Evening star., 1905-11-07

an instant 1t was ablaze and q long, hiss
| ing, yellow flame licked over the heads of
/ the defenders, and drove them further up to
| the hrst floor of the keep. They had scarce
| reached 1t, however. ere they found t$at
| the wooden jois's and planks of the floor
| ing were already on fire. Dry and worm
eaten, spark upon them became smolder.
| and smolder blaze. A choking smoke
| filled the air. and the five could scarce grope
| their way to the staircase which led up to
/ the very summit of the square tower.
Strange was the scene which met their
| eyes from this eminence. Beneath them on
| every side stretched the long sweep of
peaceful country. rolling plain. and tangled
| wood, all softened and mellowed I'm the
silver moonshine. No light. nor movement.
/ nor any sign OF human aid could be seen:
but far away the hoarse clangor of a heavy
bell rose and fell upon the wintery air. Be-
| meath and around them blazed the huge
| fire. roaring and cracking on every side
| OF the bailey. and even as they looked the
two corner turrets fell in with deafening
| crash. and the whole castle was but a
/ shapeless mass. spouting flames and smoke
from every window and embrasure. The
great black tower upon which they stood
| rose like last island of refuge amid this
| sea of fire: but the ominous cracking and
| roaring below showed that 1t would not be
| long ere 1t was engulfed also in the common
| ruin. At the very feet was the square court
| yard. crowded with the bowling and dane
| Ing peasants. their fierce faces upturned
their clinched hands waving. all drunk with
piooqshed and with vengeance A yell of
L
| ter burst from the vast throng as they
| saw the faces Of the last survivors of their
enemies peering down at them from the
height OF the keep They still piled the
| brushwood round the base of the tower and
| gamboled hand in hand around the blaze.
screaming out the doggerel lines which had
long been the watchword of the Jacquere.
De ptier ct manger lie bonhomme
oui &c iongtemps Jacques Bonhomme
| the roar of the flames and the crash of
| the masonry. like the yelping of pack of
! wolves who see their quarry before them
| and know that they have well-nigh run him
| down.
by my hilt!" said Awkward to John .qt
| IS In my mind that We shall not see Spain
| TINS journey. 1t Is a great joy to me that
have placed my feather bed and other
Lyndhurst, who will now have the use of
them. 1 have thirteen arrows yet, and IL
| one OF them fly unffeshed then by the
| twang of string! I shall deserve my doom
| FIRST at him who faunts with my lady
! silken frock. Clap In the clout by Godi
though hands breadth lower than had
| meant. Now for. the rogue with the head
upon his pike Ha! to the inch. John.
rovers than at long-butts or noyles A good
shoot for you also, john The villain hath
Iallen forward into the fire. But 1 pray
| pluck with the drawing hand. for It is a
trick that hath marred many a fine bow =
man"
| While the two archers were keeping up
| brisk fire upon the mob beneath Them
Du Guesclin and his lady were consulting
| ton.
'''Tis a strange end for one who has
seen so many. stricken fields" said the
French cfdeftain. For me one death ia
| as another. but it Is the .nought of my
sweet lady which goes to my heart
| YOU" said she. Had 1 my dearest wish.
1t would be that We should go together"
We'll answered. fair LADY," cried Sir Nj
| gel And very sure am that my own
sweet wife would have said tie same II
| the end be now come. have had great good
fortune in having lived in times when so
ing so many valiant gentlemen and knights
But why do you pluck my sleeve. AIleyne ?"
| If 1t please you, my fair lord, there are
| In ohls corner two great tubes of iron, with
many heavy bail, which may perchance
| be those bombards and shot Of which I
| have heard"
BY st. Ives! it is true cried Sir Ber-
| trand. striding across to the recess where
the ungainiy, funnel-shaped, thick-ribbed
engines were standing. -Bombards, they
| are, and of good size. We may shoot down
upon Them"
..Shoot with them. quothag" cried Ayi-
ward. in high -disdafn. for pressing danger
is the great leveler of classes. How is
| man to take aim with these fools toys,
=" SoAA 49, aOPC ~ Oo SCdln With
them?"
II will show you,"> answered Sir Nigel;
for here is the great box of powder, and
| II you will raise it for me, John, / will
show you how 1t may be used Come
hither, where the folk are thickest round
| the fire. Now. Aylward crane thy neck
| and see what would have been deemed
an old wife's tale when We first turned our
| faces to the wars. Throw back the lid.
| John. and drop the box into the fire!"
| deafening roar. fluff Of blush light.
a nd %
| trembfed from It's very foundations, sway
| ing this way and that like a reed in the
wind. Amazed and dizzy, the defenders
| clutching at the cracking parapets for SUD-
port saw great stones, burning beams of
wood, and mangled bodies hurtling past
| them through the air When they staggered
| to their feet once more, the whole keep
had settled down upon one side. so that
| they could scarce keep their footing upon
| the sloping platform. Gazing over the edge
| they looked down upon the horrible de-
| explosion. For forty yards round the por-
| tai the ground was black with writing,
| screaming figures. who struggled up and
| hurled themselves down again, tossing this
way and that. sightless. scorched. with FIRE
| bursting from their tattered clothing Be-
| !.end this circle of death their comrades
bcyidered and amazed. covered away from
| this black tower and from these invincble
! men, who were most to be dreaded when
hope was furthest from their hearts.
"A sally, Du Guesclin-a SALLY" cried
|
| minds, and a bold rush may turn them -
| He drew his sword as he spoke, and darted
| down the winding stairs, closely followed
| by his four comrades. Ere he was at the
| first floor however, he threw up his arms
and stopped. Mon Dieut' he said, I'VE
| are lost men!
| What then?" cried those behind him.
| 1.-The wall hath fallen In, the stair is
| blocked, and the fire still RACES below BY
| ST. Paul! friends, we have fought a very
| honorable fight. and may say in all hum
| bleness that we have done our devoir, but
| / think that may now go back to the
Lady Tiphaine and say our orisons, for
| we have played parts In this world,
/ and it is time that we made ready for an
other"
The narrow pass was blocked by huge
stones Uttered In wild confusion over one
| another. with the blue choking smoke reek-
| ing up through the crevices. The explosion
| had blown in the wall and cut off the only
| path by which they could descend. Pent
| in, hundred feet from earth, with fur
| mace raging under them and ravenins
multitude all round who thlrsted for their
| blood, 1t seemed indeed though no men
had ever come through such peril with their
lives. Slowly they made their way back
| to the summit. but as they came out upon
| it the Lady Tiphaine darted forward and
| caught her husband by the wrist