The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-25

dueted him away. From that hour Hen-
 " of Bourbon and Marguerite de Valois
 were faithful to the compact of their
 marriage night, and the steadfast com-
 pact changed the course of history and
 gave a new dynasty to France.
 On the last of these few days of calm
 following the marriage of Henry and
 Marguerite, which calm was to be broken
 by the bloody storm of the massacre
 of St. Bartholomew, two young men, travellers from the south of France, ar- rived by different routes at Paris, and happened to meet at the door of the inn of La Belle Etoile in the Rue de rArbre- Sec, which was not far from the Louvre, The two, seeking lodgings and food. got into conversation, liked each other, and introduced themselves-the Count Lerac de la Mole, a Provencal, and the Count de Coconnas, from Piedmont. AS they were waiting for supper the landlord told them the news. The gay young Ad- miral Coligny, while passing along a street. had been fired at from a house and had his arm broken. It was thought the bullets were poisoned. It was the Kings slayer" as men called him, who had done this, a desperado in the em- ploy of Charles, one Maurevel who had not long before murdered the father of De Mouy, one of the great leaders of the Huguenots. And he had done it at the suggestion of the King-though this was not known.
 9The admiral woundedr' exclaimed La Mole sorrowfully. "The admiral wounded!" cried Coconnas joyfully. It was easy to see to which party each of the two cavaliers belonged. .I must go, then, to the palace at once," cried Coconnas; shall find. the Duke de Guise there?" Never mind our sup per at the inn," said Coconnas, q shall dine with the duke" And with the King of Navarre," replied La Mole But an hour or so after found the two young men back at the Belle Etoile sharing together modest omelette. Yet in that time La Mole had had an experi- ence which was to affect his life and bring him and his new friend to an untimely end.
 At the gate of the palace he met M. de Mouy with a party of Huguenot gentlemen going in and under De Mouy's passport obtained an entrance. Inquire your way yourself" said De Mouy, leaving La Mole In a deserted passage of the palace, and the young man wandered on, hoping to meet some one, when suddenly a door opened and, attended by two pages, there appeared to him the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The glare of the torches held by the pages fell upon La Mole, who stood motionless. What do you want, sir?" inquired the lady in voice of exquisite sweetness. Madame" said the youth, q seek the King of Navarro" 'The King is not here," replied the vision from which La Mole never removed his eyes, "but cate your message to the Queen?" "If I could obtain audience with her." You have 1t now"
 La Mole stood silent and spellbound Without knowing it he acted like a finished courier. The Queen smiled Recover yourself" said she, q can wait but little, for the Queen mother has sent for me-" Permit me to re- tire. madame" replied La Mole, for at present I cannot collect my ideas or think of anything but admiration D The evident sincerity of the young man was both amusing and gratifying 10 Marguerite. Pardon me" at length said La Mole, that not Knowing, I did not salute you with the respect due to you but" "Oh you took me for one of my ladies'" laughed Marguerite | No, but for the beautiful shade of | Diana of Poitiers, who is said to haunt the Louvre" Come, come, sir I see that you will make your fortune at court, But your letter, give 1t to me and I will deliver it to the King of Navarro" Then directing one of her pages to show La Mole to a room be- low where he was to await a messa ee from the King of Navarro, the lovely woman and Queen passed on.
 In the room to which he was shown La Mole found De Coconnas also waiting One of the gentlemen of the court talk ing Coconnas aside gave him a little
 white cross with instructions to stick it in | his hat and come to the Louvre when the bell Of St. Germain rAuxerre should sound the tocsin. The password. he told | him, was "Guise." A page came from the | King of Navarro with message for La
 Mole. He was to return to his inn but to come to the Louvre the next morning. | Perhaps the King would send for hin,
 that very night-he was to hold him. self in readiness. Well fate seems to
 conspire to make us inseparable,, said | Coconnas as the two ate their omelette
 'but what is it all about?" q don't know" No more do I''
 That night-at midnight--the fateful bell
 of St. Germain rAuxerrois pealed out and | the slaughter of St. Bartholomew's Dav | began. The King had massed troops at
 all the principal points and had by his
 secret agents arranged for general ris- ing of the Catholic populace, or rather
 Of those who were of his party and not
 of the party of the King of Navarro and
 De Mouy. That slaughter is a matter of | history. The two young counts who had | met so recently found their new-formed friendship swept away into a bitter | hatred and a desire to kill each other when the fatal moment came and they were forced to take sides for life or
 death. Pursued and marked for slaughter
 La Mole escaped from the inn by running
 up into garret and making a slippery
 and desperate way over the roofs of the adjoining buildings. He sought the house
 of the Admiral Coligny and entered 1t
 only to be soon besieged there by a mob of soldiers and citizens, who, break-
 ing into the place, killed the old man and