The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-01


space Of a moment, holding it out
stretched with an arm goWned in white
before dropping it with a rustic of
heavy silllen fabric upon the ground.
The Marshal de RetZ wrote on, with
out appearing to be conscious of any
new presence in his private chamber
The girl stood regarding him, with eyes
that blazed with an intent so deadly
and a. hate so alI-possessing that the
yellow treachery in those Of Astarte,
the she wolf, appeared kind and aifec-
tionate by contrast.
At the girls entrance, that shaggy
beast had half raised herself upon her
forepaws and given vent to a low
growl, half of diStruSt and half of
warning, which at once reached the
ears OF the busy worker.
Giles de RetZ looked up quickly, ana.
catching sight of the Lady Sybilla, with
a sweep of his hand ne thrust his man
uscript into an open drawer OF the es-
critoire.
"Ah, sybilla," he said, leaning back
in his chair, with easy familiarity,
you are more sparing of your visits TO
me than of yore. To what do l owe
the pleasure and honor of this one?"
The girl eyed him long before answer
ing. She stood statue-Still by the cur
tain at the entrance of the apartment,
ignoring the chair which the marshal
naQ 0nereQ h6r Win DOW dno q COuI-
teous wave Of his hand.
L have come" she made answer at
last, in .the-even deep tones which she
had USED before the council of the trait
ors at Stirling, Ito demand from you.
MesSire Giles de RetZ, what You mean
to do with the little Margaret Douglas
and her companion, whom you wickedly
KIDNAPPED from their own country and
have brought with you to France"
81 in, int nr inc
you" replied the marshal, suavely,
that it is my purpose to dispose OF
both these agreeable young ladies en-
tirely according to my own pleasure.
The girl caught at her breast with
her hand. as If to stay a sudden pain.
Not at Tiffauges''- she gasped, mot
at ChamDtoce?"
The marshal leaned back; enjoying
her terror. as one tastes in SLOW sips
rare brand of wine. He found the flavor
of her fears delicious. .....-....-.
mo, Sybilla'' he replied. at last,
neither at CamDtoce, nor yet at Tif-
fauges-for the present. that is. unless
some of your Scottish friends come over
to. rescue them out of my hands,
How, then, do you intend to dispose
of them? ?" she urged.
L shall send them to your puking sis
ter and her child, hiding their heads
and sewing their samplers at Pou-.
gauges. What more can you ask? Sure
~ they are safe in such worthy society,
even If they may chance to find it a
little dull"
How can believe him. or know that
for once he will forego his purposes Of
hell?" Sybilla spoke half to herself
The Marshal de Retz smiled, if, in
deed, the contraction of muscles which
revealed a line of white teeth can be
called by that name. In the sense in
which Astarte might have smiled upon
a defenSeless sheepfoId so Giles de Retz
might have been said to smile.
You may believe me, sweet Lady Sy-
billa,' said the marshal, because there
IS one vice which it is needless for me
10 practice in your presence, that of I'M
canoor. l give you my word that I'M
less your friends come worrying me
from the land Of Scots, the maid shall
not die. Perhaps it We're better to warn
any visitors that even at 4dachecoul we
are accustomed to deal with such cases.
Is it not SO. Astarte?"
At the sound of her name the huge
wolf rose slowly, and, walking to her
masters knee. she nosed u2on him ike
a faVorite hound
And If your intent is not that which
causes fear to haunt the precincts OF
your palaces like a wind-devouring
beast, and makes your name an exc
Grafton throughout Brittany and the
Vendee, why have you carried the LITTLE
child and the other pretty fool forth
from their country? Was it not enough
that you should Stay the brothers?
hereIore was II necessary utterly 10
cur off the race of the Douglases?'
Sybilla. dear sister of my sainted
Catherlne. purred the marshal. lit is
your privilege that you should speak
IreeIy. When 1t is pleasing to me, L may
listen you know Of my devotion 70
science. You are not ignorant at what
Cost at what vast sacrifice L have In
secret pushed my researches beyond the
very confines Of knowledge. The powers
OF the underworlds are revealing them
selves to me, and to me alone Evi1
ana good shall be mine. l alone viii
t PlISA Tue plossom OF fire and tear from
heh ana helfS master their cherished
mystery"
he paused as if mentally to recount
ms trlumphs, and then continued:
but at the moment of success T am
crossed by prejudice The ignorant
people clamor against my life-canaille
= regard them not. But nevertheless
tHeIr Ioollsh prejudices reach other
And like a Snowman he beckoned
Sybilla to the window. A low roar of
human voices, ftful yet sustained.
maze itself distinctly audible above the
shriller hooting of the tempest.
open the Window he commanded
standing himself behind the curtain.
Inc girl unhasped the brazen hook
ana looked out Beneath her a little
crowd OF poor people had collected
about a woman who was beating uDon
the smut door of the Hotel de Pornic.
justice! JuSticer' cried the woman
her hands clasped and her long black
hair streaming down her shoulders
give me my child, my little Pierre.
Yestereye he was enticed into the
monsters den By his servant Potion
ana l shaH never see him more, Give
me my son, murderer Restore me nv
SON.
AND the answering roar of the peo-
pies voices rose through the open win
dow to the ears of the marshal Give
the woman her son, Giles de Retz!"
AT that moment the woman caught
sight of Sybilla. Instantly she changed
her tone from entreaty to fierce de-
nunciation.
Behold the witch, friends: let lis
tear her TO pieces. She is kept young
and beautiful by drinking the blood of
children. Throw myself down. Jeze-
streetsr'
And shout went up from the pop
ulace as Sybilla shut the window.
shuddering at the horrors which sur
rounded her
The Marshal de Retz had not moved.
watching her face without regarding
the noise outside. Now he went back
to his chair, and bending his slender
white fingers together he looked up aft
her
Presently he struck a silver bell bv
MS SIDE three times, and the mellow