The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-12-25


my friend!" The man with the bur.
den spoke bruskly. Good night"
Stay; why such haste? You seem
not bad 'ellow. Set the wench down.
Wen have sight of her, and. perhaps,
with coarse expletives, "if she's q
pretty face, and a taste for this fiery
liquor the old monks laid down, well
find a gewgaw or two to her hkingi"
But the man made no answer; was
| about to pass on. when the speaker
noticed for the first time the woman's
hand. white and small, hanging Imply
What's this! More jewels?" His ex-
clamation was caught up by the 9TH
ers. mot so fast, comrade! This
puts a different face to the matter.
Set down the booty, and" springing
to his feet, we'll see what it's worth. "
'I'll not stop!" The man looked at
him steadily. "On the Mount Is, or
should be, plenty for all! Go seek
for yourself!"
"Pardi!" softly. Here's one dares
speak his mind!
Il speak plainly" in a tone Of Au-
thority, "and you would do well to
heed!"
Perhaps" interposing What say
you. comrades?"
Evil smiles illumined evil faces:
they, who had just been on the point
Of blows among themselves, now W.
garded one another with common uil-
derstanding. One weighed tentatively
that delicate weapon, a spontoon; q
second stroked his halberd, as liking
to feel the smoothness Of the shaft,
while u third reached for cleaning
"Folard's Partizan." And in the glare
Of the fire every implement showed
sign 1t had been used that night. The
point Of the spontoon was as steel
crusted DER; the ak Of the halberd
might have come from a boucherie;
the blade Of the "Partizan" resembled
great leaf at autumn-time. This last
wavered perilously near the uncon
scious burden; had the man made Il
movement to resist, would have
struck; but the black eyes, only.
combated-held the blood-shot onee.
Though not for long; again the weap-
on seemed about to dart forth; the
man about to hurl himself and his bur
den desperately aside, when, from
above, came the sound Of hoarse
laughter and singing, and simultans-
ously a number of peasants, Bretons
by their dress. burst into view.
"Eh, cockatoo, what now!"
"Eh, cockatoo!" shrilly. Who would
you be killing?"
"A selfish fellow that refuses tC
share!" answered he Of the halberd,
as if little pleased at the interruption.
Refuses to share, does he?" she
repeated, and. staggering down.
peered forward; only to start back.
"The Black seigneur!"
THE Black Seigneur!"
Those who accompanied her--R
rough rabble from field and forest
gazed. not without surprise, or uncouth
admiration, at one whose name and
fame were we'll known on that north
ern coast; but these evidences of
rough approval were not shared by the
alien rogues. On my lady's finger the
gem sparkled; held their eyes like Il
lure. Black Seigneur, or not, they
muttered sullenly, what knew they Of
her he had with him; whose hand was
not that Of cinder-wench or scullery
maid? Let them look at her face!
She might be great lady-she might
be the Governors daughter herself!
THE Governors daughter!" All.
alike, caught at the word.
And If she were!" tiercely tine
Black Seigneur confronted them.
While, hesitating, they sought for a
reply, quickly he went on. Who had
better right to her? The Black
Seigneur! The Lady Elise! Harshly
he laughed. Was 1t not fair spoil? His
Excellency's enemy; his Exoellency'S 8
daughter. Did they think treasure
sweeter than revenge? Let them try
to rob him of it! AS for the ring ?
Contemptuously he took 1t from my
Iduy lulCH 1t dIhOuS
A few scrambled, others were still
for finishing the tragedy then. The
people versus the lords and their
spawn. Kill at once!" the injunc
tion had gone forth from Paris.
As he spoke, one Of the fercest put
out his hand; touched my lady. wher
the fingers OF the Black SeigneuI
gripped hard his throat; hurled hin
so violently back, he lay still. Com
panions sprang to his aid; certain O
the peasants interfered.
Let him alone!"
"He speaks fair!"
Bah! Tonight all are equal"
Your Black Seigneur is no bette
than others!"
"You lie!" In high tone the WON
an with the great lady's hat broke in
"At them, my chickens! Beat wei
these Paris rogues, who come only TO
the picking!"
"Yes; beat them well!"
But the runagRtes Of the great cit
were not Of a kind to submit lightly
curses and blows were exchanged
knives cleaned and swords flashed
Amid scene Of confusion, the caus
Of 1t stayed not to witness the ou
come; running down the sloping way
soon found himself on the sands; the
; keeping to the shadows, passed aroun
! the corner Of the wall.
81 (TO BE CoNTINUED.)