Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-06
AUTaoE OF TIE NAN IN sLAcr-n
A GENTLEMAN OF FRANCE ., EwEre.
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taking the stern meaning of those cries
of that rage so much surprising anything
| had feared. Though / did not know
that the man we had struck down was q
bridegroom and that there We're those in
the crowd in whose ears the young wife g
| piercing scream still rang, yet quailed
before their yells and curses.
AS glanced round for place of refuge
my eyes lit OH an open doorway close to
me, and close also to the hrazier and hal
bert. 1t was low stone doorway, beetle
browed, with coat of arms carved over
1T. l saw in an instant that it must lead
to the tower above us-the gatchouss-
and sprang from my horse, a fresh yell
from the houses hailing the act l saw
that, If we were to gain moment fer
parleying. we must take refuge there.
do not know how did it, but somehow
made myself understood by the others and
got the women off their horses and drag
ged Mistress Anne inside, where at once
we both fell in the darkness over the low
er steps of q spiral staircase. This him
dered the duchess, who was following,
and heard scufils taking place behind
us. But in that confined space-the stair
case was very narrow could give no
help. l could only stumble upward, drag
gng the fainting girl after me, until we
emerged through an open doorway at tho
top into room. What kind of room
did not notice then, only that it was
empty Noticel 1t was no time for tax
ing notice. The bell was changing louder
and louder outside. The mob were yelling
like hounds in sight of their quarry The
shouts, the confused cries and threats and
questions denfened me. turned to learn
what was happening behind me. The
other two had not come up.
felt my way down again, ono hand on
the central pillar, my shoulder against
tho outside wall. The stair foot was faint
~ Lit by the glow from outside, and on
the bottom step came on some one, hurt
or dead, just dark mass at my feet. 1t
was Master BERTHE. gave cry and
leaped over his body. The duchess, brave
wife, WAS standing before him, the halbert
the doorway, and the bowling mob out
SIDE
Fortunately the crowd had not yet
learned how few We were, nor saw, ]
think, that it was but woman who con-
frontcd them. To rush into the low door
way and storm the marrow winding stair
case in the face of unknown numbers was
u task from which the brayest veterans
might have finched, and the townsfolk,
furious as they were, hung back. took
advantage of the pause. I grasped the
halbsrt myself and pushed the duchess
back. Drag him up!'' / muttered. If
you cannot manage it, call Anne!'
But griof and hard necessity gave her
strength and despite the noise in front Of
me heard her toll painting up with her
burden. When l judged she had reached
tho room abo9e, l, too, turned and ran up
nfter her, posting myself in the last angle
just below the room There was shell
tered from missiles by the turn In the
staircase aud was further protected by tho
darkness NV could hold the way with
little risk, for only ono could come up at
time, and he would be a brave man who
should storm the stairs in my teeth.
All this, remember, was done In kind
of desperate frenzy in haste and confusion,
with no plan or final purpose, but simply
out of tho instinct Of self preservation,
which led me to do, from moment to mo-
ment, what could to save our lives.
did not know whether there was another
staircase to the tower, nor whether there
were enemies above us, whether indeed
enemies might not swarm in on us from
dozen entrances. / had no time to think
of more than just this-that my staircase,
of which l did know, must be held.
think had stood there about min
ute, breathing hard and listening to the
din outside, which came to my ears lit
tie softened by the thick walls round me
so much softcned, at least, that could
hear my heart beating in tho midst OF it
when the duchess came back to the door
above. j could see her, there being a GER
tain amount of light in the room behind
her, but she could notse me. What can
l dor" she asked softly.
l answered by question. "Is he
alive!' mutteIed.
..Yes, but hurt she answered, strug
Cling with Sob with a fluttering OF the
woman S heart she had rspressed SO brave
~. Much hurt, fear! Oh, why, why
did we come heres'
She did net mean it as reproach but
took it as ono and braced myself more
firmly to meet this crisis-to save her at
least if it should be any way possible
When she asked again, Can / do any
thing?' babe her take my pike and stand
where w;.s for moment Since no en-
amy had yet made his appearance above
the strength of our position seemed to
hold out some hope, and it was the moro |
that should understand it and I
Know exactly what our chances were.
sprang up the stairs into tho room and |
looked round, my eyes seeming to take In /
at once. 1t was big bare [
room, with signs OF habitation only in one
corner. On the side toward the town was
! long, low window, through which-a
score Of the diamond panes were broken
flare OF the besiegers' torches
ell luridly on the walls and vaulted roof.
By the dull embers Of wood fire. over
which hung huge black pot, Master Ber-
ie was lying on the boards, breathing
oudly aud painfully, his head pillowed on
he duchess kerchief Beside him sat Mis-
ress Anne, her face hidden, the child wall
ng in her lap.
A glance round assured me that there
vas no other staircase, and that on the
ido toward the country the wall was
,ierced with no window bigger than a
oophole or an arrow slit, with no opening
which even boy could enter. For the
resent, therefore, unless the top of the
over should be escaladed from the ada
ent houscs-and could do nothing to pro
ide against that-wc had nothing to fea.
kept from the staircase and the window
ave mentioned. Every moment, how
yer, missile or shot crashed through
he latter, adding the SILVER of falling
lass to the general din. No wonder the
hid walled and the girl sank over it in
bject terror. These savage yells might