The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-09-26

They seized, indeed, two or three of the
scattered troopers, and tearing them
from their horses, wreaked their pas
sion Upon them horribly. But most of
the SWitzerS escaped, thanks to the at
tention the mob paid to the houses and |
what was going coward on the gall |
leries: and these, e~Xtricating them |
selves. Joined us one by one, so that
gradually a little ring of stern faces
gathered about the Stair-fOOt. A mo-
ment's hesitation, and seeing no help
for 1t, we ranged ourselves with them; |
and, unchecked as unbidden, sprang on
three of the led horses.
All this passed more quickly than l
can relate it: SO that before our feet
We're we'll in the stirrups a partial 81
lence, then a mightier roar of anger \
at once proclaimed and hailed the re- !
appearance of the vidame. Bigo:"d
beyond belief We're the mob Of Paris of
that day, cruel, vengeful and always
athirst for blood; and this maj had
killed not only their leader, but a
priest. He had committed sacrilege!
What would they do? I could just, by
STOPPING forward. command a side view
of the gallery, and the scene passing
there was such hat l forgot in 1T our
own peril.
For surely in all his reckless life
Beers had never been so emphatically
the man for the situation-had never
hoWn to such advantage as at his
moment when he stood confronting the
sea of faces, the sheer on his lip. Il
smile in his eyes; and looked down UNI
blenching, a figure of scorn, on the men
Who were literally agape for his life.
The calm defiance Of his steadfast look
fascinated ever me. Wonder and ad-
miration for the time took the place or
dislike. / could scarcely believe That
there was not some atom OF good In
this man so fearless. And no face but
one-no face, / think, in The world, but
one-could la drawn my eyes from
him. But that one face was beside
| him. 1 clutched Marie's arm and
pointed to the bareheaded figure at
Beers right hand.
1t was Louis himself; our Louis dc
Pavannes. But he was changed indeed
from the gay cavalier l remembered,
and whom l had last seen riding down
the street at Caylus, smiling back at
US, and waving his adieuN to his mis-
tress! Beside the vidame he had the
air of being slight, even short. The
face which l had known so bright and
winning, was now white and set. his
fair, curling hair-scarcely darker than
Croisette's--hung dank, bedabbled with
blood which flowed from a wound IN
his head. His sword was gone; his
dress was torn and disordcred and COW
cred With dust. His lips moved. But
he held up his head, he bore himself
bravely with it all; so braVely. that L
choked and my heart seemed bursting
as I looked at him standing there for
lorn and now unarmed. | knew that
Kit seeing him thus would gladly have
died with him; and I n GOD she
did not see him. Yet there was Il
ouietness in his fortitude which made
a great difference between his ar ana
that of Beers. He lacked, as became
one looking unarmed N certain death,
the sheer and smile OF the giant beside
him.
What was the vidame about to do?
I ]shuddered as l asked myself. Not
surrender him, not fling him bodily to
the people? No, not that; 1 felt sure
he would let no others share his vense-
ance, tha his pride would not surfer
that. And even While I wondered tho
doubt was solved. 1 saw Beers raise
his hand in a peculiar fashion. Stimuli
taneously a cry rang sharply out aboVo
the tumult, and down in head!ong
charge towards the farther steps came
the band of hOrSemen, who had got
clear of the crowd on that side. They
were but ten or twelve, but under his
eye they charged, as if they had been
900. The rabble shrank from the col
lision. and fled aside. Quick as thought
the riders swerved; and thelr
course, galloped through the looser
part of the throng. and in a trice drew
rein side by side with us, a laugh anu
a ieer on their reckless lips.
It was neatly done; and While 1t was
being done the vidame and his knot
Of men, with those who had been
searching the building, hurried down
the gallery towards US, their rear
cleared for the moment by the troop
ers' feint. The dismounted men came
bundling down the steps, their eyes
agloW with the war-fire, and got horses
as they could. Among them 1 lost sight
Of Louis, but perceived him presently
male and bewildered, mounted behind a
%troorer. A man sprang UP before each
of US, too, greeting our appearance
merely by q grunt of surprise. For IT
was no time to ask or answer. The
: mob was recovering itself, n each
moment brought it achievements,
while it's fury was augmented by the
trick we had played 1t, and the pros
pect of our escape.
!. We were under 40, all told; and some
: men were riding double. Beers eye
glanced hastily over his array and III
=, on us there. He turned and gave some
l order to his lieutenant. The fellow
= spurred his horse, a splendid gray, az
! ! powerful as his masters alongside Of
! Croisette. threw his arm round the lac
1 and dragge him deXterOusly on to his
own crupper. / did not understand thu
:: action, but I saw Croisette settle him
, self behind Blaise Bure-for he it was
, and supposed no harm was intended
> The next moment we had surged for
ward and were SWaylng to and 1rO II
the midst of the crowd.
CONTINUED Next Week.)
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