The Winslow mail., 1897-07-17

tHo SlOup VI 0lIOuuluS. DdrDarOuX re-
pressed it by gesture. "What do you
say of this MANI" he asked, turning to
them, his voice deep and solemn.
''He is not fit to live!" they answered
in chorus
The poor coward screamed as he heard
the words, and flinging himself on the
ground he embraced Barbaroux's knees
in paroxysm of terror. But the judge
did not look at him. Barbaroux turned
instead to Pierre Bounat. "What dc
you say of him?" he asked.
''He is not fit to live" +" said the young
man solemnly, his breath coming quick
and fast
And you?" Barbaroux continued,
turning and looking with his eyes OF
fire at the wife, his voice gentle and YET
more solemn.
A moment before she had ceased to
weep and had stood up listening and
gazing, awe and wonder in her face.
Barbaroux had to repeat his question
before she answered. Then she said,
He is not fit to die"
There was silence for moment bro
ken only by the entreaties of the wrotch
on the floor. At last Barbaroux spoke.
"She has said rightly" he pronounced.
HE shall live. They have put us out OF
the law and set a price on our heads,
but we will keep the law. He shall live.
But, hark you, the great orator contin-
ued In tones which Michel never for
got, IF whisper escape you as to our
presence here, or our names, Or if you
wrong your wife by word Or deed, the
life she has saved shall pay for it.
"Remember!' he added, shaking Mi.
chel to and fro with finger. ''The arm
of Barbaroux is long, and though be
100 leagues away shall know. and I
shall punish. So beware! Now, rise and
live!"
The miserable man covered back to
the wall, frightened to the core of his
heart. The Girondins conferred awhile
in whispers, two Of their number as
sisting Pierre to cross the barrier. Sud-
denly there came-and Michel trem bled
anew as he heard it-a loud knocking
at the door. All started and stood lis
tening and waiting. A voice outside
cried, "Open, open in the name Of the
law"
"We have fingered too long," Barba-
roux muttered. II should have thought
of this. 1t is the mayor of Carbaix come
to apprehend our friend"
Again the Girondins conferred togeth-
er. At last, seeming to arrive at con-
clusion, they ranged themselves on Ell
ther side of the door, and one of their
number opened it. A short, stout man,
girt with tricolor sash and wearing a
huge sword, entered with an air of au-
thority. Being blinded by the light, he
saw nothing out of the common and was
followed by four p,en armed with mus
kets.
Their appearance produced an extraor-
dinary effect on Michel Teller AS they
one by one crossed the threshold the
peasant leaned forward, his face flush
ed. his eyes cleaning, and counted them.
They were only five And the others
were ~. He fell back, and from that
moment his belief in the Girondins
power was clinched.
I'm the name of the lawm painted the
mayor. why did you mott Then he
stopped abruptly, his mouth remaining
open. He found himself surrounded by
group OF grim, silent mutes, with
arms i'll their hands, and in twinkling
it flashed into his mind that these were
the / l chiefs Of the Girondins whom
he had been warned to keep watch for.
He had come TO catch pigeon and had
caught crow. He turned pale, and his
eyes dropped. "Who are-who are these
gentlemen he stammered in a ludi-
crously altered tone,
"Some volunteers of Quumpen, re-
turning home. replied Barbaroux, with
ironical smoothness.
You have your papers, citizens?"
the mayor asked mechanically, and he
took a step back toward the door and
looked over his shoulder.
Here they arel" said Petion rudely.
thrusting a packet into his hands.
They are i'll ORDER
The mayor took them, and longing
only to see the outside of the door pre-
tended to look through them, his little
heart going pit-a-pat within him.
''They seem to be in order," he assent
ed feebly. Il need not trouble you fur
ther, citizens. came here under a mis-
apprehension, ! find, and I wish you a
good journey. y"
He knew. as he backed out, that he
was cutting poor figure. He would
fain have made more dignified retreat.
But before these men, fugitives and out
laws as they We're, he felt, though he
was mayor of Carbaix, almost as small
a mani rs did Michel Teller. These
were the men of the revolution. They
had bearded mobiles and pulled down
kings. There was Barbaroux. who had
grappled with Marat, and Petion, the
mayor of the Bastille. The little mayor
of Carbaix knew greatness when he saw
it, He turned tail and hurried back to
his fireside, his bodyguard not a whit
behind him.
Five minutes later the men he feared
and envied came out also and went
their way, passing in single file into the
darkness which brooded over the great
monolith, beginning, brave hearts, an.
other of the few stages which still Law
between them and the guillotine. Then
in the cottage there remained on1v Mi.
chel and Jeanne. She sat by tho diving
embers, silent and lost in thought. He
leaned against the wall, his eyes rowing
ceaselessly, but always when his gaze
met hers it fell. Barbaroux had con.