Daily Republican., 1878-12-28

By the time the leader Of the Blac
Riders had reached the outer gate tn
approaches to the castle had been 81
cured, and its forces mustered to tn
number offve-and sixty. OF the enem
If enemies they are they were-th r
were full two hundred, all strong men
and we'll armed; aud when they ha'
drawn up before the outer barbieal
their herald sounded a blast upon hi
trumpet, which call the grand suk'
answered in person. His secretary an.
the chief Of his officers sought 70 dis
sua.le hi,n from exposing himself, bu
he would not listen.
He mounted one of the smaller tow
ers in advance of the main tower Of tht
barbcan in one Of the most9xposed posi-
tions he could have selected, and de.
manded to knew upon what errand the
troop had come.
1--WE hold 10 conference with your
castle walls between u.s. answe red the
black knight, whose voice, and whose
whole bearing and stalwart presence,
John recognized as belonging to Raonl
do Langwolf. "Throw open your gates
and you shall quickly know our pleas
urs. If you put us to the labor of fore.
ing our way it shall be worse for those
who Else may not suffer-"
At this juncture second knight rode
up and spoke with the Bohemian. He
was cased in plate armor, with his vis-
or closed, but Zeta Bethtoni, who had
come to his masters side, recognized
him.
"Haf" the secretary cried, clutching
the dukes arm, that is the iend in
carnate. 1t is Burgundy's butcher,
Maillotin du Bac! He would not be here
if Charles had not planned bloody work.
fear my Touchdown, Down!"
But the note Of alarm came too late.
A tall broad shou dered archer had ad-
vanced with Maillotin du Bac, who, at
sign from the latter, raised his heavy
bow, with long, steel barbed, finely
feathered arrow adjusted to the string,
and drew to the very arrows head.
John of Luxembourg stood with his
visor raised, and his whole face expos
ed. He heard Bethtoui's cry, and saw
the stout archer Of the black baldric,
but he was too late to avoid the fatal
shaft. As an echo to the warning came
the veng-fu twang of the low string,
and the steel point, with its following
barbs, entered the dukes right eye,
crashing through the bone of the orbit,
and burying itself de in the brain.
He fell back dead into Bethton's arms.
The secretary bore the body down to
the pavement below, wher. he was
Just in season to meet score of Black
Riders who had gained entrance.
1t was not enough that the grand
duke should die. Charles had decreri
and ordered that the whole household |
should he put to the sword; and his
dev ted henchman, Maillotin du Bac |
was the man to obey. The number OF
the grand dukes children was known,
and Du Bac saw the terrible order ex
ecuted. Where he had found the
Prince Leon, whom he at once recog-
niz-d by his tell-tale garb, he had
found another boy of nearly the same
age, and him he was about to slay, in
spite of the tears and prayers Of the
poor mother who clung to him, when
The Black Knight of Bohemia came up
"What is ali this'" De Langw off de-
az he approached.
"Oh, good sir!-nohle knigh: !-he
s my hoy,-my own Leon! Oh, spare
him, spare him!"
"Pshaw! let the brat live, said the
Black chief.
"3ut this little viper is as spitetul
,s tiger returned Du Bac. 'ZoundS
ne came near knocking one Of my men
,ver with club. | ook at him
Look at his eyes. He don't ask for
iie. tell You he must die. If h.
ives, he will live to give us trouble -
No." persisted the Bohemian.
John of Luxembourg and all his tan
y are dead, and that fills the measure.
Here, my good woman, take your boy,
md when is grown old enough to
,ear arms, let him come to me, ard
will Civ. him service
Maillotin Du Bac chaftl angrily and
would have cut tn. boy down had not
he Black knight declared it TO have
'ecome personal matter.
"S;rike the poor 'orestrr's boy" said
l", land you strike metz
And so the life Of the boy was saved
nd 'u Bac muttered, as he turned
way:
81 tell you that boy will live to give
5 truuhlr,h
And his words were prophetic. {
Eight years had passed since the
massacre of AlSdorf, and the prime. ,
ho had instigatnd that wicked work t
till plotted and fought for power. He
nrone of Burgundy, though the event |
as not far distant. Philip the Good '
ill lived, and reignei in name, but c
harles the Bold, his son and heir, |
'as the responsible prince and arbi- a
ator. r
1t was early in the day--a day of r
te autumn--clear, bright. and beau. t
ful. The air was crisp and bracing. $
pom a broad plain, at the foot Of the h
opr upon which stood the town Of c
ont-l lIery, was narshalled an army
nder the banner # Louis Of France. d
he distance from Paris was not more v
IAN li7e leagues. II
Little more than good bow shot b
stant, with an insignificant tributary t,
the Essonne between them, lay an
her d. my, spread over a greater terri, l.