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

ciouS, De aolnlnlstefed instantly. II Hot, death from arsenic poisoning was sure to follow.
 Charles leaned against the mantel. 'Listen," he said, "you poisoned the Queen of Navarro with a pair of gloves; you poisoned the Prince de Porcian with the smoke of lamp; you tried to poison M. De Condo with scented apple. Rene, I will have your flesh torn from your bones, shred by shred. with red-hot pin book belongs"
 The Florentine saw that 1t was unsafe to trihe with the anger of the King and, upon receiving the royal word that his life should be spared, told how Cath crime had taken the book from his house with the intention of sending it to the King of Navarro, who had asked the Duke d'Alencon for such a work. "Ah," said Charles. there is a destiny-and submit to it." The book had, in fact. after having been poisoned by Catherine, been placed on a table in Henry's apart nient by the Duke d'Alencon himself at his mothers command. But the King had carried 1t away before Henry had seen it.
 Catherine at once set at work the processes of law and the attorney gem cral was instructed to put La Mole and Coconnas to the torture and then to have them executed for sorcery aimed at the life of the King-the one a principal and the other as access ory. Catherine, of course, knew of the
 ...l. bod mi with regard to the poisoned book and was relieved to thus have the matter hushed up, even though the King or Navarro had again escaped her. As for Marguerite, she busted herself by planning with the Duchess of Meyers for the escape from Vincennes of Co., cannas and La Mole.
 The story of the wax figure found in the apartments of La Mole was this: He had once, before he had obtained the favor of Marguerite. repaired to the house of Rene and asked for love- spell. Rene had molded the little fig- ure for him--the crowned figure was that of a woman, not man-and had pierced the heart with a needle and the 'M' on the paper attached to the needle stood for Marguerite and not for Mort" Coconnas and La Mole were put to the torture, but through the connivance of the executioner and out of gratitude for Coconnas having once shaken hands with him, the limbs of the Piedmontese were not broken. La Mole, however, had the bones of his legs crushed into a broken mass.
 Coconnas could have taken advan- tage of the opportunity arranged by the Duchess de Meyers and Marguerite for the flight of their lovers, but he re- fused to leave his friend and both were brought to the block The last thing they saw on earth were white hand kerchiefs luttering from the window of a little tower opposite the place of execution, where Catherine de Valois and the Duchess de Meyers watched in an agony of tears the death of the men whose daring love had scared too high and, caught in the whirlpool of affairs of state, had brought them to the block.
 The King rapidly declined and at his own request was removed to Vincennes. At last the day came when he lay up- on his death bed--hs mothers poison, intended for Henry of Navarro, was finishing its deadly work. He sent for Henry and the King of Navarro was brought to his bedside. "I have made you regent" said Charles, until the King of Poland shall return-he is my heir. D'Alencon is traitor; keep him in prison. If necessary. arrest my mother. Here is your warrant" And he handed Henry a document under the royal seal.
 Henry was brought to the presence Of King Charles, who was lying in a semi- conscious state upon couch. He reused himself and held out his hand. Henry" said the King, tell me how much of the charge brought against you by the Duke D'Alencon is true?' Half of It," replied Henry He was to have fed I was to have accompan nied him." Are you, then, dissatisfied with my conduct toward your Far from it. sire. It was from the perils which encompass me here and threaten my very life that I desired to fly. And, sire, if you really have regard for me you will command me to the strictest keeping of M. de Nancy, your captain of tho guard, man of honor. Commit me as a man whom your extreme anger may doom to death ere a month has passed But that means you may preserve my life"
 Charles called the captain of the guard. I'M. de Nancy. I commit to you the most guilty man in my kingdom. You will answer for him with your life." Thus v'as Henry removed from the perils of the Ls..pre and secured in the fortress pris- on of VinceEncs.
 Catherine came to see her sick son. Charles" said she, have you any idea of this disease which afflcts you?' "Yes," replied the King. T know the dis ease" "Ah. my son, I fear you do not. Your physicians treat only the symptoms my son, you are dying from magic at the behest of some uhidden enemy" ''oh, the King of Navarro, I suppose" replied Charles. Most probably. But the hand which dealt the blow was another's." She took from beneath her mantle a lit tie image of yellow wax with crown on it's head. A needle was sticking 'n the place where the heart should be and attached to the needle was a slip of paper on which was written an M. This is the secret formula said the queen mother, '.the M stands for Mort death. This image was found in the apartment of a man who, wltn ms com panion, brought the sumpter mules to the forest for the King of Navarro when he was to fly"