The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

!, the captain still lived, but such a mere l detail could not alter the stern course of , medieval justice So the poor gypsy girl l was cast into q dungeon, where she was l 10 be confined for a certain time, after which she was to be taken to do penance 1 before the Cathedral of Notre Dame and 1 thence taken to execution. l The day before the girl was to be exc l cuted a black-robed figure bearing lan- | tern came to her dungeon. It was Claude | Frolo
 | Solemnly and silently he stood before l the startled girl The apparition of that
 man whose presence was always so fatal | to her, aroused her from her torpor. "Who are you, wretch?' cried the girl. What have l done to you that you per l secute me thus?'
 1 In hollow tones the visitor replied: T I love you"
 "Ah. what lover calculated the unhap- l py creature.
 The love of the damned" replied Dom 1 Claude. 'Listen. I was happy, was in- l nocent, until l saw you. You have been 1 to be an angel. but one of darkness-of fre not of light. You have charmed me turned my brain. But will give up all 1 for thee here and hereafter. I can save thee. l can rescue thee from this place. Fly with me. Say thou wilt be mine. 1 Mercy maiden, mercy," And she shrank from him fin scorn and loath1ng
 the man rolled on the floor and beat n's 1 head against the stones.
 At last the visitor sprang to his feet. He l picked up his lantern. and shouting out, | "I tell thee Phoebus is dead" fled np tho 1 stone stairs. Captain Phoebus knew noth- ! ing of the arrest and trial of La Esmer- 1 aida. He considered that he had been
 drawn into a snare, was well out of a bad scrape and asked no questions. Two months after his adventure on the bridge
 of St. Michael the gay captain came 1 swaggering into Paris and was seated , with his betrothed. the beautiful Fleur de I.ys de Gondelaurier on the balcony of her mothers mansion, opposite the cath edral when a great crowd came into the Place. In it's midst was the gypsy girl, clothed with single white garment and with rope around her neck. Only one thing her Jallers had not taken from her. [ Around her neck was a necklace made of curious Eastern seeds from which hung little bag. It was an amulet she be- lieved which would enable her some day
 to find her mother If she did not sin. Tho iailers had looked into the bag, smiled scornfully and allowed her to keep it. The unfortunate creature stood before the porch of the cathedral. At the ex-
 tremty of the dark interior a great sil
 yer cross could be seen, standing out in
 relief against d black cloth that fell be-
 hind it from the roof to the pavement. A
 few tapers glmmered on the high altar
 The vast church seemed empty; but the
 shayen heads of priests could be seen
 dimly in the recesses of the stalls. and
 as the doors opened a loud and monoto-
 nous chant hurled Itself. as 1t were, in
 gusts bearing fragments of doleful
 psalms, at the head of the condemned
 one.
 On this last step of misfortune and ig-
 nominy Esmeralda was still beautiful
 Her large black eyes appeared still larger
 on account of the hollowness of her
 cheeks; her livld profile was pure and
 sublime.
 Then out from the gloom of the church
 slowly emerged the figure of the Arch deason advancing to the door. He was in
 full canonicals. His head was thrown
 back, his eyes were fixed and wide open.
 In loud voice he chanted the De Pro- funudis.
 Approaching Ecmeralda, who stood alone, he said in a loud voice: "Bohe- milan girl, hast thou prayed God to par don thy crimes?" and bending down as if to receive her last confession, he whis- pered. wilt thou be mine? I can yet save thee"
 "Go to the Fiend. thy master" replied the gypsy. What hast thou done with my Pnoebus?"
 He Is dead" replied the priest.
 At that moment the wretched man raised his head mechanically and saw on the other side of the place the captain standing in the balcony. Well, then. die." he said. "No one shall have theei" and. stretching out his hand over the head of the unfortunate girl, he repeated