Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-08-20

Again l ask thee, woman, VIII thou
cOnfeSs?"
She shook her head despondingly, buried
her face in her hands and mumured some
thing; perhaps it was prayer. The mob
burst once more into commOtion.
"Where are the servants of this woman? I?
let them be put on the rack" said the judge.
"They have escaped" answered an Off
cial.
"Vengeance for the sufferers by her in
cantations!" hoarsely groWled voice from
the mob.
The judge no longer hesitated, but yield
ing to the popular current as we'll as his
own prejudices, sentenced her to be burned
at high noon Of that very day. A wild
shout of exultation rose from the frenzied
mob as the sentence was pronounced, but
over the din swelled the fearful cry. "To
the stake with her-away with the sorcer-
eSs."
It was a few hours earlier in the same
day when noble knight sat in hosiery
of the little seaport town of -. He was
of singularly imposing cast of countenance.
His features were of the true Norman out
line, with a lofty intellectual brow, shaded
by locks of the richest chestnut hue. His
cheek was embrowned by Syrian sun un-
til it was of the darkest olive color, but the
clear white of his forehead, which had been
protected from exposure by his helmet, be-
trayed the original purity of his complex
ion. His form was tall and commanding.
He sat apparently absorbed in thought, but
was aroused from his reverie by the en-
trance of retainer.
"Are the horses ready 2"
eyes. my lord" said the man.
"We will mount into the saddle at once
then; how far did they say it was to Bour-
donnis?"
"Six leagues"
1--WE shall reach it before nghtfall lead
on.
The party which set forth from the inn
was a gallant sight to behold. knights,
suuires, men-at-arms and other retainers
sWeled the escort of the young count to the
number of nearly four-score, while the pen
mons waving in air, and the occasional sound
of a trumpet gave liveliness to the escort
which attracted the attention of the passers-
by of every rank and sex, and drew many
a sigh of envy from them. But who might
pretend to be the equal of the renowned
Count GarOnne, crusader of untarnlShed
fame, gallant still in the flower of his
youth and the lord of half score of castles
scattered over the wide domain of France.
At the head of the proud array rode the
count himself, conversing gaily with a
ed cousin.
cay, by st. Dennis !" said the count, she
is divinity such as even our sunny pro-
vince doth not afford. Such eyes, such
hair, and then, by my faith, such voice!
1t panied my heart to part from my sweet
Zilah-but she would have it so-and so she
comes in company with Father Ambrose
and score of my best knights. Her maid
enly modesty dictated this, and Twas forced
to submit. We were separated, however,
by that heathenism storm, and [ suppose
her galley put into Genoa
II long to see your princess, nor 40 l
wonder at your love, since she freed you
from a Moslem prison. [ am all impati-
ence to behold her-but look at the knave
coming over yonder hill. He rides like
the fiend himself"
cay! and by St. Dennis he is black
amoor; scarcer thing here than in Syria"
Even while they spoke the horseman rap
idly approached, and before many minutes
drew in the rein of his foaming steed at the
side of the count, whom he appeared to
know. The recognition was mutual. The
man instantly spoke in strange tongue,
and with violent gestures, while, with an
agitated voice, the count appeared to ques-
tiOn him. But a few minutes had elapsed,
however, before the count turned around
to his cousin, and exclaimed, in a voice
trembling with emotion, but with an at
tempt at cOmpOsure:
''Zilah has been wrecked, and only she ana
two of her train, with few common sailors,
have escaped. Her strange companions,
her foreign tongue, but more than all, the
accursed periuries of a thieving innkeeper,
have brought on her the charge of sorcery,
a tumult has been raised, and-God of my
fathers may even now be suffering on the
rack or at the stake. Oh! why did l ever
leave her? But, if a hair of her head is
harmed, will hang every knave OF Bour-
donnis."
"Let us on at once, then; we may yet
arrive in time"
''Pass the word down the line," exclaim-
ed the count. "On, knights and gentlemen;
we must not draw rein until we reach Bour-
donnis."
After few minutes of hurried consulta-
tion with the servant, who stated that he
and his fellow had escaped in the night of
the tumult, and each, by different roads,
sought the port where they supposed the
count TO be, the gallant array set forward
at a rapid pace, and in few moments moth
ing but cloud of dust in the valley and on
the hillside was left to tell OF their late
presence.
1t was already high noon in Bourdonis.
A little out of town in a gentle valley, was
the place chosen for the infliction of the
horrid sentence. For more than an hour
indeed ever since the condemnation of the
accused-the populace had been pouring
thither in crowds, until now a vast null
titude, comprising nearly the whole popu-.
lation of the town, surrounded the place of
execution and covered the encircling hills
like spectators in an amphitheatre.
At length the procession came in sight.
First marched body of soldiers; then fol-
lowed the magistrates of the town; directly
after appeared several monks; and then,
clad in white, with her hands tightly press
ed together came the victim. She made no
answers, it was observed, to the words of
the monks on either hand, but ever and
anon she would kiss crucitiX which she
carried, and raised her swimming eyes to
heaven. In that hour Of bitter agony, what
must have been her emotions! She, the
daughter of an emir and the aftianced bride
of one of the proudest mobiles of France, to
be Missed at by mob, and end her life in
unheard of torments at the stake! Oh if
her lover, she thought, only knew her peril!
But alas! he was away. Well might she
raise her streaming eyes to heaven as to her
only hope, and we'll might she turn away
from the ministers of religion who sanction