Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-18

How is it with you now Aylward7"
Better Squire, better; but may l never
touch water again as long as livel Alasi poor
Dicon has gone, and Stephen also-the life
chilled out of them. The cold is in the very
marrow of my bones. | pray you let me lean
upon your arm as far as the fire, that | may
warm the frozen blood and set it running in
my veins once more"
strange sight it was to see these twenty
naked men crouching in half-crcle round the
fire, with their trembling hands extended to
the blaze. Soon their tongues at least
thawed, and they poured out the story of
their troubles with many a prayer and eiacula-
ton to the saints for their safe delivery. No
food had crossed their lips since they had been
taken The Butcher had commanded them to
join his garrison and to shoot upon their COM
rades from the wall. When they refused he
had set aside three of them for execution.
The Others had been dragged to the cellar,
whittier the leering tyrant had followed them.
Only one question he had asked them whether
they were of hot-blooded nature or of a cold.
Blows were showered upon them until they
answered. Three had said cold, and had been
condemned to the torment of the fire The
rest who had said hot were delivered UP to the
torture of the water-cask. Every few hours
this man or fiend had come down to exult over
their sutferings and to ask them whether they
were ready yet to enter his service. Three had
consented and were gone. But the others had
all OF them stood firm, two of them even to
their death.
Such was the tale to which Nigel and his
comrades listened whilst they waited impa-
tiently for the coming of Knolles and his men
Many an anxious look did they cast down the
black tunnel; but no glimmer of light and no
clash of steel came from its depths. Suddenly
however a loud and measured sound broke
upon their ears. 1t was a dull metallic C1ang
ponderous and slow, growing louder and ever
louder, the tread of an armored man. The
poor wretChes round the fire, all unnerved by
hunger and suffering, hudded together with
wan, scared faces, their eyes fixed in terror on
the door.
1T is he'' they whispered. at is the
Butcher himself"
Nigel had darted to the door and listened
intently. There were no footballs save those
of one man. Once sure of that, he softly
turned the key in the lock. At the same in
slant there came bulls below from without
Ives! Bertrand!'' cried the voice Can
you not hear me coming, you drunken varlets?
You shall cool your own heads in the water
casks, you lazy rascals! What, not even now?
Open, you dogs! Open, sayl'
He had thrust down the latch, and with a
kick he flung the door wide and rushed in
ward. For an instant he stood motionless, a
statue of dull yellow metal, his eyes fixed upon
the empty casks and the huddle of naked
men. Then with the roar of trapped lion, he
turned; but the door had slammed behind
him, and Black Simon, with grim figure and
sardonic face, stood between.
The Butcher looked round him helplessly,
for he was unarmed save for his dagger Then
his eyes fell upon Nigel's roses.
"You are a gentleman of coat-armor," he
cried. 81 surrender myself to vou'
| will not take your surrender, yo> black
villain" said Nigel. Draw and defend your
self. Simon, give him your sword"
Nay, this is madness said the blunt man
alarms. Why should give the wasp sting?''
Give it him, l sayl cannot Kill him in
cold blood
But l CAMP yelled Ay1ward, who had
crept up from the fire Come comrades!
By these ten inger-hones! has he not taught
us how cold blood should be warmed?"
Like pack of wolves they were on him, and
he changed upon the floor with a dozen frenzied
naked figures clutching and clinging above
him. In vain Nigel tried to pull them off
They were mad with rage, these tortured starry
ing men, their eyes fixed and garing their
hair end, their teeth crashing with fury,
while they tore at the bowling, writing man
Then with a rattle and clatter they pulled him
across the room by his two ankles and dragged
him into the fire.
Nigel shuddered and turned away his ewes
as he saw the brazen figure roll out and stagger
to his knees, only to be hurled once more into
the heart of the blaze. His prisoners screamed
with Joy and clapped their hands as they
pushed him back with their feet until the
ar1nor was too hot for them to touch. Then
at last he lay still and glowed darkly red,
whilst the naked men danced in a wild half
circle round the fire.
But now at last the supports had come.