The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-07-19

= one fair girl, whom he loved pass
ing well, y and who was foster sister to
lovely Marguerite de Nanteuil; the
other boy, who had served in the castle
as varlet, and who had been retained
from the outbreak of the Jacques as a
hostage.
To this boy in his extremity the cold,
cruel baron resolved TO intrust his
child; and there was something more
than touching, sometimes sublime, in the
confidence with which this wild chief
who had never trusted man, or merited
the trust of men, accepted the simple
word of this youth, whom he had often
abused foully and maltreated when a
child, now an adult, almost a man.
But be did trust him and showed
him the secret passage, and gave him
| the clue, and dismissed him in the guise
of deserter by the postern raising an
alarm on the instant and calling on the
warders on the bartiZau to bend their
bows and send an arrow through the
traitor. But the night was dark as a
VOLTS mouth, and the boy feet of foot
as the hunted deer. The peril, if peril
there were, was soon overpast.
! The next day with the earliest dawn
the castle was attacked on all sides with
all the fury of Unsuitable hate, defended
with all the frmness of despair. The
air was alive with whizzing bolts and
arrows, the rocks rang with the din
of arms, the howls end yells of the
mob
Many brave men were slain on both
sides; among others, Nicholas Maillart,
the very man whose child was plighted
to save Marguerite. But this De Nan
| teuil knew not, when, at sunset, the be-
! siegers drew off their forces to roar and
reyel through all the dreary night
around their blazing watch-fresl
AS the castle clock tolled midnight,
the Lord of Nanteuil stood at the en-
trance of the secret passage with his
trembling child, half hope, half fear, de-
ceived into the belief that her sire was
flying with her. The signal agreed
upon was given and returned. He I'M
locked the trap, and not the boy Martin,
but the girl Blanche stood before him.
He started back aghast.
1t is l. They have arrested my
brother on suspicion; you have slain my
father. Will you trust her to me-"
Her face was pale, but her eye was
bright with strange expression.
will. Take her; as you do to her,
God SO requite you"
"Amenl | will die dishonored ere
hair of her head shall be polluted
Come, come all is in the hands of our
Maker"
And before the scared girl had missed
! her father, she hurried her into small,
| low nallor gha 10 hor hoe Nv
don suit of her own russell peasants
weeds, and led her up crazy ladder into
the principal room of the house.
When day dawned all was oversize
alone of her whole race survived, and
she had been missed by the savage cap
tors. And fierce pursuit was securing
the plains toward Meaux after one, clad
in her att re, lashing fiery palfrey to
its widest speed-for life the dear life !
the dearer honor while she slept there,
the serene sleep of innocence.
! Persons came in, and withdrew the
gossips of the village plying or exulting.
But as they saw the hapless child, as
they thought her sleeping, they respected
her grief, and awoke her not.
But how Jared it with her, the devoted
rescuer Of the maid-the desperate
rider Fast as she fed, faster, it seemed,
her pursuers gained on her; and, hope
less to save either life or honor, she had
already drawn the fatal blade which De
| Nanteuil had intrusted to her brother,
when-joyl Joy as she rose on the sum-
nit of hill, banners and spears came
sweeping up the slope to meet her
The Count of Folk and his brave fol-
| lowers
They had saved Meaux on the previous
day and were hurrying forward, hoping
to save Nanteuil. At least, they were
in time-thanks to the glorious loyalty
aud gallant truth of Blanche Maillart-
to save its orphan heiress.
Many a gay esquire and gallant knight
would gladly have ennobled the beauti-
full young heroine. But, true to caste,
as she had been loyal to her lady, she
spurned the doubtful honor; and, when
peace revisited the land, made glad a
good man of her own degree, and lived
and died true and loyal woman.