Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-11
CHAPTER LIX-tContinueD.


CHAPTER IX-tCOntinued).
Giles de Retz waited till his acolytes
had retired to their appointed places where
they stood like carven statues watching
what should happen. Then slowly and de-
hberately he assembled TO the broad plat
form from which the iron altar rose. and
stood with his arms folded over his flame
colored robe, looking glOatingly down upon
MS innocent victims. Maud Lindsay was
the nearer to him, and her unbound hair
felI back and touched the peak of his point
ed shoe of crimson leather.
With a quick movement he caught I'D a
handful of its rich IuXuriance and allowed
1t tn run through his fingers like sand
again and again, with apparent delight in
the sensation
Even he did so the dim figure of the
horned demon above appeared to lean for
ward as if to touch him. and with rush
ing noise the great nOur glass set upon a
pedestal at the foot of the image turned
tse,f completely over Giles turned also
with a startled air, and seeing what it was
he laughed a strange, hollow laugh
II IS indeed the hour, the noIr of Goom,
fair maids" he said. looking down upon
them as deferentially as If he had Leen
paying his court in the great hall of
Ihrieye. but 1t shall not pass without TAX
Ing With it your souls to another and, l
trust. a higher sphere
He paused: but no complaint nor appeal
came TO his cruel and memorable ear. The
In extreme peril seemed to have biunIei the
edge Of fear in the Innocent victims They
lay still and apparently without Conscious
ness upon the iron altar. The rel glow
played upon their faces. shining through
from the inner chamber. and the figure of
the marshal stood out black against It,
On the floor lay the goblet from which
he had drunk the red milk
Give me the knife he cried suddenly
Is a trumpet that is blown.
And, reaching a withered hand within
the marshals chamber as If to detach
something from the wall La Meffraye hob
bed quickly across toward the altar plat
form, bearing in her hand a shining blade
Of steel broad Of blade and curved AT the
point She placed the ebony handle in the
narshals hand, who weighed it lovingly in
his grasp.
Then for the first time since the men
had bound her, the sweet childish ewes Of
niue Margaret were Enclosed, and looked
up at Giles de Retz with the touching
wonder Of helplessness and innocence
Al that moment the image appeared to
Laurence 10 beckon to him out Of the
gloom y quick and nervous resolve ran
through his veins His muscles became like
steel within his flesh. He rose to his feet
ana rushed without pause for Thought
across the chapel from the niche where ne
mad been hidden.
Murderer, Fiend, ] will kill your' he
cried and with his dagger bare in his hand
ne would have thrown himself upon the
marshal. But SWifter than the r,,sb of me
young man in his strength there came an
U,her from the door Of the inner chamber.
With deop-throatcd roar of wholly
trStlai fury Astarte. the she wolf sprang
upon Laurence, and though he sank his
dagger twice deep into her hairy chest. she
oNtrbors him and they fell to the ground
with her teeth gripping his shoulder I.au-
renee lei. the hot blood OF the beast sDurt
TORN and mingie with his own. Then a
food Of sWirling waters seemed to bear him
ssud1eniy away into the unknown.
When Laurence MscLyir,, CANA 70 t,;.,s
ne emerged into chill world I'm which he
1elt somehow infinitely lonely and forsaken.
Next ne grew slowly conscious that his
feet and arms were tightly bound with
cords that cut painfully into the flesh Then
he realized that he. too had taken his place
beside the maids upon the altar of iron.
Strangely enough. he did not feel afraid nor
even wish himself elsewhere He only won
dered what would happen next.
lie Opened his eyes. and 10, they looked
directly into the Ieering eountenance of the
monStrous image. Yet there seemed some
Thing strangely encouraging and even be
inefficient about the aspect Of the demon
But so often as Giles de Retz passed the
array 81 his victims with his back to the
image the regard Of the sculptured devil
followed him. grim and hooking
Words Of angry alteration came to the
cars % Laurence MacKim.
Il tell you cried the voice Of Giles dc
F"-z Il viii not spare them. WeT-nfgh
had / succeeded. Almost was 7 Young
again ] was tasting the first sweetness IF
knowledge wide as that Of the gods I feIt
the new life stirring within me- But I had
not enough Of The blood of innocence which
= the only worthy libatiou to Rarran- Saith
aEaS, who alone can bestow new life''
Then the Lady SybiIa answered him
- pray YOU. Giles De Retz rs Won hone
Tor mercv. slay not these maidens and this
youth Take me and bind me instead for
the sacrifice Of death. ] have wrought
enough OF evil. Take Of my blood and work
OUT your purpose Let me give YOU the it,
baton Won desire. Giles de Retz If ever
I have aided YOU, grant me this boon now
heseech YOU let these innOcents go and
bind me upon the altar In their place"
Long and loud laughed Giles de Retz
@ hard evil and relentless laugh
SNbilia de ThOuars a n innocent maiden's
sacrlhce. Barran- S3thauas himself laughs
az the Jest. He would have no pleasure in
your death Soul and body Won are his AL
ready He desires only the blood and s,If-
!erifG OF the fnnocent-of those on whom
ne has never set his mark Nav these
three shall surely die. and I'm that bath un-
der his altar / shall lave me from head
10 foot IN the red milk Of Innocence. I
nave no more need Of YOU Sybiila mine
You have done your work. and for reward
You can depart to your own place Out of
my way. / say. Henriet. Potion. oricL
Remove this woman from before the al
tarI'
Then. struggling strongly in their hands
the servitors carried Lady Sybilla to the
further end of the chapel where theI,
abode on either side, holding her fast. Ana
as the last grains OF sand began to swirl
toward their fall and a little whirlDonI IN
form furnel-wise in the midst OF the hon.
glass, the butcher was left alone with his
victims upon the platform of the iron al
tar
Giles de Retz turned toward the image
and lifting up his hand soltmnIy he cried
N a great voice, "Oh, Barran-Sathanas.
De well pleased to behold this innocent