Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-11-22
laughed at us.


or must come to you?" He took
crowd that had made as if it would rush
at him wavered and fell back, bearing
me, hoarse with shouting for way, with
them to the landing.
For the moment, penned up and utter
ly unable to get forward, was mere
spectator of what followed.
The free lance took one more down
ward step, and then slight figure, with
one arm in sling, slid out from the
press and flew at him.
1t was d'Ayen, and felt sudden
warming of the heart to the man who
was going to his death.
"You-you traitorl" he gasped, us,
using his sword with his left hand, his
sword ripped the free lance's ruff.
stand back, old fool-stand back
or-there! Take it'll" and with sharp
scream dAyen fell backward. the crowd
splitting for q moment, so that he
rolled to the foot of the stairs and came
up at my feet. God rest his soull lie
died at the last like gallant man.
They We're backing in confusion now,
and above the din I could hear the
mocking 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 sstill breathing,
against the side of the wall, to let the
poor wretch die in such comfort as
could be, and, seeing my chance at last,
made my way to the front.
De Go1neron was half way down the
stairs by this, and when our swords
met, he did not for the moment recog-
nize me. But at the second pass he
realized, and the torchlight showed him
pale to the forehead.
"Youl" he said, between his teeth.
Eyes, I, from under the Seine;" and
had run him through the throat but
for our position where the advantage
was all his and my reach too short. He
had backed step up as Ispoke. Wheth-
er 1t was my sudden appearance, or
what, know not: but from this mo-
ment his bravado left him, and he now
fought doggedly, and for dear life.
There was hush behind me, and the
light became brighter as more torches
were brought, and could now see the
camargner, white as a sheet, with two
red spots on his cheeks.
do you like fighting dead man,
monsieur" I asked, as parried 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 forced him
upward.
He had been touched more than once,
and there was stain on his white satin
doublet that was broadening each mo-
ment, whilst thrust and parry grew
weaker, and something, l know not
what, told me he was my man.
But he was brave man If ever there
was one, and he pulled himself together
as we reached the 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 mo-
ment before, when the advantage of
I position was his, know not what had
happened. But now-it was different.
He was my man, I was carried away by
the fire withia me, or else in pity /
might have spared him-but there is no
| need to speak of this more. He thrust
| too high. 1 parted 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.
"Denise!" he gasped. and was gone.
| I stood over him for moment, a
drumming in my ears, and then heard
the ringing of cheers and the rush of
feet. Then half dozen strong shpul-
ders were at the door before me, and as
it fell back with crash l sprang in
and took tall, slim, white-robed figure
in my arms and kissed her dear face
again and again.
One by one those in the room stepped
out and left us together, and for once
a brave heart gave way and she sobbed
like child on my shoulder.
| said nothing but held her to me, and
SO we might have been for half hour,
when heard de Belin's voice at the
broken door: "D'Auriac! Come, man !!
The king waits, and bring your prison
en-" There was laugh in his voice
and light on his face as he spoke, and
my dear lifted her swimming eyes to
my face and kissed her again, saying:
Come, my prisoner!"
As we passed out I kept between
Claude and the grim figure still lying
stark on the landing, and held her to
me, so that she could not see So with
Lisois before us we passed down the