" cried Precy, in an
imploring tone.
"Don't look for mercy on my part" re.
piled Montbaisson. II shall put you to
death exactly IS I said. But listen to me;
l have something to say to you first
Precy, wringing his hands in mute dis.
pair, bent forward to catch every word
from his infamous adversary. :.
"You see, Monsieur de Precy,' pro.
ceeded the latter, "what am going to do
is perfectly safe for me. When they find
your charred remains here to morrow,
they will think that you yourself had in.
cautiously set the wooden staircase on
fire. Now will tell you what shalt do
when you are dead. My lawyer has told
me that I am your next Of kin. So, by
your death, the Precy estate will become
mine, and, in order to kill al sympathy
for you, shall circulate the report that