The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-16

heedfuI of the waning night. Voices were speaking to him. Ancestral emo- ttons stirred him. He saw again the Marquis returning to death. He saw France, dependent on the crushing Of the revolt in La Vendee, revolt that would blaze again should Iantenae not perish.
 Two o'clock struck. Gauvain went slowly toward the tower. sentry sa- luted. He pointed to the door of the dungeon. "openF" said he.
 Gauvain entered The door closed behind him. He threw his cloak over the shoulders of the prisoner. pulled the hood over his face and cried: Lieu tenant. open the doori' The door opened and Gauvain pushed the amazed Marquis out
 Once in the wood the Marquis stop ped like a man who. having yielded te surprise, tries to consider whether hs has done we'll or i'll. After moment he raised his hand. snapped his f1ngerA and said: '':Ma foi!''
 Early the next day q table waa brought into the hall in front of the dungeon. On a chair facing the dooa sat Cimourdain, presiding over the court martial. A captain of Gauvain's command sat on one side. On the oths CT sat the sergeant of the Bonnet Rouge. The door was flung open. Gau. vain stepped out Cimourdain turned white and shudderad.
 -oauvain" he cried. Where is the prisoner7"
 T have helped him to escape" saia Gauvain.
 There was . silence. Great drops ot sweat stood on Cimourdain's forehead. He steadied his voice and said:
 Seat this man."
 He no longer addressed the prisanee fsmiIiariy. CoIdly. formally. he pro- pounded the questions that weRe nan@ essary to draw forth the story. Then he turned to the Captain. What da you voter asked he.
 The Captain droppsr his gaze ana said: 'T vote death."
 Speak. Sergeant" said CimourdairL
 The sergeant rose and cried: rx would have done what my commandsn has donet'
 -Aoauittai," said cimourdain. write. clerk"
 and laid 1t on the table. If all pras- ent had been lying in their shrouam the silence would not have been more profound.
 In solemn voice he said: aAc~ cused Gauvain. in the name of the Republic, the court martial, by a ma tpFtty of two to one--s
 3 He stopped. There was Q moment of suspense. All held their breaths Ctmourd9in continued:
 "Condemns you to deathF
 When the sun rose again 1t ahon0 on a wall of soldiers inclosing the red scaffold. Near it stood platform on which was the table of the tribunal draped in tricoIor. Under the flags sat Cimourdain, motionlesa, with fold- ed arms.
 There came the untitled roll Of drums covered with erape. The ranks ] opened. A platoon of grenadiers ap- peared. Behind them walked Gauvaih. unbound. his brown hair floating m the wind. his heroic eye full of a fin his beauty; and that terrible thlng, the sob of an army. sounded through the silence.
 A shout arose:
 'Mercyl Mercyt" Some fell on their knees. A gren- adler cried: "wili you take suDsti- Again came the frantic cry: .MsFcy.
 The executionsr approached with rope.
 farewell to Cimourdain and then al~ lowed himselm to be bound. "L.ong live the Repubiicl" cried he They laid nm on the plank. hideous sound was heard. At fhe same instant another sound | the blow of the ax. and as Gauvatna l head rolled into the basket Ctmour~ l dain sent a bullet through his heart The blood poured from his mouth | He fell down dead; and these two | souls, tragic sisters, departed togetheFs | The darkness of one mingiing with the 1 light of the other.