The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-09
THE THREE GUARDSMEN
Rv ALEXANDRE DUMAS

d S4SA CU tAC ACSt O4 IAC tAOOp " SV eO- ward the door.
 By the light of a lamp Athos saw a woman enveloped in mantle of dark color seated upon joint stool near the dying embers of a fire. Her elbows were placed upon a mean table, and she leaned her head upon her two hands, which were white as ivory. At this moment one of the horses neighed. Milady raised her head, saw the pale face of Athos close to the window and screamed with terror. Athos, perceiving that she knew him, pushed the window with his knee and hand It yielded; the frame and glass were broken to pieces. And Athos, like the specter of vengeance, sprang into the room.
 Milady rushed to the door and open ed it; but, stin more pale and menac- ing than Athos, D'Artagnan stood on 5 the sill
 DArtagnan, believing sne might have means of flight and fearing she should escape, drew pistol from his belt, but .Athos raised his hand
 'sPut back that weapon, D'Artagnan,' 7 said he This woman must be judged, not assassinated. Come in, gentlemen. :"
 Behind D'Artagnan entered Porthos, Aramis, Lord de Winter and the man in the red cloak. The four lackeys guarded the door and the window.
 What do you want?'' screamed milady.
 "We want" said Athos, Charlotte Backson, who first was called Countess de la Fere and afterward Lady de Win ter, Baroness de Sheffield.
 That is I, that is IF murmured mi lady in extreme terror. ssWhat do you want with me?''
 "We want to judge you according to your crimes" said Athos. You shall be free to defend yourself. Justify yourself if you can M. D'Artagnan, it is for you to accuse her frst.'
 Before God and before men," said D'Artagnan, "I accuse this woman of having poisoned Constance Bonacieux.'' 7
 eve bear witness to this" said Por- thos and Aramis.
 DArtagnan continued:
 Before God and before men ac- cuse this woman of having attempted to poison me in wine which she sent me from yilleroi, with forged letter, as if that wine came from my friends God preserved me, but man named Brisemont died in my place"
 "We bear witness to this,'' said Por- thos and Aramis
 Before God and before men I ac- cuse this woman of having urged me to murder the Baron de Wardes and of having employed assassins to shoot me, from whom was again preserved by Gods providence; but, as none can bear witness to these facts, attest them myself. have done"
 Tt is your turn, milord," said Athos. The baron came forward.
 . Before God and before men," said he, "I accuse this woman of having been the means of the assassination of the Duke of Buckingham. That is not all. My brother, who made you his heir, died in three hours of a strange disorder, which left vivid traces behind it all over the body. Assassin of Buckingham, assassin of Felton, assassin of my brother, I de- mand justice upon you, and swear that if it be not granted to me will execute it myselfv'
 Milady let her head sink between her two hands and endeavored to re call her ideas, which whirled about in mortal vertigo.
 "It is my turn," said Athos. q married that woman when she was a young girl I married her in opposi- tion to the wishes of all my family. I gave her my wealth, gave her my name, and one day discovered that this woman was branded. This wo- man was marked with a feur-de-lis on her left shoulder"
 'Oh,' said milady, 'I defy you to fnd any tribunal which pronounced such an infamous sentence against me! 1sdefy you to find him who exc. cuted it!''
 "SiIencep' cried hollow voice. sTt Is for me to reply to that!'' And the man in the red cloak came forward.
 All eyes were turned toward this man, for to all except Athos he was unknown. And even Athos looked at him with as much stupefaction as the rest
 ''The executioner of Lille! The ex. ecutioner of Liller' cried milady, a prey to wild terror. "Oh, pardon, pardonr' cried the miserable woman falling on her knees.
 All eyes were fixed upon the un. known, who said:
 tThat woman was formerly a young maiden as beautiful as she is now She was nun In the convent of the Benedlctines of Templemar. A young priest. of a simple and trustfuI heart performed the duties of the church of that convent She undertook his SC duction and succeeded. She prevailed