The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-01-28

down the stairs, all except Sully, WHO
stayed behind for moment
"Monsieur!" he asked, "what has
happened between you and the king?"
His majesty has pardoned me-"
"A child might see that. What else?
Be quick"
"And has given me orders TO meet you
~ you enter the Toison dor"
The frown on his face cleared. "Well
answered, chevalier. The king see has
won faithful and discreet friend.
Make your attack when you hear the
petard." Then he. too, turned his broad
shoulders on me and followed the rest
AS the sound of the heavy footballs
ceased gave last look at my pistols.
drew In my sword-belt by hole, and,
all booted as I was. essayed the ladder
again.
had already observed that the sky
Hight was but a light wooden frame
work, with glazing between, and
would need no great effort TO break
down-one strong push and the way
was clear before me. So stayed for .
minute of breathless silence, then far
below came sharp, shrill whistle, hur-
ried ordinations from the plotters,
and now the explosion of the petard,
that made the house rock TO and fro
like tree In the wind.
/ had no need TO force open the sky
light The effect of the explosion did
that most effectually for me, and Blew
outthe lamps in the room below as well,
a. aLa
darkness. There was a yell of terror
from the room, and without a mo-
ments hesitation / swung through the
window and dropped down among the
ccnspirators. They were to man
crowding TO the door, and not one took
any note Of my entrance, so great was
their confusion. followed the rush of
hurrying figures as they passed through
the door into a passage In dim light
from a fire that burned In a small
CRATE. One end of this passage was full
OF smoke, against which the bright
flashes of drawn swords were as darts
of lightning. Beyond the smoke, and
below, we could hear the clash OF steel,
cries OF pain and savage oaths, where
dashed down the passage, sword in
hand, my only thought to reach the
prisoners room, one of the retreating
figures turned and called out: Quick,
monsieur-follow me-the secret
stair!"
II was Lain. In the confusion and
semi gloom he had mistaken me for mis-
chief. / made no answer, but as /
rushed forward struck him on the face
with the hilt of my sword, and he rolled
over like log.
There l was, right in amongst the
scared plotter, cheek by jowl with
NJ. de Savoy's envoy, and could have
dropped him then and there, but that
my whole heart was in madame's room,
and l knew that there were others who
could and would deal with him.
As l elbowed my way through the
press, vainly endeavoring to find the
way TO my dear's prison, we reached
landing from which long stair led
straight up, and here heard the mar
shals voice, cracked with rage and
fear:
Latin! De Gomeroni To me-herel
here!"
Ladies first, marshall must look to
my BRIDE"
Then through the smoke I saw de
Gomeron's tall figure mounting the
stair, and / rushed forward to follow
him.
1t was at this juncture that portion
Of our own party forced their way TO
the landing, and one of them, whose
sword was broken, flung himself upon
me, dagger in hand, shouting; Death
10 traitors!" l had just time to seize
his wrist He tripped sideways over
something that lay very quiet at our
feet. and, dragging me down, we rolled
over and over with the clash of blades
over us. ut Is I--fool-I, d'Auriac-let
goi" shouted, as he tried TO stab at me.
LET go, you'll" sputtered d,Aubus-
sons voice, and we loosed each other. /
had no time for another word, and,
grasping my sword, which was hang
ing to my wrist by the knot, l sprang
up, and the next moment was hot foot
after de Gomeron.
I managed somehow 10 force my way
through the crowd, but the stairway
was half full Of men, and at the head OF
IL stood the free lance with a red sword
In his hand and two or three huddled
objects that lay in sbapelesa masses
around him.
Some one, with reckless indifference
20 his own life-it was, I afterward
found out, Pantin-held up torch, and
MS the flare of IL shot up the stairway
de Gomeron threw back his head and
laughed at us.
Twenty TO one-come, gentlemen
or must l come TO your" He took a
couple of steps down the stairs. and the
crowd that had made as II IL would rush |
Mt him wavered and fell back. bearing |
me, hoarse with shouting for way, with
them TO the landing.
For the moment, penned up and utter
~ unable to get forward. was n mere |
spectator OF what followed.