Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-09

portions Of his dominions have done. We
are to raise one or more regiments of young
men in order to fight the kings battles in
foreign parts. This is the message / have
from Louis, King of France. This is the
word that hath lain heavy on my heart,
which have now declared to you. Breth-
rem OF the Way. what answer shall give?"
With one fierce leap forward Catinat was
on the platform Martin Foy made a slight
movement as If to follow him. but finally
withdrew himself deeper into the shadow
of the great pillar, watching out of the
gloom with eyes in which the red freight
cleaned and danced.
And this he cried. rs the end This is
the sword that was sharpened, the sword
of the Lord and of Gideon Lo, 1t is
whetted, not to defend the faith but to
fight the battles of the son of perdtion,
the husband of Scarron's widow. Against
our own brethren the Cevennes must draw
the sword and at the Budding of a traitor
renegade. an officer of the king whose
commission is in his pocket at this mo-
ment
AT the challenge direct Jean Cavalier
came forward. He was more calm than he
had been when he began There was al
most smile on his face-the fighting smile
with which (his men said) he was wont to
enter battle. He undid the belt and sword
with which the leaders of the Camisards
had solemnly invested him and flung the
weight of iron and clasped leather on the
table with a clang
There he cried freely l give up that
command which I did lot ask. 1 will no
longer be your leader. / am only one of
yourselves. l have faithfully delivered my
message. l see that there Is no help save
in yielding ourselves to the arm of flesh
even as jeremiah advised when the ASSyri-
an came down from the north, a strong
nation and cruel, pressing upon Israel on
every side. After ALL are we not French
men. and no rebels? We rose to defend our
rights. These will now be granted to US
for the king has been mi;led concerning US.
q mo, ho6 hoe kf,,,f \;
him EVIL women have spoken to hurt.
Who will go out with me this day to fight
the battles of the King of France?"
There was a dead silence. Even Catinat
did not answer. Tie stood back, like one
who gives his enemy long rope and every
advantage. Truly, Catinat knew that the
angel Of Jean Cavalier had departed from
him.
Yet In one thing he had moderated. the
influence of his adversary. There were of
the younger men not few to whom Jean
Cavalier was as god men who had grown
weary of the long confinement among their
own bleak hills. especially since the raids
and forays had been given up. They had
not the elder mems religious enthusiasms
They loved not preachings or long drawings
and their hearts leaped up at the mere
thought OF the long t-r-r-r-r of the kettle
drum and the stirring notes OF the trumpet
So, all shame-faced and sullen but in the
main determinedly here and another
there stood up and gave in their unpopular
x
alier!' or Il will stand by YOU Jean Cava-
lierr'
But at the most they were few The Cam
isards We're mostly not young men, The
young lay under green mounds here and
there on both sides of the bare wind-sweDt
CeVennes Cavaliers recruits numbered
perhaps dozen in all, and Catinat waited
He would take advantage Jean Caya-
, Tier had ousted him fairly at the first So
not unfairly would he fight for the mastery
now that the day of his triumph was so
near
And now. Brethren of the Way," cried
Catinat. after pause, during which every
man looked askance at his neghbor I'VE
nave heard this man pervert Judgment with
words, what say We? Ye have heard these
aiso-young men without wisdom. in whom
the weight of the Word is not VIII We en-
roll your names with theirs and go fight
the battles of King Louis against our
brethrenLthe men of one faith with us.
whose ministers have spoken the gospel In
our ears. whose messengers have brought
munitions of war into this very placer"
Cavalier came forward as If he would
nave interrupted, but Catinat waved him
aside
My turn he said Eye have SPOKEN.
and may again. But now the word Is with
me! Ye demand of him, Brethren of the
Way. wherefore he has done this. The holy
revelation is the promise of the king that
Jean Cavalier should have the command of
as many men as he can raise among US.
The blessed sign is the commission given
MIN by our enemy and prosecutor. the Mar
Quis de Montrevel, which he carries in his
pocket"
And through the hall and up from the
crowded mass of Camisards which surged
beneath came the hoarse threatening muir
muir. He is not of us-he Is not OF u.s."
"One day you shall know have spoken
TRUTH! cried Cavalier, above the tumuIt
when your valleys are swept with the fire
and the sword--in that day you win ac-
knowledge that have spoken this day