The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-08-19

may even now be suffering on the rack
or at the stake. OH why did 1 ever
leave herr But, if a hair of her head is
harmed, l will hang every knave of
| Bourdonnis."
'Lct us on at once, then; we may yet
arrive in time"
''Pass the word down the line," ex-
claimed the count. "On, knights and
! gentlemen; we must not draw rein un
| til we reach Bourdonnis."
After few minutes of hurried con-
sultation 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 gal
liant array set forward at rapid pace,
and in few moments nothing but
cloud of dust in the valley and on the
hillside was left to tell of their late pres
ence.
1t was already high noon in Bourbon
mis-. a little out OF town, in a gentle
valley, was the place chosen for the in.
! Fiction 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 vast multitude,
comprising nearly the whole population
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
| 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 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 a
mob, and end her life in unheard of tor
ments 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
sanctioned her sacrifice and trust only
in that cross which was her lovers gilft,
and the emblem OF the sufferngs 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
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 upraiSed to heaven,
appeared to be only an indifferent spec
tator, instead of the chief person in the
fatal tragedy. Not 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 aw-
full 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 final look
bid farewell forever. But what sent
that sudden flush to her cheek2 Why
that cry of thrilling JOY, the frs: audi
bic sound which had left her lips since
her sentenced She sees n 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 fol-
lowing retainer, they swept like whirl-
wind down the hill, shouting their war
cry, "Garonne-a st. Denis and Ga
ronneh 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. The shock of the horsemen was
irresistible. Foremost among them,
cleaving his way like Il giant, rode the
count himself, his tall figure and power
full charger rendering him conspicuous
over all. Nothing could resist him
He seemed like 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 panic
seized on the crowd Soldiers as we'll
as populace broke and fed. 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.
"Ohl Henrip hysterically said the
rescued girl, as she sprang forward and
fell fainting into her lovers arms.
'Zilahl God be praised that you are
, safe Curses on the villains. She faints.