Evening star., 1899-02-04

.ig furiously at the floor of the tower.
Then. when they had enough raised, they
would fall to shove.ng the curlousiy-
shaped objects into the sacks again.
As SnOlto looked down he heard a kissing
whisper al his ear.
These be BlSIuchent, the sOrCerer, and
Robin Romulart But last week they took
notice of my little Jean and praised him
for noble boyi'
ShoIto turned round and there at his
elbow, having followed them in spite of all
orders and precautions, ne diSccrned the
woolman Louis Nerger, whose little son
had been carried off by the gray wolf
Suo!to rnotioned him back, and at sign
from the duke his father and he began To-
descend So silently did they make their
,eay down the stone steps, and intent
were the men upon their work. that in
minute after leaving the little gallery Ma
lise stood behind the taller and Sholto stole
like a shadow along the wall nearer 10 the
little rotund man who had been called
Robin Romu'aTt.
The duke held up his hand. sholto and
Malise zach took their man about the
throat with their left arms and pulled
them backward, at the same time covering
their mouths with their right hands. Blan-
chet never moved in the strong arms of
Malise. But Robin, whose rOtund figure
concealed his great muscular development,
might have escaped from Shoito had lot
the woodman Nerger flung himself al the
little mans throat and brought MIN to the
ground.
and as they did so they became conscious
of a choking mephitic vapor which clung
dank and heavy to the lower courses Of the
tower.
Suddenly wild cry made all shiver 1t
came from Louis Nergar. VINO had sprung
upon something that lay tossed aside in q
corner
Silence man-on your life. siIencer'
hissed Pierre de rHopitaI. Whatever you
| have found, think OF revenge and help us
| 20 it,
Z have found him. He is dead! The
| fiends! The fisnds" sobbed Louis Verger,
| covering Il small. partially charred object
| with the eurtmantle of which he had rap
! i3!y divested himself for the purpose.
| Then it c2me upon those who stood on
IL floor cf the tower that they We're in
| the maFshaIs main charnel house. These
| vague fol ms mostly charrcd like half
! burned wood. these scraps of white bone,
1 these little crushed skulls were all that
| remained of the innocent children who, in
| the freshness Of their youth and beauty,
| had been seduced into the fatal castle of
! Machccoul.
And what wonder that an appalling ter
I ror sat on The heart and mastered the So ul
/ OF ShOlto Mackim? Tor how did he know
/ that ne was not treadine under foot at
| each sep tia calcined fragments of the
! fair body Of Maud Lindsay?
/ Twenty sacks had been filed ready for
/ transport, and as many more lay folded in
( heap in Il corner. The marshal, uneasy,
( perhaps, as 10 the suspicious against him.
and anxious to remove evidence from the
, precincts Of his castle, had ordered this
( tower Of death 10 be cleared. But truly lis
[ devil had once more forsaken ain. The
/ order had been given day too late
/ Gods grace, I stifle. Let us get out of
, this place and seize the murderer quoth
! Duke John. making his way toward the
! door.
wait a moment" said Pierre d. THopi-
tai. We must consider. We cannot let the
commons sec this, or they would sack the
! castle from foundation to roof tree and
seize and hold for fair trial all who arc
| found within. And l. Pierre de rHopi:al,
| will try them
| What. then do you propose?" said the
! duke, getting as near the door as possible.
! Let Us bring in Iither the officers and
/ business answered the president '"rhen
| We VIII go through the castle and after We
| have secured the prisoners and made SUI 9
| of sufficient pieces of justificative evidence.
| Of which ws have infinite supply in these
| sacks, then We may cen permit the people
| TO work their will"'
| AS it was Sholto who had first entcr-
| ed. 1t was Shoito who first left the tower
! Of death. He II was also who at the head
| of the first band surprised the marshais
| sleepy inner guard, and helped to bind
| them with his own hands. II was Sholto
who at the foot of the stairs OF the great
| keep stood stening that he might know
| the right moment to lead the besisgers up-
| ward.
Then even as he stood thus. down the
| stairway there came pealing a terrible cry,
| a shrek of woman in the final agony
ShCill, desperate. unavailing.
| And at the sound Sholto few up the stone
steps IN the direction of the cry. not know
ing what he did, save that he went to kill.
And scarce foot behind him followed