The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-08-01
bling with emotion, but with an attempt at

bling with emotion, but with an attempt at
cOmpOsure:
''Zilah has been wrecked, and only she and
two of her train, with few common sailors,
have escaped Her strange companions, her
foreign tongue, but, more than all, the ac-
cursed perjuries OF thlevlng lnnkeeper,
have brought on her the charge OF sorcery,
tumult has been raised, she mas been ar
rested, and-God of my fathers may even
now be suffering on the rack or at the stake.
OH why did | ever leave her? But if a hair
of her head is harmed, | will hang every
knaye of Bourdonnis"
Let US on at once, then; we may yet ar
rive in time,"
Pass the word down the line" exclaimed
thescount. ION, knights and gentlemen;
we must not draw rein until we reach Bour-
After few minuaes of hurried consulta-
ton 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
rapid pace, and in a few moments nothing
| buta cloud Of dust in the valley and on the
hillside was left to tell of their late presence.
1t was already high-noon in Bourdonnis.
A little out of town, in a gentle valley, was
the place chosen for the intliction of the hor-
| rid sentence. For more than an hour~indeed
ever since the condemnation of the accused
the populace had been pouring thither in
crowds, until now vast multitude, compris-
ing nearly the whole population Of the town,
surrounded the place of execution and COW
cred the encircling hills like spectators in an
amphitheatre.
AT length the procession came in sight.
First marched a 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 pressed to-
gether came the victim. She made no an
swers, it was observed, to the words of-the
l llyCn aI% ha,,.l
she would kiss.a crucifiX 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 affianced bride of one of
the proudest mobiles of France, to be Kissed
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 stream
ing eyes to heaven as to her only hope, and
well might she turn away from the ministers
OF religion who sanctioned her sacrifice and
trust only In that cross which was her low
er's gift, and the emblem of the suffer.ngs of
one whom that lover had taught her was the
only true God.
At length they reached the fatal stake
But If Zilah shuddered at its sight the feel
ing was checked before it could be seen BY
the populace. Calm and collected, though
pale as the driven snow, she stood proudly
up while the fatal chain was affixed around
her slender waist and with ewes appraised to
heaven, appeared to be only an Indifferent
spectator, instead of the chief person in the
fatal tragedy. Not a repining word broke
from her lips. The first agony of death had
passed away, and she steeled her heart to
her fate.
At length all was prepared. Over the vast
assembly gazing on her, hung the silence of
the dead Mems breath came quick and
their hearts futtered when they felt that in
another minute the awful tragedy would be
begun. Every eye was bent intently on the
fatal stake as the eXecutioner approached
with the fiery brand. For the last time Zi-
ian opened her eyes to take final look on
that earth to which she was soon to bid fare
well forever. But what sent that sudden
flush to her cheek? Why that cry of thrill
ing joy, the first audible sound which had
left her lips since her sentence? She sees
troop of fiery horsemen, covered with dust
and foam, laundering over the brow of the
hill in front of her, and in the very van of
the array she recognizes the pennon of the
Count OF Garonne waving in the MONDAY
sun.
Onward came the rescuers. Horse on
horse, knight after knight retainer following
retainer, they swept like a whirlwind down
the hill, shouting their war cry, "Garonne-
st. Dennis and GaronneP' the panic struck
crowd opening to the right and to the left
before them. In vain the soldiery who
guarded the victim attempted to resist the
rush Of the assailants. They might as well
have withstood the ocean surges in their
might. Inc shock OF the h0rSemen was ir-
resistible Foremost among them, cleaving
his way lihe giant rode the count himself,
his tall figure and powerful charger render
Ing him conspicuous over ALL Nothing
could resist him. He seemed like an ayeng-
ing spirit come to the aid of the suffering
victim, nor were those wanting who saw in
the sudden appearance of the rescuers, and
their indomitable courage, proofs of super
natural agency A universal panic seized
on the crowd. Soldiers as well as populace
broke and fled. In few minutes the count
had gained the stake, when, springing from
his steed he rushes forward, and with one
blow of his huge sword, had severed the
chain which bound the victim to the stake.
'Oh Henri" Historically said the rescued
girl, as she sprang forward and fell fainting
into her lovers arms.
'Zilahl God DO praised that you are safe!
Curses on the villains! She faints. Ho
there, water, you knayes, or cleaye you to
the chin"
But the maiden had only tainted from ex-
cessiye joy, and when restoratives were ap-
piled, she speedily recovered.
Our story is done. The terror of the pop
ulace, the humble apologies of the magstra-
ey, the merited punishment of the perjured
publican, and the speedy union of the count
and the converted princess-are they not all
written in the chronicles of the noble house
of Garonne.