The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-07-03

appeared to question him. But a few
minutes had elapsed, however, before
the count turned around to his cousin,
and exclaimed, in q voice trembling
with emotion, but with an attempt at
composure:
"Zilah has been wrecked, and only
she and two of her train, with a few
common sailors, have escaped. Her
strange companions, her foreign tongue,
but, more than all, the accursed per-
iuries of a thieving %innkeeper, have
brought on her the charge Of sorcery,
a tumult has been raised, she has been
arrested, and-god of my fathers!-
may v e now be suffering on the rack
or at the stake. Oh! why did I ever
submit to leave her? But, by tie
mother of God!i if O hair of her head is
harmed, I will hang every knave Of
Bourdonnis."
"Let us on at once, then; we may yet
arrive in time"
"Pass the word down the line" ex-
claimed the count. con, knights and
gentlemen; we must not draw rein I'M
til we reach Bourdonnis."
After a few minutes of hurried con-
sultation with the servant, who stated
chat 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 gal
liant array set forward at q rapid pace,
and in a few moments nothing but q
cloud of dust in the valley and on the
hillside wa left to tell of their late pres
ence.
1t was already high noon in Rour-
donnis. A little out oftown, in a gentle
valley, was the place chosen for the
intiiction of the horrid sentence. For
more than an hour-indeed ever since
the condemnation of the accused-the
populace had been pouring thitl,er in
crowds, until now q vast multitude,
comprising nearly the whole popula-
ton of the town, surrounded the place
of execution, and covered the encircling
hills, like spectators in an amphithea-
ter.
At lengh the procession came in sight.
First marcheda body of soldiers; then
followed the magistrates of the town;
directly after appeared several monks;
and then, clad in white, with her
hands tightly pressed 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 a cruel
fix 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 mir and the
atiianced bride of one of the proudest
mobiles of France, to be Kissed ut by q
mob, and end her life in unheard of tor
ments ut 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
sanctioned her sacrifice and trust only
in that cross which was her lovers gift,
and the emblem Of the sufferings of one
whom that lover had taught her was
the only true God.
"Ohl" she murmured to herself, eff
Henri only knew my peril he would yet
rescue me. But there is no hope and I
must not forget that 1 am the daughter
of a warrior. Henri shall hear that I
died as became his afianced BRIDE"
and her figure seemed to dilate and her
walk to grow moro majestic as she
thought.
Atlength they reached the fatal stake.
But if Fila shuddered at its sight the
feeling was checked before it could be
seen by the %populace. Calm and col
lected, though pale as the driven snow,
she stood proudly up while the fatal
chain was affixed around her
slender waist, and with eyes 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 huttered
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
Zilah opened her eyes to take a final
look on that earth to which she was
soon to bid farewell forever. But what
sent that sudden flush to her cheek?
Why that cry of thrilling Joy, the first
audible sound which had left her lips
since her sentence? She sees a troop
of fiery horsemen, covered with dust
and foam, laundering over the brow of
the hill in front other, 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, re-
tainer following retainer, they swept
Like a whirlwind down the hill,
shouting their war-cry, "Garonne
"a st. Denis and Garonne!" the
panic struck crowd opening to the right
and to the left before them. In vain
the soldiery who guarded the victim at
tempted to resist the rush of the assail-
ants. They might as well have with
stood the ocean surges in their might.
The shock of The horsemen was i%rrisis-
tible. Foremost among them, cleav-
ing his way like a giant, rode the count
himself, his tall figure and powerful
charger rendering him conspicuous
over all. Nothing could resist him.
He ~seemedlike an avenging spirit come
to the aid of the suffering victim, nor
were those wanting who saw in the sud
den appearance of the rescuers, and
their indomitable courage, proofs of
supernatural agency. A universal pam
ic seized on the crowd. Soldiers as
well as populace broke and fled, In a
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