Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-07-25
THE CHE7ALIER D'AURIAC.
AUTHOR OF THE HoNOUR OF sAVELLl'
Copyright 1897 By IongmAna, Green. 4 Co.

Lain! De Gomeron! To me-nere'
here!" ,oo,,
to my bride. IA
Then through the smoke l saw DE
Gomeron's tall figure mounting the
stair, and 1 rushed forward to 1oilo"
him.
In was at this juncture that portion
of our own party forced their way 10
the landing. and one Of them, whose
sword was broken, flung himself upon
me. dagger in hand, shouting "Death
10 traitorsl" / had just time to seize
his wrist. He tripped sideways over
something that lay very quiet at our
feet and dragging me down we rolled
over and over with the clash Of blades
over us. 1T is fool, dAurlac-
let co." / shouted, as ne trleu 10 s'"0
me.
Let go, you" sputtered d Auousson
voice, and we loosed each otner. hdu
no time for another word, and, grasp
ing my sword, which was hanging 70
INV wrist by the knot, sprang up, ana
the next moment was hot foot attef
De GOmerOn.
7 managed somehow to force my way
through the crowd, but the stairway
+ was half full of men, and at the head OF
it stood the free lance with a red sword
in his hand, and two or three huddled
objects that lay in shapeless masses
around him.
Some one. with a reckless in difference
IN his own life it was, ] atJerward
found out. Pantin-held up torch, ana
as the flare of it shot up the stairway
he Gomeron threw back his head ana
laughed at us.
"Twenty to one-come, gentlemen
mr. must l come to yOu?" He took a
couple of steps down the stairs, and
the crowd that had made as if 1t would
rush him. wavered and fell back, bear
inc me. hoarse with shouting for way,
with them to the landing.
For the moment, penned up and ut
terly unable TO get forward, L was
mere spectator of what followed.
The free lance took one more down.
ward step and then a slight ngure'
with one arm in sling, slid out from
the press and flew at him:
1t was d'Ayen, and l felt a suouen
warming of the heart to the man VINO
was going to his death.
"You-you traitor" he gasped, as
using his sword with his left hand MS
sword ripped the free lance's run.
stand back. old foOl-stank back
or-therel Take it. and with sharL
scream d'Ayen fell backward, the crowd
shifting for a moment, so that he rolled
TO the foot of the stairs and came w
at my feet. God rest his soul! he
died at the last like a gallant man.
They were backing confusion now
and above the din | could hear the
hooking Of De GOmeron.
Come. gentlemen, do not delay
time presses.
One rush through at that time might
=, have saved him, but he stood there
playing with death. With an effort
pushed d'Ayen, who was still breath
ing, against the side Of the wall, to let
the poor wretch die in such comfort
as could be. and, seeing my chance al
last. made my way to the front: us
met, he did not for the moment recog-
nize me. But at the second pass he
realized, and the torchlight showed
him pale TO Ihe forehead.
"You!" he said, between his teeth.
eyes, l, from under the Seine;" and
/ had run him through the throat but
for our position where the advantage
was al his and my reach too short
He had backed a step up as I spoke.
b Whether it was my sudden appearance,
or what, l know not; but from this
moment his bravado left him, and he
now fought doggedly, and for dear
life
Ioh 81
light became brighter as more torches
were brought, and l could now see the
Camarguer, white as sheet, with two
red spots on his cheeks.
DO you like fighting a dead man,
monsieur?" l asked, as l parted a
thrust in tierce.
He half groaned, and the red spot on
his cheek grew bigger, but he made no
answer. and step by step 1 forced him
upward.
He had been touched more than
once, and there was a stain on his
white satin dOublet, that was broad
ening each moment, whilst thrust and
parry grew weaker, and something,
know not what, told me he was my
man.
MeSsieuTs, you who may read this,
/ those at least of you who have stood
sword in hand and face to face with a
bitter foe, where the fight is to the last,
will know that there are moments
when it is as if God himself nerves the
/ arm and SteelS the wrist. And so it
| then was with me. l swear it that
I fOrestaIed each movement Of the
twinkling blade before me, that each
| article and trick that the skilful
swOrdsman who was fighting for his
/ life, was felt by something that guided
my sword, now high. now low, and
! ever and again wet its point against
/ the broad breast of the Camarguer.
/ So, too, with him-he was lost, and
he knew it. But he was a brave man
I if ever there was one, and he pulled
/ himself together as we reached the
I upper landing for one last turn with
the death that logged him. So fierce
was the attack he now made. that had
he done so but a moment before when
the advantage Of position was his, I
know not what had happened. But
/ nOw-it was different He was INV
man, was carried away by the fire
within me, or else in pity I might have
spared him-but there is no need to
speak Of this more. He thrust too
high. 1 parried and returned, so that
the cross hilt Of my rapier struck DULY
over his heart, and he died where he
fell
But one word escaped him, some
long-lOst memory, some secret of that
iron heart came up at the last.