The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-16

mans face looked in. The Marquis recog- l nized an old serf. "Quickl" said the latter. "This passage ] leads to the ravine." l "One of us must stay behind to hold l the enemy back" said L'Imanus a fanat- I Is peasant who had long been a terror to l the republicans. Let me stay. You will need 15 minutes to escape" One after another the rest entered the opening and disappeared. LImanus took l two pistols in each hand and waited Soon he saw eye peering around an angle. He fired. He fired the second pis- 1 tol at random at a rushing crowd and they fell back.
 sSeizing the other two pistols he looked l down. He saw a head, fired and the sol 1 dier tell. At the same instant d sword entered his bowels. The wound was fright full. He ground his teeth, dragged him. 1 self to the slow match leading under the | Iron door and lit 1t. The flame along | and passed under the door
 Then this man who was now about to 1 die, smiled and murmured They will l remember me. In these little ones I ] avenge our little one, the King in the Temple"
 When the beseigers at last dared to | enter they found only this one ghastly dead man. The opening which had been left. because the long-unused stone had
 
 While they stood looking around. as founded, bitterly disappointed, great cry rang out below them.
 The mother, standing before the tower had seen the building on the bridge break out in flame.
 "The ladder The ladder" cried Gau- vain.
 Commander" said his lieutenant, "the wagon did not bring the latter It brought the Quili1Aine"
 Burst open the iron doorw cried a | hundred voices
 Tt cannot be done!"
 The fire wreath ed the first story A whole army stood in despair. Axe after axe broke on the iron door. Sappers came with iron bars. They broke like glass.
 The flames licked up the second story where the children were. Those before the iron door could see the red re- factions pass underneath. The mother shrieked in desperate appeal. l Suddenly a white head appeared in the opening through which the Marquis had escaped It was the Marquis re- | turned!
 lie had large key Without saying a word he walked to the iron door, topened it. gull Of flame roared out and he went in.
 He went in with firm step, holding his lead high. Shaken by his foot, the floor fell in behind him. He disap- peared in the red glare.
 The soldiers ran out of the tower into the ravine. They looked up in despair. The sergeant madly buried his nails in the stone of the bridge and tried to climb. He fell back raging. l Heavy cracking was heard above the | snapping of the fire. A widow in the library fell outward. Little voices were heard calling Mama! Mamaw The soldiers clinched their fists They sobbed. They cursed. They were in paroxysms of agony.
 The Marquis appeared at the window. | He had a huge ladder which had been stored In the library. With the agility of an athlete he tilted it and let it down.
 Men swarmed up and he passed the three children to them amid the cheers of the old grenadiers. Then slowly, de- l liberately, haughtily, he stepped | through the window and without turn ing around. straight erect, with his back to the fire, he descended.
 The soldiers retired before him. They | were filled with awe of him. He seemed like the statue of commander going l down into the tomb.
 When he reached the ground hand | was laid on his collar |
 The Marquis had really descended into the tomb. They led him into a l crypt dungeon under La Tourgue.
 We shall convene court martial" :" said Cimourdain to Gauvain. You will not take part in it. It will be to-mor- row. The day after, the guillotine. La l Vendee Is dead,
 Gauvain drew the hood of his cloak over his head and walked away, lost in thought As he stepped between two | camp fires he saw a skeleton structure of red rising on the plain. | Insensibly the young officer drew near the entrance of the tower He | walked up and down, up and down, unheedful of the waning night Voices were speaking to him. Ancestral emo l tions stirred him. He saw again the Marouis returning to death. He saw France. dependent on the crushing of tbe revolt in La Vendee, a revolt that would blaze again should Lantenac not perish.
 Two o'clock struck. Gauvain went slowly toward the tower. sentry saluted. He pointed to the door Of the dungeon. "Open!" said he.
 Gauyain entered The door closed behind him. He threw his cloak over the shoulders of the prisoner, pulled the hood over his face and cried: Lieuten- ant. open the door" The door opened and Gauvain pushed the amazed Mar | Quis out
 | Once in the wood the Marquis stopped like a man who, having yielded to sur | prise. tries to consider whether he has | done well or Ill. After moment he raised his hand. snapped his fingers and | said: Ma foil"
 | Early the next day table was brought into the hall in front of the dungeon. On a chair facing the door sat cimour- l dain presiding over the courtmartial. | captain of Gauvains command sat on l one side. On the other sat the sergeant | of the Bonnet Rouge. The door was | flung open. Gauvain stepped out. Cimour- 1 dain turned white and shuddered. "iauvain!'' he cried. Where Is the prs- | oner?"
 q have helped him to escape" said 1 Gauvain.
 There was a silence. Great drops of l sweat stood on Cimourdain's forehead He steadied his voice and said:
 Seat this man"
 He no longer addressed the prisoner | familiarity Coldly formally, he pro- | pounded the questions that were neees- l sary to draw forth the story Then he | turned to the captain. What do you | vote? asked he.
 The captain dropped his gaze and said q vote death"
 Speak, sergeant said Cimourdain. l The sergeant rose and cried: "I would have done what my commander has donev
 "Acauittal," said Cimourdain Write, n~l~t