Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-18
CHAPTER xxi.
The Cradle of Saint Veran.

Aye, Joseph, what Is IL! Sne repHeu, LIZ
quite another voice than she had been US
ing to Frances.
I'VE must be going to our homes before
daybreak. 1t comes in an hour or 80 and
we want our prisoner. Our night will be
wholly blank without. We know her for
a Protestant and the daughter of preach
err We will have her served as such.
IF 1t is a matter of ransom" she said,
kindly, II take 1t on myself that the Mare
chal de Montrevel will pay any reasonable
sunni 1 myself
TT Is not a matter of ransom, madame
answered the man who had been called
Joseph, fiercely. I'VE have taken IL on
us to humble these dogs and sons OF dogs,
these barbetsl Have we not PERMISSION 10
use the torture-aye, authority from the
king himself, passing over him Wnom you
are pleased to call your husband?'
cadets of the Cross" cried Yvette in
loud voice .Once and for all L warn you!
You may call yourselves soldiers, all 1t
please youi But by the faith OF woman
If my husband
Her husband" laughed Joseph contemp-
tuousy, "she a Protestant-can be no man
honest wife-least of all that of a marechal
of the good Catholic King of France, from
whom we hold our orders. Praise be TO
the holy Pix, we are not dependent on
Monsieur the Marechal de Montrevel; no.
nor any of his
yes. yes" chimed in some of the others,
edo we not wear the white band in double
across our breasts In token that we are OF
the kings party-the alliance or believers.
We Cadets of the Cross will make another
day of holy ST. Bartholomew, eh, lads?
And as for the Marechal de Montrevel, he
wears no scarf and makes war with gloves
of kid Who knows on which side he IS !!
Il have it," said Yvette; wait, L VIII
balk them yet. Cadets of the Cross. are
they? They will make new st. Barthol-
pleases them. they will have well-Anown
victim to try their blades upon Let us
see If they will dare to kill me-!
The two girls had been standing all the
while almost under the shadow of the
huge mast which had been erected as a
support for the carrier-cradle to convey
messages and packages to st; Neran on
the opposite verge of the valley OF tne
Dourbie Thick cables stretched away
downward in the darkness in grand
curve There was a little drag rope I'M
derneath, which served the tWo-ioia once cs
of summoning the watcher opposite ana OK
Fastening the parcel in the travelling cradle
s'Here we have it." said Yvette. This
will suit the purpose. You can await your
fathers return just as we'll at Saint Neran,
which is a Camisard town. and would
give its last Genevan psalter for real
6a stor's daughter You will be out of the
way. There Is some risk. of course. But
you have heard very plainly that 1 shall
not be able to save you here. l pray you
get into the cradle. By the Lord mean
by the Holy Virgin of St Enemte, l would
that I had your chances If l could save
YOU other ways / declare would try this
way to heaven myself 1t Is as near as
Yvette Foy is ever likely to find herself!
Get In. Frances"
The girl, now thoroughly frightened,
chung about Yvette Foy's neck.
"No-no." she said. Il do not deserve
your love. Get into the cradle and let us
swing you off"
ooh. 1 love your cried Flower-o' the
Corn. "At least 1 am sorry I ever hated
YOU. You giving your life for mine
or the same thing
Nonsense nonsense child" said Yvette.
in loud harsh voice. do as L bid you!
Are you ready? There!'
She gave couple of sharp tugs to the
rope which were Immediately answered
from the other side. and then rapidly Topped
the cord about Flower-o -the-Corn's body.
Now it, will not trail. Kiss me- she
said as the wicker basket began to move.
cumbrously at first and then with in
Creasing smoothness. down the great slope.
The morning was fairly dawning now,
but slowly. The green of the aurora had,
usual, blown up into wind laden
with heavy purple clouds. so that as Yvette
kissed Flower-o' -the-Corn she felt though
she could not see, the tears upon the CRATE
full girls face.
1t CHANGED that the Cadets of the Cross
were all gazing with such intentness at
the place where their prisoner was talking
TO Nine la Merechale that the great sway
ing basket of wicker work. with its trail
rope looped two or three times about it,
had passed completely over their heads be-
fore it was noticed.
Then 1t was Joseph Peyrat who first
caught sight of it.
Fire there-fire! Throw a hand gre
nadei Run back and cut the ropes!' he
shouted. do you not see they are sending
away the valuable plumber? Did not tell
you both of them are barbets-Protestants
no true Christians? But you-you would
not take my advice. and you see where
you have landed yourselves
Whereat some babe him abruptly
stow the slack of his Jaw. If the ropes
were to be cut. he must go and do 1t him
self
And very soon will I finish THAR he
cried stridng toward the great. trebly
braced mast of the Saint Verun cradle.
Beneath 1t stood a woman-a woman
whom at first sight they did not know. She
had a pistol in either hand-Flower- % the
Corn's pistols. She stood erect beneath the i
dark purple-little dawn-a brunette. tall
and slender, her eyes deep the Dourbie
pools at eventide, yet now cleaning bright
and angry as when the sun shines on a sea
fretted with north wind.
Approach nearer by one hafrsbrcadth,
any one of you" she cried. land I will
show you what chance Cadet of the Cross
has OF heaveni You say that you do not
fear the marechal-that you are not under
his orders. But, thank God. there is one
argument which can still avail with Ca
Diet of the Cross, and all such cattle, the
fear of hole punctured in his own dirty
skin. SOldierS-no-Such beasts as you
would not be soldiers more than one day!
And at daybreak OF the second the provost
marshal and the limb of the nearest conve-
nient beech would finish your service. But
come OIL have sent my friend where you
will not be able to touch her. She Is safe
in Saint Veran by this time. And IL you
want either her person her ransom
why. go there and seek 1t. apply at the
camp Of my husband De Montrevel who
in spite of all letters permissory, knows
how to deal with such vile beasts of the
field you are"
After that there was a rush. Joseph Pey-
rat being well to the front as it CHANGED
on this occasion. by no means to his gain.
y shot rang out. Joseph doubled himself
up suddenly, If he had fallen over his
own folded arms. Yvette stood erect, a
little ring of smoke disengaging itself from
her pistol.
All here they come-the Maison Rouge!
The uniform of the kings guards! Let us
leave the wenchr
Other guns went of irregularly An off,
Ger ran up in the fine uniform OF the Mai
son du Rof, the Red House of the King
"A moi-France! France"' cried Mad
anne lie MARKETABLE. at the pitch of her voice
The Cadets of the Cross took to their
heels In the Frightening dawn They had
no wish. In the present mood Of Madame
le Marechale de Montrevel, to test the
carpenter work of the kings gibbets or
even the nearest beech trees So they made
speed. and were out Of sight In q few min
utes. All save Joseph that is who would
never return an inSOlent answer tn rpaid ~