Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-05-04

She now took her course back toward
the guillotine, and at length reached
the square where the bloody work was
still going on.
Gradually she forced her way through
the crowd, and nearer and nearer she
came to the scaffold.
She even forced laugh at several re-
marks she heard around her, but these
laughs sounded strangely.
She now stood within q few feet of
the platform and swept it with her
eyes, but her brother was not there.
The cry was now raised:
Here comes another batchp
Her heart futtered violently, and she
felt faintness come over her as she
heard the tramp Of the doomed men ap-
preaching.
Her brother walked proudly and fear
lessly forward and assembled the very
steps which led to the block
Up to this moment the strength of
poor Marie had failed her, and she was
unable to put her resolve into execution.
But now a sisters love swelled up i'll
her breast, and she recovered her
strength.
She sprang forward, bursting through
the line of guards, and ran up the steps.
Grasping her brother by the hand, she
cried
"What does this mean? 1t is only the
aristocrats that are to diep'
Away, womanp' exclaimed one of
the eXecutioners
mo; will not away until you tell
me why my brother Is here and thus
bound.
"Your brother?" was tho echo
Eyes, this is my brother. "
"Well, who are you?''
II am Marie; don't you know me?"
"The beggar grip
"Aye."
'But this is not your brother?"
''It is. Ask him-ask him."
Young Antonio do Nantes had turned
scornful gaze upon the maiden, but
light passed across his face, and he mur-
mured
"Oh, my sisterp'
"Is this your brother?" asked Robes
pierre of the supposed beggar, advanc-
ing near her.
''It is."
"But his name is down differently ~
"Then you are mistaken. He is my
brother. Ask him.
"Does Marie speak the truth?" asked
Robespierre.
"She does, (" was the brothers. reply.
"And you are not De Nantes?'
II tell you l am her brother"
"Why did you not tell us this be-
fore?'
II attempted to speak, but was ST.
lenced'
But you might have declared your
self
"You would not have believed me- >"
"But your dress?"
lit belonged to an aristocrat, per
haps to him for whom I was taken"
Robespierre advanced close to young
Nantes and gazed earnestly into his
face Then he approached Marie and
looked steadily In her eyes for a short
time
It was moment of trial for the poor
girl. She trembled in spite of all her
efforts to be calm. She almost felt that
she was lost, when the human fiend,
whose word was law, turned and said:
"Release the man.
The chains were instantly removed,
and Antonio de Nantes walked down
from the scaffold, followed by his sis
ter. while the shouts Of those around
rent the air, for they supposed it was
commoner who had thus been saved.
The young man worked his way
through the crowd as rapidly as posi-
BILE, leading Marie.
They had scarcely escaped it before
the poor girl tainted from the intensity
of her feelings.
The brother scarcely knew what to do,
but hand was laid upon his arm, and
voice said:
Bring her to my room again. She
will be safe there. I"
The brother conveyed her to the
apartment Of the pauper and asked of
her:
"Have you seen the woman before?"
Eyes, I know all about it, returned
to save her lover. She has done it, and
l am Blad.
Before the noble sister returned to
consciousness the brother had learned
all.
When she did SO, they both sought
secure quarters after rewarding the
beggar girl, as had been promised.
"Do you think Robespierre was really
deceived?" asked Marie de Nantes.
II think not, returned the brother.
"Then why did he order your re-
lease?'
"He saw your plan; he admired your
courage. Could fiend have done less?"
perhaps this was the case. But if