Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-09-09
CHAPTER Y.
N. LIE cHEvALIER Is PAID IN FULL

1T was too late. Before l realized
it the courtyard was full of armed
men. La CoQuille, who had flung
himself to the front with his sword
drawn, was ridden down and secured
ere he could strike a blow. while La
lande and Pierre. who bore no weap
ons but their ponards and were utter
" surprised, shared the like fate. 81
suddenly and quickly was this done
that-for the courage had gone out OF
my finger tips-I had no time to flee.
and stood like stone. while sea OF
savage faces surged around me.
gave myself for dead. and one. troop
er-more brute than man-raised his
sword to slay me, but was struck from
his horse in the act Then some one
seemed to come from nowhere to my
side-a tall, straight figure, with
shining blade ~ his hand, and he called
out, Back, back, or run the first man
through"
The men were called to order in Il
moment at that tone of command.
though q voice well knew and now
hated called out:
"Well done, De Rosny, my squire of
danes. Pardieu. We have the wtne
hive, queen bee and all.
"By heavens" said another, they will
hang from the rafters in q half hour
then-my poor Ganache"' And the
speaker, whose rough. harsh voice was
as pitiess as his speech. swore bitter
oath.
Gently, De Tremblecourt," replied
the one who had been called De Rosny
"Our poor De Ganache'S soul has not
flown so far but that the others can
overtake it In time" And then De
Clermont came up to me, but as he
passed La CoQulle in SO doing the lat
ter strained at his cords and hissed
rather than spoke out the word ''Trai'
tori as he spat ut him.
"You hang in q little time head down
ward at De Lorgnac's feet for that.
said De Clermont calmly. And then,
turning to me: "'Tis sad business
this, madame. but war is war, and
after all things are going as you would
have them. are they not?
could not bear to meet that sneer
ing, beautiful face, which now that It's
mask was snatched away cared not in
how evil an aspect 1t showed itself
Words would not come to me. and as
stood there before De Clermont quiver
ing in every limb at the awful threat
conveyed in his speech to La Coquille.
De Tremblecourt's voice rang out
again, mad and broken with rage:
away with them! Sling them from
the parapet-now"
The men around rushed with yell
at La Coquile and his fellow prisoners
God pardon those who cause the hor
rors of war! But my defender. DE Ros
ny, again interposed and drove them
back despite De Tremblecourt's angry
protests, while De Clermont stayed his
rage quietly.
"Be still. De Tremblecourt. The king
will be here in ten minutes with our
other prisoner, and we will deal with
messieurs-in a bunch" And he glanced
at me with meaning in his eyes that
read as an open page.
"Come, madame" said De Rosny.
who saw my pallor. Let me take you
out Of this. pledge the word of Be
thune that no harm will touch you.
but that Is to happen. fear, which Is
not fit for you to see." With these
words he took my arm kindly and led
me inside. unresisting and as in
dream. In the hall. where we stopped.
forced myself to regain some cour
age. 1t was no time for faint heart.
"AIonsieur. what does this all mean!
What Is to happen to De Lorsnac!
Tell mel am his wife. monsieur"
He bowed gravely. yet sadly. "The
king of Navarro is generous, madame.
Henri will be here soon, and all may
vet he we'll In the meantime rest you
here and compose yourself. You are
safe from HARM"
With this he who was in after years
to be the first man in France left me,
almost stunned and broken by what
had heard. Now that | was about to
lose him-nay, had already lost him,
| for nothing. felt sure, would move
these pitileSs hearts, realized to the
end what De Lorgnac was to me, and
| with this came the dreadful conviction
that it was I, and alone. who had
brought this on my husband. |, fool
I'm my folly, who did not know my own
heart: |, who with word might have
stayed and kept him, who was AN in
| all to me, had driven him forth with
| my senseless pride to death. could
do nothing to save him. What could
woman do against these men? And
then it was as If the whole horror that
was to be pictured itself before my
eyes and a mocking fend gibed in
whispers in my ears, "YOu-you have
done thisw Almost with cry sprang
from my seat, my hand on my fore
head and an unspoken prayer on my
lips. felt that my brain was giving
| way and that must do something to
regain myself and think. This was no
| time for aught but action, and here l
was giving way utterly. l might 90
something-surely my woman's wit
could suggest some means Of saving