Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-04-27


down the stairs, all except Sully, who
stayed behind for momect.
"Monsieur!" he asked, what has
happened between you and she king"
His majesty has pardoned ne"
"A child might see that. What else?
Be quick"
And has given me orders TO meet you
as you enter the Toison dor"
The frown on his face cleared. well
answered, chevalier. The king see has
won a 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 a last look at my pistols
drew in my sword-belt by a hole, and,
all booted as | was, essayed the ladder
again.
had already observed that the sky
light was but light wooden frame
work, with a glazing between, and
would need no great effort to break
down-one strong push and the way
was clear before me. So | stayed for a
minute of breathleSs silence, then far
below came a sharp, shrill whistle, hur-
ried eXclamations from the plotters,
and now the explosion of the petard,
that made the house rock to and fro
like a 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,
reducing it on a sudden to absolute
darkness. There was yell OF terror
from the room, and without a mo-
ment's hesitation | swung through the
window and dropped down among the
cCnspirators. They were to a 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 q 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
men were fighting and dying hard. AS
| 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,
monsjeUE-follow me-the secret
stair"
1t was Latin. In the confusion and
semi gloom ne had mistaken me for his
chief. l made no answer, but as |
rushed forward struck him on the face
with the hilt of my sword, and he rolled
over like a log.
There | was, right in amongst the
scared plotters, cheek by iowl with
NJ. de Savoy's envoy, and l could have
dropped him then and there, but that
my whole heart was in madame's room.
and | knew that there were others who
could ana would deal with him.
AS | elbowed my way through the
press, yainly endeavoring to find the
way to my dear's prison, we reached a
landing from which long stair led
straight up, and here heard the mar
shaIs voice, cracked with rage and
fear:
'Lafn! De Gomeron! To me-here
here"
Ladies first, marshall must look to
my BRIDE
Then through the smoke I saw de
GomerOn's tall figure mounting the
stair, and l rushed forward to follow
him.
1t was at this juncture that a 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
to traitors!" l had just time to seize
his wrist. lie tripped sideways over
something that lay very quiet at our
feet, and, dragging pe down, we rolled
over and over with the clash of blades
over us. at is I-fool-I, d'Auriac-let
go!" | shouted. as he tried to stab 1T me.
Let go. yov.' 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, | sprang
up, and the next moment was hot foot
after de Gomeron.
managed somehow to force my way
I'll OH7 II 'II NiONNts DhI tIlC > 'fiIl w q
was half full of men, and at the head of
1t stood the free lance with red sword
in his hand and two or three huddled
objects that lay in shapeless masses
around him.
Some one, with a reckless indifference
to his own life--it was, / afterward
found out, Iantin-heId up a torch, and
as the flare of it shot up TIE stairway
de Gomeron threw back his head and
laughed at us.
"Twenty to one-come, gentlemen
or must ! come to you?" He took a
couple Of steps down the stairs, and the
crowd that had made as if it would rush
az him InnrnrnA and fnIl Lnnl. Lnnri1 n ac