Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-15
h Altar of Iron.

AitaE -
And now what of Master Laurence. lately
clerk in the abbey Of Dulce Cor, presently
in service with the great lord Of Retz, Mes
sire GILES de Laval de Retz, marshal and
chamberlain Of the king Of France.
Laurence had been a month at Mache-
coul and had not yet worn out his welcome.
At the moment when we again catch sight
of him he was summing himself with GER
tain young clerks and choristers Of the
marshal's privy chapel Of the Holy limo
cents. Suddenly Clerk Henriet appeared
under the arches Of the pretty cloisters, in
the shady aisles Of which the youths were
seated. Henriet regarded them silently for
q moment, looking with special approval
upon the blonde curls and pink cheeks OF
the young Scottish lad.
Machecoul was a vast feudal castle, with
one great central square tower and many
smaller ones about 1t. The circuit Of it's
walls inclosed gardens and pleasaunces and
included within Its limits the new and
beautiful chapel which had been recently
finished by that good Catholic and religion
airy, the Marshal de Retz.
AS yet Laurence had been able to learn
nothing of the maids, not even whether
they were alive or dead, whether at
Machecoul or elsewhere. At the first men
ton Of maidens being brought from Scotland
to the castle or seen about it's courts, a dead
silence fell upon the company Of priests
and singers in the marshals chapel. 1t
was the same when Laurence spoke privately
to any of his new acquaintance.
Nc matter how briskly the conversa-
ton had been prospecting hitherto, at
holy mass, or jovial supper board, Laurence
so much as breathed a question concerning
the subject next his heart, an instant blight
passed over the gaiety Of his companions.
Fear momentarily wiped all other expression
from their faces. and they answered with
lame evasion or more often not at all.
The shadow Of the lord OF Machecoul lay
heavy upon them all.
Clerk Henriet stood q while watching the
lads and listening to their talk behind the
, carved lattice of Caen stone, with its lace
like tracery OF buds and flowers through
which the natural roses pushed their way
and over which the clematis tangled its
twining stems.
stand up and prove on my body that I
am a rank Irelander!" Laurence was saying
d%efiantly to the world at large, with his fists
up and his head thrown back. st. Christie
pher, but l will take the lot Of you with
one hand tied behind my back! Stand up
l will teach you how to sing Miserable
sinners are we all to a new and unkenned
tune!'
"'Tis easy for you to boast, Irelander,"
retorted Blaise Renouf. the son of the lay
choirmaster, who had been brought specially
from Rome to teach the choir boys Of the
marshal's chapel the latest fashions in holy
song. w will either fight you with swords
or not at all. We do not fight with our bare
knuckles, being civilized. And that indeed
proves that you are no true lover of the
French, but an English dog Of unknightly
BIRTH"
This retort still further irritated the hot
headed son of Malise.
81 will fight you or any galley slave Of a
French frog with the sword, or spit you upon
the rapier. l will cleave you with the axe,
transix you with the arrow, or blow you to
the pit with the DEVILS sulphur. / will
fight any Of you or all OF you with any
weapons from a battering ram to a tooth
pick-and God assist the better man. Ana
there you have Laurence O'Halloran. at your
service!"
"You are a lou d-crowing young cock for
q new comer.' said H%enriet, the confden-
tial clerk OF the marshal, suddenly appear
ing in the doorway. you are desired 70