Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-12-09

II II 4aN tEtM Il SICK OF corn over the
rail. It fell with a heavy thud on the
ground. heard a piercing scream that
rose above that babel-one shrin
scream.-and the mob closed round
and hid the thing.
If the rascals had had the wi. to make
at once for the right-hand stairs, where
We stood with two or three of BEERS
men who had kept their saddles. l think
they might easily have disposed of US,
incumbered as we were by the horses;
and then they could have attacked the
handful on the gallery on both TANKS.
But the mob had no leaders. and no
plan OF operations. They seized, in
deed, two or three # the scattered
troopers, and tearing them from their
horses, wreaked their passion upon
them horribly. But most of the Switz-
ers escaped, thanks to the attention the
mob paid to the houses and what was
| going forward on the galleries; and
these, eXtricating themselves, Joined
us one by one, so that gradually lit
tie ring of stern faces gathered about
the stair-foot. a moments hesitation,
and seeing no help for it, we ranged
ourselves with them; and. unchecked
as unbidden, sprang on three of the
led horses.
All This passed more quickly than I
can relate it; so that before our feet
were well in the stirrups a partial ST.
lence, then a mightier roar of anger
at once proclaimed and hailed the re-
appearance of the vidame. Bigoted
beyond belief were the mob of Paris of
that day, cruel, vengeful and always
| athIrst for blood; and This man had
killed not only their leader, but a
priest. He had committed sacrilege!
What would they do? l could just, by
STOPPING forward, command side view
of the gallery, and the scene passing
there was such that forgot in it our
own peril.
For surely in all his reckless life
Beers had never been so emphatically
the man for the situation-had never
shown to such advantage as at this
moment when he stood confronting the
sea OF faces, the sneer on his lip,
smile in his eyes; and looked down IN
blenching, figure of scorn, on the men
who were literally agape for his life.
The calm defiance of his steadfast look
fascinated even me. Wonder and adj
miration for the time took the place of
dislike 1 could scarcely believe that
there was not some atom of good in
this man so fearless. And no face but
one 10 face, think, in the world, but
one could have drawn my eyes from
him. But that one face was beside
him. [ clutched Marie's arm and
/ pointed to the bareheaded figure at
Beers right hand.
It was Louis himself; our Louis de
! Pavannes. But he was changed indeed
from the gay cavalier / remembered,
and whom / had last seen riding down
the street at Caylus, smiling back at
us, and waving his adieux TO his mis-
tress! Beside the vidame he had the
air of being slight, even short. The
face which | had known so bright and
winning, was now white and set. His
fair, curling hair-scarce darker than
Croisette's hung danl, bedabbled
with blood which flowed from wound
in his head. His sword was gone; his
dress was torn and disordered and COW
cred with dust. His lips moved. But
he held up his head, he bore himself
bravely with it all; so bravely, that I
cholzed, and my he1rt seemed bursting
as | looked at him standing there for
loIn and now unarmed. | knew that
Kit seeing him thus would gladly have
died with him; and | thanked God she
did not see him. Yet there was a
quietness in his fortitude which made
a great difference between his air and
1,nf - T.
one looking unarmed on certain death,
the sneer and smile of the giant beside
him.
What was the vidame about to do?
I shuddered as | asked myself. Not
surrender him, not fling him bodily to
the people? No, not that; / felt sure
he would let no others share his venge-
ance, that his pride would not suffer
that And even while l wondered the
doubt was solved. / saw Beers raise
his hand in peculiar fashion. Stimuli
taneously cry rang sharply out above
the tumult, and down in headlong
charge towards the farther steps came
the band of horsemen, who had got
clear of the crowd on that side. They
We're but ten or twelve, but under his
eye they charged, as if they had been
1000. The rabble shrank from the col
lision, and fed aside. Quick as thought
the riders swerved; and changing their
course, galloped through the looser
part of the throng, and in trice drew
rein side by side with MS, laugh and
jeer on their reckless lips.
1t was neatly done; and while it was
being done the vidame and his knot
of men, with those who had been search
ing the building, hurried down the gal
lery towards us, their rear cleared for
the moment by the troopers feint. The
dismounted lnen came bundling down
the steps, their eyes aglow with the
war-flre, and got horses as they could
Among them lost sight Of Louis, but
perceived him presently, pale and be-
wildered, mounted behind a trooper.