The Holly chieftain., 1899-05-19
SYNOPSIS.
Copyright Isq1. By Longmans. Green q Col

copyright. 1907. BY Longmans. Green q Col
SYNOPSIS.
D'Auriac, commanding outpost where
scene is laid, tells the story. De Gomeron
is In temporary command. appointed by
Gen. de Rome TO examine into charge
against d'Auriac Nicholas. a sergeant.
brings In a man and woman, from kings
camp at LIE Fere. prisoners. D'Auriac.
angered by insulting manner of de Gomeron
toward woman, strikes him. duel follows
and prisoners escape. Duel Is interrupted
by appearance Of de Rome, and d'Auriac Is
told he will hang II found alive at close
of morrows battle. Riding over field next
day d'Auriac finds Nicholas. victim of de
Gomeron's malice. In imminent danger of
death. and releases him from awful pre-
dicament. After battle In which King
Henry utterly routs de Rones forces,
d'Auriac. lying severely wounded. sees two
forms moving through the darkness rob-
bing the bodies of the dead and wounded.
They find golden collar on de Leyva's
corpse. and Babette stabs Mauginot cher
partner) to gain possession. Henry with
retinue. among whom Is fair prisoner who
had escaped from de Gomeron and d'Ayen.
her suitor. rides over the field. Madame
rescues d'Auriac. and afterwards visits him
daily in hospital Here he learns his friend
Il heiress of Bidache. When well enough
he Is taken to her Normandy chateau.
where h learns from Aaitre Palm.
madxme's chaplain. the king Is about to
force her to marry d'Ayen. He sets out
with Jacques. his knave. for Paris, to
prevent this marriage. Delayed at Ezy, he
he comes upon Nicholas. his old sergeant,
who says de Gomeron Is In neighborhood
with associates from army and nobility,
plotting treason against the king. They
&c to de Gomeron's retreat where they
manage to overhear details of plot. Burn
ing with revenge, Nicholas shoots at de
ha fvxyo
men think themselves beyond pursuit,
when suddenly they are face to face with
Biron. one of the traitors. whom d'Auriac
cuts down. and with de Comeron, who
makes short work of Nicholas: d'Auriac
escapes. Arriving In Paris the chevalier
lays what he knows of reasonable plot be-
fore Sully. master general Of ordnance.
Calling on de Belin. friend. d'Auriac Sc
cures from him 4 servant. Ravaillac. who
had previously been In service of dAyen.
D'Ayen's marriage to Madame de la Bidache
10 to occur within fortnight. de Belin to
stand sponsor. Palm and madame arrive
In Paris. D'Auriac has suspicious aroused
concerning Ravaillac: later witnesses
meeting with de Gomeron, therefore dis
misses him. The chevalier II introduced At
court by de Belin. where he charges Biron
with being traitor to France and king. For
his pains Henry gives him "a hours to quit
France. King now commands marriage
to be celebrated on the morrow. making II
imperative that flight occur that night, II
madame be saved D'Auriac therefore
meets her secretly. when masked men
swoop down on pair and carry them of.
bound and gagged. After "a hours i'm
prisonment, during which he has inter-
view with de Gomeron and Babette, he
manages to escape At his lodgings he
nnds Jacques, Palm, de Belin and his host
Pantin assembled in council. Next morn
ing Pantin and dAuriac. disguised, go to
Toison dor. q sort Of inn next building to
which he and madame had been taken.
D'Auriac hires a room, and from q win
dow reaches roof Of next building where
he dnds skylight half open. from which
he could command view of one room Of
the Toison dor.
CHAPTER XVIu.-CoNTISUED.
saw q room of moderate size, and
well, but plainly furnished. In the
center was an oblong table covered
with q dark cloth and round about
II were set number OF chairs. The
skylight alone admitted light, and
from this to the floor of the room
was q matter of ~ feet or SO. The
chamber was empty, and l had more
than half mind to risk the descent,
when the door was opened and
Babetts stepped in. shrank back as
low as possible, and observed that she
was making arrangements for some
one, for she placed q couple of decan-
ters with glasses on the table, arranged
the chairs, and then after taking look
round went out once more. made up
my inind to wait, and, settling myself
unGer the skylight. began to exercise
my patience. After an hour or SO had
passed, I heard the door opened again.
and then the sound Of voices. Present
ly some one called out: Eve had bet
ter shut the skylight," and then an
other voice. this time Lafin's. said: "No,
It is no use. and we will want light to
see."
Once more raised myself and leaned
against the edge Of ths opening, eyes