The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-04-21

citizen Jean, is our orator tonight.
What pale face STRIPPING have you
there? Tut, boy. get thee to bed. lif
such brave sights as these fright the
blood from your cheeks"
Bernard replied with light Jest,
and drew on with his t. embling COM
panion nearer to the avenue. Sud-
denly, however, at the entrance gates,
went up shrill cry of rejoicing.
"They are taken! they are brought
back, German and Beauvais-all are
here. Now for our turn. Let us show
them who are lords now!
iolante frightened her hold of her
companions arm, but only the dilated,
horror frozen eyes betrayed her emo-
tion, and every eye in the crowd was
directed to the avenue, along which,
pushed forward by the bayonets of a
jeering body Of new made soldiers,
were the frightened, discounted group,
who had so lately fled from the chap
ell. The Countess German, with won
derful courage, held up her head proud
ly-neither looked to the right or left.
One bold ruf1ian reached forward,
and tearing off her mantle, seized the
jeweled bandeau that encircled the
countess head, and flung it into a
crowd Of brazen faced women, who
clapped their hands in applause.
The resolute woman never flinched,
and not a tremor betrayed agitation
or fear. Her husbands head was bow
ed upon his breast in utter prostration
of energy and manhood. It was easy
to see the contempt she felt for him,
by the cold sheer upon her face, when,
at the insolent demand of stout yeo-
man, he handed over his watch with
its massive chain of gemmed gold. For
herself, she never replied to or obeyed
single command. and they were
many, addressed to her; so it was by
brute force that left her throat and
fair arms bruised and wounded, her
remaining jewels were torn from her,
trampled CONTEMPORARY under the
feet of their own peasantry, as they
shouted,
Their sparkle was bought by our
hard earnings! the accursed things
robbed OUR children of bread! away
with them!
A pair of begrimed hands had seiz-
ed the gold collar upon Count Emile's
coat, when with an oath the count lev
eled a pistol he had hitherto concealed
and fired. The man fell mortally
wounded. 1t was rash, suicidal act,
but it was like the young counts un-
governable temper. In an instant arose
yell of demoniac rage. Count Emile
was seized, his rich clothing shred into
thousand pieces, and the very silken
sash he wore was knotted around his
throat, while in a moment longer his
lifeless body dangled from the bough
of the nearest tree. Then for the first
time the fortitude of the countess gave
way, and with one wild cry of moth.
er's intense agony she fell forward
senseless. At the same moment the
crowd, maddened into frenzy, shouted:
"Let the others follow; short shrift
for those who have had no pity for
u.s."
Bernard knew from the way Violante
leaned against him, her nerves could
bear no more, yet help her he could
not. The dense mass of human beings
wedged them in like vice, and the
slightest movement might arouse sus-
pic:on, whereupon, he felt, while an
icy shudder ran through his heart, in
the present excited tide of rage. there
was not the slightest doubt her slen-
der, graceful form would swing beside
the lifeless body of him who SO brief
time before had stood with her be-
fore the altar, in the bloom of health
and strength. All he could do was to
shield her SO that she could not see
the fierce hands that were crashing
her fathers throat. Suddenly a voice
rang out clear and commanding like
bugle notes in the tumult of battle. A
small, spare man, with huge masses of
raven black hair, tossed away from
forehead so high and broad it seemed
half of his face, with eagle eyes that
shone luminous with quenchless fire
as the glare of hundred torches far
ed over him, leaped upon a rostrum,
improvised from a high flower stand,
and waving his hand, cried:
ITO BE coNT1NUED.)