The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-07-10

But be did trust him and showed
him the secret passage, ana gave him
the clue, and dismissed him in the guise
of a deserter by the postern raising an
alarm on the instant and calling on the
warders on the bartizan to bend their
bows and send an arrow through the
traitor. But the night was dark as
VOLTS mouth, and the boy feet of foot
as the hunted deer. The peril, If peril
there were, was soon overpast. s4 4
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 firmness of despair. The
air was alive with whizzing bolts and
arrows, the rocks rang with the din
of arms, the howls and yells of the
mob. zyA.tr
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 of their forces to roar and
revel through all the dreary night
around their blazing watch-fires!
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 un-
locked the trap, and not the boy Martin,
but the girl Blanche stood before him.
He started back aghast. ss.t
"It is l. They have arrested my
brother on suspicion; you have slain my
father. Will you trust her to meT'
Her face was pale, but her eye waz
bright with strange expression.
"I will. Take her; as you do to her,
God so reguite you" %
amen! j will die dishonored ere
hair Of her head shall be polluted.
Come, GOMEZ all is in the hands of our
Maker"
And before the scared girl had missed
her father, she hurried her into small,
low cellar, where she made her hastily
don a suit of her own russet 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 attire, lashing a fiery palfrey to
its widest speed-for lifel the dear life
the dearer honor while she slept there
the serene sleep of innocence.
Persons came in, and withdrew; the
gossip5 of the village pityiDg or exulting
But as they saw the hapless child, as
they thought her sleeping, they respected
her grief, and awoke her not.
| DIT Ior, farnJ 10 NTH har he Ao TOD
rescuer of the maid-the desperate
rider! Fast as she fed, faster, it seemed
her pursuers gained OH her; and. hope
lesG to save either life or honor, she ha6
already drawn the fatal blade which De
Nanteuil had intrusted to her brother
when--joy 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! 'r 81
They had saved Meaux on the previous
day aud were hurrying forward, hoping
to save Nanteuii. At least, they wer,
in time-thanks to the glorious loyalty
aud gallant truth of Blanche Maillart-
to save its orphan heiress.
Many a gay esquire and gallant knigh
would gladly have ennobled the beauti
full young heroine. But, true, to caste
as she had been loyal to lie: lady, sb,
spurned the doubtful honor; and, whel
peace revisited the land, made glad
good man of her own degree, and hvet
and died true and loyal woman.