Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-06-26

The mention of the League stirred
her companion and he gave tongue.
THE Holy League!' he exclaimed
with a savage scorn. Madame, though
we stand delivered unto these sons OF
Belial. must speak, for my heart is
full. Yea! Shall my lips be sealed be-
fore the enemies Of the Lord? The
Holy League, Ha! ha, There is NO
Holy League. 1t died at Ivry. There
did the Lord God break it clean, as
Of old. He shattered the Amorltes OF
the mountains. Lo, Even now His own
champion is at hand and ere the NOR
rows sun sets he shall smite these men
of sin hip and thigh, as when the Cho-
sen slew His enemies in Gideon"
Corps du diable! A rope for the
old Huguenot." exclaimed Nicholas.
Chou swearest rightly, villain" and
the fanatic glared at the Sergeant with
fierce ewes. Swear ever so by thy mas
ter. for thou art in truth limb Of the
body of Sin"
Thou shalt roast like chestnut over
a log fire for this" roared Nicholas,
shaking his halbred at his adversary,
"And thou in He'll" was the undaunt-
ed reply: "and the smell of thy burn
ing will be as the scent Of a savory
! bakemeat to the Lord my God
So savagely prophetic was his tone;
so fierce a glance did the bound Hugue-
not cast at Nicholas that it burnt to
cinders any reply he might have had
ready and reduced him to speeches.
fury
Madame shivered slightly; but meet
ing my eyes and the depressed laugh
in them. faint smile parted her lips.
This was for an instant only and her
face was grave enough as she turned
to her companion, speaking with a quiet
dignity. There is time for everything.
mon pere-at present your speech is a
trifle out of place"
The beetle brows of the Huguenot
met together as he gave reply:
There is no place which is out of
place to testify" but here de Comeron
cut in with his quick, stern voice, BE
silent, sir. or else a gag will stop your
tongue" and then with bow, Mad
ame, it goes to my heart to DEAN you,
but war is war, and we have no optiou.
Will you not be seated? All that TINS
poor hut affords is yours, and ne bert
low again, perhaps to aide the eXprtS-
sion in his eyes.
She made no effort to take the chair
he offered but burst out passionately:
Monsieur, l see you command here,
and it is to you to whom | must appeal.
Monsieur, give you my word of honor,
we are no spies. The rules of war allow
the ransom of prisoners, and anything
you name will be paid. Monsieur, l
pray you let us go.
Whilst she spoke my glance rested
on de Gomeron's face, and | saw that
his eyes were drinking in her beauty
greedily. and there was look in them
that recalled to my mind the stories OF
| the sack of Ham.
AS she finished her appeal Madame
turned towards the captain with a ges-
ture of entreaty; but IN this movement
she. too saw that in his voice and man
ner. which paled her cheeks to marble,
and she made a half-irresolute step to-
wards her companion as if for protec-
ton. De Gomeron observed this and
laughed under his heavy black NOUS
tache, and | felt that the strong wine
and his evil heart were moving to an
atrocious deed.
"Vertu de Dieu. Madame, but there
are some things which have no price.
And tbere'is no ranoun you could name
which would tempt Adam de Gomeroa
to part with his prisoners-with me
of them at any rate. You are 10 spy, l
know; such eyes as yours were never
made to count the strength Of battal-
ions. AS for your friend there, We have
means TO make him tell lis all about
himself tomorrow; and you, ma mig
nome. must not bruise your tender feet
by walking through the night to the
camp of Monsieur-the King of France,
In a day or so, perhaps, he went on
with a horrible smile, "but not to-
night. Come, and he stepped up to her.
Come, taste the d'Arbois-it is from
your friends--tnd learn to love the poor
soldiers of the Holy League
Saying this he attempted to pass his
arm round her waist, but slipping from
his grasp. and her cheeks aflame, Mad
anne struck him across the face with
the back of her hand, such stroke as
the wing of an angry dove might give.
The rest was done in a flash, and de
| Gomeron reeled back with bleeding lips,
staggered back to the very end Of the
room. where he would have fallen but
for the support of the wall. 1t was in
me 10 follow up my blow by passing
my sword through the man, so mad was
in my fury; but luckily for him Mich
olas hung on my arm and saved the
villains life. He righted himself at
once. and passing his hand across his