Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-11-25

and an answering yell, right across the
forecourt and up the steps to the door,
| ran the faster for the sharp report
of a pistol behind me, and the whirr of
a ball past my ear. But l was not
scared by it: and as my feet alighted
with bound on the topmost step, I
glanced back. The dogs were halfway
across the court. made a bungling at
tempt to s ut and lock the great door
failed il lis; and heard behind me d
roar of coarse triumph. waited for
no more. ! darted up the oak staircase.
four steps at a time, and rushed into
the great drawingroom on my left,
banging the door behind me.
The once splendid room was in state
of strange disorder. Some of the rich
tapestry had been hastily torn down.
One window was closed and shattered;
no doubt Croisette had done it. The
other two were open-as if there had
not been time to close them-and the
cold light which they admitted con-
traSted in CHASTITY fashion with the vel
low rays of candles still burning in the
sconces. The furniture had been hud-
died aside or piled into a barricade, u
chevaux de frise of chairs and tables
stretching across the width of the
room, it's intertisces stuffed with, and
its weakness partly screened by, the
torn-down hangings. Behind this frail
defense, their backs to door which
seemed to lead to an inner room, stood
Marie and Croisette, pale and defiant.
The former had long pike; the latter
lcveled a heavy, bell-mounted argue
buse across the back of a chair, and
blew up his match as 1 entered. Both
had in addition swords. / darted like
rabbit through little tunnel left on
purpose for me in the rampant, and took
my stand by them.
rs all right?" calculated Croisette,
turning TO me nervously.
"All right, / think" i answered.
was breathless.
You are not hnrt?'
''Not touched!"
/ had just time to draw my sword be-
fore the assailants streamed into the
room. a dozen rut1fans. reelsipo and
tattered, with flushed faces and
greedy, staring eyes. Once inside,
however. suddenly-so suddenly that
an idle spectator might have found the
change ludicrous-they came to a stop.
Their wild cries ceased. and tumbling
over one another with curses and oaths
they halted, surveying US in muddled
surprise; seeing what was before
them. ans not liking it Their leader
appeared to be tall butcher, with a
pole-ax on his half-naked shoulder;
but there were among them two or
three soldiers in the royal livery and
carrying pixies. They had looked for
victims only. having met with no re-
sistance at the gate, and the foremost
recoiled now on finding themselves
confronted by the muzzle of the
arquebuse and the lighted match.
seized the occasion. ] knew, in
deed, that the pause presented our only
chance, and | sprang on a chair and
waived my hand for silence The in
stincu of obedience for the moment as
serted itself; there was a stiffness in
the room
Beware I cried, Ioudly-as loudly
and confidently as ] could. considering
that there was a quavcr at my heart as
/ looked on those savage faces. which
met and Yet avoided my eye. Be
ware Of what Won do. We are Catho-
lies one and an like yourselves, and
good sons Of the church Az, and
good subjects. too! yive lc roi. gem