Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-02-11

the region. But he was not so sure
that, some fine winters night, during
one of his frequent expeditions, al
ways for a wicked purpose, an am
buscade of outraged peasants would
not leave his ~lifeless body by the way
side. And what a sinister night the
present enc was, to be sure; how
thoughtlessly he had allowed himself
to be disarmed by a poacher, a mere
child at that A thrill of fear passed
over him. AS he rode around a turn
in the road, the Red Gibbet doomed up
before him.
An exclamation escaped the reister's
lips as he recognized the vagabond Of
Luzieres perched on the ghostly tree,
the moonlight rejecting from the shin
ing metal of the gun he held in his
hands. He had not for a moment be-
lieved that the boy would keep his
word; the surprise he felt was mingled
with joy at the thought of not being
alone in the icy waste.
$50 you are here!" he exclaimed.
"a brute of a peasant back there took
you for a thief; you might shoot him
for practice at big game. 1t is set
tied then. You are to be my page and
the chief arquebusier of my company.
Has my musket been of S to you in
keeping off the wolves?"
mot yet, monseigneur," replied the
boy, trembling with cold, doubtless.
Were there no animals on the
road?"
There were many, monseigneur,
with eyes like blazing furnaces. They
followed me up, without daring to
touch me; l walked along singing at
the top of my voice, beating the meas
ure with the click of the musket."
"An excellent way of keeping the
towards at bay; a shot would have
been better, however"
II saved that for something better"
WHAT"
"You shall soon see, monseigneur."
"You must be cold up there on your
perch; you should have warmed your
Sell up ny SlNiHS IHo lulco q 'ooee
Of ~saltpeter and lead"
The boy clambered down, and walked
slowly toward the captain. 81 could
not hit the wolf l wanted to kill"
(Which one was it," questioned
Amalric, looking about as if expecting
to see glazing eyes.
"a large one that I don't want tc
miss"
A gust of wind cut the captains
face so sharply that he wore a grea'
oath and exclaimed: Jump on behint
and we will 60. I will take you witt
me to Ferrieres, since you are hence
forth to be in my service; if I leave
you here, nothing will be left of vol
by tomorrow. If the old wolf yol
have in mind comes near us, | Civ
YOU permission to kill him at once"
"Let him die then!" exclaimed thu
boy, taking sudden aim at the cap
tain. A sharp report broke the silence
of the night. The ~reister, struck in TIN
heart, fell heavily in the snow.
The boy then grasped Argant'
bride and fastened it securely to
strong root. With granite firmness, h
climbed upon the gibbet. Leaning gu
we the gulf, he uncoiled a rope which
was wound around his waist, and triet
to fasten it to the body hanging there
to draw it toward him. AS he worked
he murmured: "You shall be avenged
grandmother, and you shall be burie'
in consecrated ground. l told THE
baude this night that you would b
avenged before the dawn"
But even as he spoke, the body of tn
woman, so long exposed to cold an,
storm, dropped to pieces, and, fallini
from rock to rock, at last disappeare
in the tumultuous waters of the Agout
Just at that moment a bell rang out
not far away; its clear music resound
ed through the still air like a praye
winging its fight above. Other bronz
voices replied in the distance, celebrat
ing the nativity which promises to tn
humble blessings to be realized, an
to the wicked a chastisement for thei
iniquities. The %vagabond, leanin
over the gulf, made the sign of redemp
ton; then, descending, he went up t
the body of the soldier, which Was al
ready stiff.
Approaching bowls warned him t
hasten with his task. He dragged th
corpse to the gibbet, and, by e c
a slip knot, drew it up to the bear
lately occupied by the other corpse.
swayed to and fro in the moonlight
a sort of funereal dance; the gibbe
creaked and a pack of wolves rushe
out from the hedges, attracted by tn
scent of blood.
Crazed with terror, Argant kicke
vigorously at his agile foes. One
them had already sprung into the sac
die, and was about to close his jaw
on the chargers neck, when, swingin
the musket around, the boy broke til
beasts neck with a terrific blow; thel
mounting the horse, he gave his lii
into the keeping Of the terrified an.
mails instinct. The noble creatur
sprang away like an arrow in the d
rection of the Luzieres, followed by
pack of bowling wolves; the captain
body swayed in the moonlight, Will
the silvery bells of Ferrieres sent the
joyous Christmas peals down throug
the echoing valley.-Translated frol
tho Eronch nf d p Ghnucj NV 7
Twitchell.
In a Rcd ndkerch