The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-02-17
bowed. Ills majesty's friends!"
sneered he, and was gone.

n1cated dogs who lived on their
dishonor? But the girl was beautiful.
so beautiful that NJ. lie Marquis wished
now that he had not kissed her-lilze
that, and now that he might but kiss
her again-in a more respectful man
ner.
AS midnight struck he was suddenly
jerked from his bed. Sleep was heavy
upon him, for he had drunk deep all
day; and he only wake fully to find
himself, very insuffciently clothed and
with his hands bound, standing among
six men, all of them in black, with
black masks over their eyes.
'Sblood!" cried NJ lie Marquis,
"who are you?"
There was no reply. They led him
down his own stairs and into his own
courtyard, where the wind snapped
cruelty at his half-naked limbs, and
through his own gates into a coach
that waited outside. M. lie Marquis
was bitter cold; he was going, who
ever these men were. to his death.
Above all, he was a ridiculous object,
and knew it; but he bore himself at
his proudest. The coach stopped, and
they hailed him into dark building.
Not till each of the six had lighted a
torch did he recognize it for Baptiste's
booth. M. lie Marquis blood boiled.
He was in the hands, then, of the
players, the lowest of mankind It
seemed to him that he had touched
the bottom Of degradation. He did
not know what was in store for him.
They led him on to the stage, and
here one of them. whom he knew now
to be Baptiste himself, faced him. IN.
lie Marquis" said he, there is little
need of words. This afternoon there
was one white thing among us-you
have soiled it. You have done just
what We all have vowed should never
pass unavenged. She was the honor
of my company-you have sullied it.
She was its luck-you have broken it.
Monsieur, this afternoon you struck
me in the face; but it is not for blow
but for kiss that I now strike you-
thus!"
He laughed as he wiped from his
knuckles the blood of NJ lie Marquis
lip. 1T is not blue. after ALL" said
he; but the words were lost in the roar
Of ribaldry and rage that burst, at the
signal Of that blow, from the other
five. They were players, and the
things they said and did to M. le Mar
quis can hardly be described. Then
one drew his sword and cut him on the
knee. Dance, mountebank!" cried he,
and NJ. lie Marquis needs must dance,
barefooted and barelegged, at which
the men roared with laughter, and
pricked him with swords to new ef-
forts. One crept behind him. "A kiss
for kiss!" said he, and his teeth met
in NJ. lie Marquis ear. "A hug for
hug!" cried another, gripping him till
his ribs cracked. "Sing, cat!" laughed
another, cutting a skin-deep cash in
his throat. The end came soon.
Bleeding from 20 scratches, worn out
and utterly disgraced, NJ lie Marquis
fell to the ground in a strong mans
agony of tears.
In flash he was up again. "Swine!"
he cried. THAT you mean to kill me,
l know. Let me kill few of you be-
fore l pass"
ut was our intention, Monsieur"
said Baptiste, cor rather a command
laid upon us, that you should try My
children, give M. lie Marquis his sword
and some clothes''
Two Of the players led him into the
trying room, and there they bathed
his wounds and dressed him in a clean
shirt and hose. AS he stepped on to
the stage again he stopped dead.
"Saints!" he cried, "have they sent
the devil to fight me?'
For he saw new, seventh, figure
before him, and one that appeared to
have no face, no hair. The whole
head was concealed in a tight-fitting
black cap, and only the eyes flashed
through two holes. "This," said M. lie
Marquis, sis but murder How can l
fight man whose face l cannot
watch?" But there was no help for it.
The figure of his assailant was that of
a perfect swordsman. The long,
straight limbs and supple, graceful body
were like steel springs. M. lie Marquis
had met his match and more Up and
down the stage they fought the splen-
did, tireless form of his opponent ever
pressing, pressing. The blades flick
cred and screamed, and the six watch
ers stood by with sword in hand and
torches held high. M. lie Marquis
sword-arm had been pipked, his
strength was failing and there was
swimming in his head. He had no
more desire to kill, nor even to live;
only for his own honor, to make a
fight to the finish, and then die brave
ly at the hands of the best swordsman
he had ever crossed steel with.
NJ lie Marquis sword flew from his
hand and clattered on the floor of the
| booth. He threw back his head and
stood waiting for the death-stroke.
| Through a haze Of exhaustion and
pain, he saw his opponent stand hest
| tating, saw the six players spring for
ward with uplifted swords, saw the
blade that should have pierced his
1