The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-05-20

Inviting all MS fhbDle 10 Jolh lht Itisl.
The banquet hall. used i, was to-
scenes Of Turbulence. never perhaps
had looked upon such a throng as that.
| occupied the head Of my own able.
strapped helpless in my scat On either
side We're vacant chairs. OrtcZ sat at
the foot. Between tie SoldierS ranged
themselves as they pleased one OF
the troopers coming in late would have
taken his place beside me. but his cap
tain stopped him:
Not there, Gardier; We have other
and fairer guests for whom those seats
are kept
Almost as he spoke the chairs on
either side OF me were slipped away,
and after awhile as silently returned
Ia their places,
Sacrament of passion, In one Of them
was bound the mutilated corpse of my
queenly Wife. her fingers hacked off
and her ears torn out for the gems
which had deckcd them. Upon my left
sat little Celia. But To-, one mrid stripe
OF crimson across her grlish breast she
might well have been asleep. so lightly
death had touched her. Behind them
saw a tall. gaunt woman. wearing Il
mans helm and carrying pike. She
directed the men. This WAS n wolnan'S
| hellish work.
Ortez rose with studied politencss:
Your wife and child. q Artiu: our
complete without them" And the
woman laughed aloud
| My brain burned; something seemed
to strain and give way. | lost all sense
Of pain, all capacity TO suffer How
| long this lasted | know not When the
| revelry was at Its height. when the
wine had dulled every human instinct
in these rough soldiers of the church"
| Ortcz raised his voice above the tumult:
| he knew his men were IN the humOr for
a diversion he was about to propose.
| NOV comrades he said, FOR the
! crownng JOY Of this most blessed day,
now for our last sacred duty to mother
| church."
He came round the table and taking
a cord from the hands or one OF his
men he threw the Moose over my head.
| With feet bound together. hands free
| ] stood amongst them. this throng of
| butchers, each With the white cross OF
Christ in his cap, the white scarf Of
Guise upon his arm, drunk and eager
for blood.
Henri Francois Placide d'Artin,
what hast thou to say why we shall not
declare thy blood attainted thy name
dishonGred. thy estate forfeited. why
we shall not hang thee for Huguenot
dog. traitor to king and church?
Speak.
All the defiance OF my race burned
fearless In my eyes, l felt my face flush
an instant AT the shame of such II
death. but replied as steadily as might
be:
"Not a word to you, thou infamous
one. thou baseborn coward, murderer
Of the helpless; not to you!"
The cool, polite manner Of Ortez fell
from him like Il mask. He seized the
cord with his own hand jerking me
prone upon the floor and commenced &c
drag me from the hall A dozen willing
hands lent aid l clutched instinctively
! at everything which came in my way
being torn from each hold by the ruth
less Williams at the rope.
Desperate | Erasped the leg OF 6
trooper, but savage kick in the face
! wrenched him free, and down the stail
they started for the open court. At the
end OF the cord came tumblinE. rolling
humping down the stone steps this al
most senscless heap which was yet
man.
Arrived beside the well, whose grea
, overhangng sweep offered n con
, venient scnffold, Ortez paused to ooi
at his victim. My breath came slow,
could hardly hear their words.
Think you his senses will return
.. Possibly, sire" replied the man [,
whom this was addressed
Then we will wait; my swee
spectacle as his own hanging.
He sat there upon the edge of tn
WELL whence came the groans of tn
dying the hot, fresh odors of the dead
I and waited, riendish in the patien
fcrocity OF his more than mortal hate
After a little 1 opened my eyes an,
!. stared about me- scarcely comprehend
) Ing where l was or what had hap
pened Ortez called upon his men t.
r.ot co n
was drawn just taut enough to sustain
+ me standing. Now the CHASTITY woman
, had seen In the hall pushed her wa,
z through the crowd.
, Her son." she Kissed, and savagel
struck me in the mouth until blood fol
, lowed the blow. The cord Instant
frightened and l felt myself swin
, across the well. First only dizzines
and parched mouth. Then the tn
multuous blood surged to my throat
i beating, struggling, gurgling like som
y pent-up mountain stream against tn
. rocks. threw both hands UP to gras
the rope-heard laugh. not a human
, laugh, yet 1t sounded so far, so YER
a far away, away back upon the earth.
A gigantic merciful hand seemed t
a take my head within Its grippe and pres
out all pain.
! Fiery circles swan before my eyes
: great crimson blotches hoated abou
In restless clouds of flame; the
2 dreams. dreams, long delicious dreams
: And out of the endless years O
y rhythmic music, the laughter Of 10y
s. voiced women, and many colored light
2 came at length oblivion.
o Thus the tale ended. 1t was tn
same l had heard In far away Louisl
: ana. told again with all the grim ca,
: nestness of desperate truth.
n I stood In the great courtyard again
| 1r al 1,,l, 1T.
gerly every inspired syllable. Whe
h the speaker had done, he shrank bac
v into the darkness. and was gone.
1t was as though l witnessed in IN
IS own person the wretched death {
Henri d'Artin. and stood within hi
It castles court when the ruthless dee
/! was done. Verify man Knoweth ne
is the rebellious vagaries of an unhinge
N brain: knoweth not what be but ur
meaning phantasies, or what be solem
N revelations from the very lips of Coz
" In the deep gloom the ruined cast
ID doomed darkly, chastity monument {
le evil deeds. / looked about for the mao
TO man but saw him not. The welrdne.
Of the place. the horror of Its secre
lie crept into my blood. became afrai,
Down the bleak road picked my wa,
r glancing fearsomely over my shoulde
fain would have fed as had the la
found my horse re-eQuipped. Sti
n. shuddering I mounted. scarce DARN
to look backwards at the cursed pill
lie Then, with the madman's story surgir
W in my brain, dug savage spurs int
ID my steed and galloped desperately OF
ward through the night.
ye
CHAPTER Xxx.
s FROM THE PATH OF DUTY.
1t was about 10 O'clock when
n reached Dieppe. Soon thereafter We
N we'll aboard lie Dauphin. Serigny hin