The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-05
TRB BLACK DOUGLAS.
py $. II. CROCKETT.
c~opyrtOht. 1898, ov S. R Crockett
CHAPTER LvII.
rHk TOWER OF A T

air. nltulth
~ - HE castles. The Duke OF Brittany
~ GIVEN orders that they shall be searched
II, ooldiers are forsakinR him. The names OF
49, lo,d are written in black and white and In
.so hands Of the head men OF the villages.
y uo.,or-It is the hour OF venCeancel Let us
nr.ryb.lm him. Rice up and let us seek our
", orss even II we find no more than their
bones"
,ko vsrewolyes in the dark forests around
W,,bccoul upon the night Of the fight by the
hnIov tree, far more threatening and terrible
ros the rising Of the angry
In whole villages there was not a man left.
md mothers. too. marched in tnat mus
fer. armed with choppers and kitchen knives.
vl1.cved. angry-hearted, rs lionesses robbed
of their cubs. From the deep GlenR and deep
Ar woods Of the country Uf Retz they poured.
Thcy disgorged from the caves OF the earth.
rhither the greed and rapacity OF their terri
bic lord had driven them.
|, Srhoolmasters we're there. with the elder OF
,bcir pupils. For many OF the children had
hecn lost on their way to school. and these
mon we're in danger OF losing both their credit
and Occupation.
Toward TiTauges. C~hampdoce. Machecoul.
,he angry populace. long repressed. surRed
mmultously. and with them. much wondering
,t their orders. went the soldiers OF the Duke.
pu, II i with the columns that concentrated
uron Machecoul that we have chiefly to do.
our three Scots accompanied these. and with
them went John Of Brittany himself. with his
councillor. Pierre de l'Hopital. by his side.
Night fell as they journeyed on. ever joined
ny fresh contingents from all the country
round In the van pressed forwn I'd the folk of
ST. Philbert. fresh from the utter destruction
n tho house OF the witch woman La Mefrraye,
a. that not one stone was left upon another.
Cuidod by these. the Duke and his party made
their way easily through the forest. even in the
darkness of the night. And as they passed
hamlet or cottage, ever and anon some fren-
,ied mother would rush upon them and fall
uron Ter knees before the Duke, praying him
n Iook well for her darling. and bringing may
han some pitiful shred Of clothing or lock OF
hair uy which the searchers might identify the
lost innocent.
A. they went forward the soldiers pricked
m ahead and caused the people 20 fall to tho
roar los, any foreknowledge CT their approach
might reach the wizard and warn him to es-
care.
The woods OF Machecoul were dark and ST.
y lent that night. Not the howl of n ouesting
wolf was heard, Truly the Marshal's demops
nod dosor,ad him or n,vban tbev uara all
busy at that last carnival in the keen OF tna
castle Of Machecoul.
As the storming party approached nearer.
and while yet they were several miles distant.
they became aware of a great red light that
cleaned forth above them, They could not
zee II. but the peasants of st. Philbert with
afrighted chances told how it beacoped only
after the disappearance of some little one from
their homes. what strange cries we're heard
| ringing ont from hat lofty tower and how for
J DAYS after the smoke OF a great burning would
hang about the gloomy turrets of devil
haunted Machecoul.
Fiercer and even fercer shone the red glare.
; and the faces Of the soldiers we're lit up 30
that Pierre de l'Hopital ordered them TO keep
10 the gloomy arcades of the forest.
y Then By midnight the Gordon was drawn 30
| closely that none might pass in or out. And
\ behind the soldiery the common folk Law
crouched. anger in their hearts. and their ears
turned toward the omen windows in the keen
Of Machecoul, from which flared the red light
!. II bale.
Thar oorarirr ..o;- I
Scots, with Duke John. Pierre de- lHon,tal and
score of officers. stole silently toward the
tower by which the Lady Sybilla had Promised
that nm entranca should he rainod r. ~ ooe
n Tie Of Machecoul.
|" IL was situated at the western corner toward
the south and was Joined to its fellows at the
corresponding angles Of the fortress nv GAL
lerled walls Of great height. Ten feet above
the ground was a little door OF embossed iron.
brt ordinarily no stems led 10 It when the cas-
,o rosin Wv ""SH ~
adventured first into the angle Of Tho wall he
stumbled upon a ladder hat leaned against
the little landing ledge, above which was The
door denoted on the plan.
Sholto assembled first. being the lipbtest and
most acun ~ III A. ~ L.. - - "nu
found the door unlocked. and Il little massage
leading within the tower. He Law a moment
md listened. and then, being certain there
was a light and the sounds OF labor within he
eTawled back to the ladder head and whis-
" perea to the Lord James an order for silence.
Then. with Sholto holding the ladder nj the
l. top. Duke John and his councillor mounted Iire
shadows. and. with Malise and James Doug
las, they were presently croucbed In the mas
sage. with the door shut h.bind them and tho
onncnr- Leori,n um. "nu '"o
9Th, ''"s watch at the loot OF the tower
i "nioui'
The FIVE listened To the sounds NJ husv nic,,s
within tbo tovo, MI DH'' r'oNo
e. '' ''N'r' ihsy could near the ring OF
III mn OH stones and the pnDtipD of man n