Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-31

rolled the door, and bowed low across the threshold before the gorgeous her aid. Upon the bell-ringer's right arm was sewed a telltale band of white. It was the badge of the rebellion. Barra looked down upon De Lannoy, and with a sheer upon his scared and bearded countenance, grufly interpo- lated:
 q am the man of Charles, By his order am commanded to take posses sion of this belfry. tear from it's roots the Tongue of Roland"-he stopped short a moment, and then added in tones intended to sink into the heart Of the bellman-"and should encoun- ter resistance. am to use my own discretion. Remember Levien Pyl!" "Who was Levien Pyl?" sullenly
 answered De Lannoy. sparring for time, although he well knew the grew some story.
 "A man after your own black heart "a dog of traitor with white badge upon his arm''-he pointed with his sword toward the bellman's sleeve. "He died-but unhappily. I, the man of Charles crushed his fingers one by one
 until he swooned from loss of blood y He laughed mockingly and threw his steel gauntlet into De Lannoy's face. De Lannoy took quick step behind one of the attendants and tore from
 his hands his short sword. With it he disposed of the servant from whom il had been snatched, and turned upon
 the herald The wounded attendant fell to the mosaic pavement with a groan. Like hungry tigers two other fellows leaped upon the bellman's back
 before he could make another move, and bore him to the ground.
 A leathern thong was wrapped
 around De Lannoy's wrists and twist ed taut until cruel channels were
 gcuged into the unprotected skin. Now for the bell, men," Barra cried. pointing upward with his sword.
 "Tear out the clapper-and make short work of it.
 It was quickly done; Roland's tongue hung upon coupling which cne raan could readily loosen. Barra laughed again with the old ' sneer He took the hempen rope with which the bellman had been
 won't to ring his bell, and, deftly run
 n.ng up the ladder in the wall, fas- tened it to the coupling in the heart of Roland from which the clapper had
 swung
 Then he dropped the coil. It fell
 directly in De Lannoy's upturned face
 The bellman groaned in anticipation | of his fate.
 Barra kindled fire in the corner of
 the tower. He broke tiie chairs and
 table, feeding their kindling into the
 flames. Into the heart of the blaze he
 thrust the heavy end of the bell clap
 per. In silence he watched it for sev-
 eral moments De Lannoy in frenzy
 cursed him once. Barra only laughed | and drew the iron tongue from the
 flames. The end was white with heat.
 Quickly he carried the tongue to
 the hempen rope, and, fastening 1t | through the coupling, hung it over
 De Lannoy's face. It swung ten inches
 above him. yet the heat turned the , bellman's cheek livid green. and cast | into his eyes the fire of demon Barra drew a fagot from the fire and touched 1t to the hempen rope. The
 strands caught the flame, and a tiny
 ringlet of smoke floated out into the
 air. Barra thrust his hands deep into his pockets and with staring eyes
 watched first the burning rope, then
 the white-hot tongue of iron, then the face of his victim. De Lannoy's teeth
 were set as in a wise. His jaws stood
 out as from skull. His eyebrows all , ready were burned away.
 The room was dark as the blackest
 night. The two attendants huddled, shivering. against the remotest corner
 of the tower. Their eyes were fixed i Ipon the rope in ghastly stare. The
 wave of smoke grew heavier. Now l and then the burning strands sput-
 tered their threatening warning. The ! iron tongue was trembling. It ' iurched-once--twic an awful : scream of agony burst through the
 tower walls. bounding from the belfry | in terrorizine echo. cleaving the sky of Ghent as had the Tongue of Roland.
 
 jumped to my feet with a cry of ' fright. My face and brow were wet
 with cold sweat. was trembling from head to foot. Intuitively l glanced to the mantelpiece for the , Tongue of Roland. It had fallen to ihe hearth. and the end which lay
 IL the smoulderins fire was white with