Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1917-02-22

FeytON comprising LII D0SSee, Dc
hune. Armentieres and the little
River Lys, all on the tao war-torn
roads to Lille. Seventy-two gears
ago Alexandra Dumas made these
places famous as the final dramatic
scene of his immortal novel. "The
Three Musketeers."
A vast storm of rain and wind swept
the fiat country when D'Artagnan and
his friends, Athos, Porthos and Ara
mis-, the three musketeers Of Louis
XIII. rode out Of the town of Bethune,
to hold their reckoning with the wom-
IN known as Milady, the famous spy
and tool of the kings uncomfortably
powerful minister, Cardinal Richelieu.
Two other horsemen accompanied
them. One was an Englishman, Lord
de Winter, just arrived in France ex-
pressly to aid them. The other was
man known only to Athos, who had
added him to the party without intro
ducing him. Immensely tall, this man,
who was wrapped in q great red cloak,
wore a tight mask and accompanied
them in utter silence.
The powerful horses splashed
through mud and streams. Their riders
urged them headlong, although it was
SO black that the road could be
glimpsed only by momentary illumina-
tons from lightning.
With the wind tearing through their
plumes, they passed through Festubert.
They skirted the wood Of Richebourg.
At Herlier they turned to the left and
north of Armentieres.
In the outskirts of Armentieres they
drew rein. One of their men, q sentinel,
advanced from the shelter of tree.
Dismounting, they followed him to a
little, lonely house on the bank Of the
River Lys. within hundred yards of
a small ferry.
The musketeers ran ut the house and
broke in. A woman, most beautiful
richly apparelled, faced them with star.
ing eyes.
1--WE want" said Athos in terrible
voice, charlotte Backson, who once
was called Comtesse de la Fere and
afterward Milady de Winter, baroness
Of Sheffield. D'Artagnan, it is for you
to accuse her first"
Before God and before man." said
D'Artagnan fiercely, II accuse this
woman Of having poisoned the girl
loved, Constance Bonacieux.'
eve bear witness to this" said
Porthos and Aramis.
Lord de Winter advanced. Before
God and man, I accuse this woman OF
having caused the assassination Of the
duke Of Buckingham at behest OF
Cardinal Richelieu. That is not all
My brother, who made this woman his
heir, died in three hours. Assassin OF
Buckingham, assassin of my brother
I demand justice upon you!"
my turn!" cried Athos, his great
frame trembling. II, who truly an
Count de Ia Fere, married this woman
when she was young girl. I gave hel
my wealth. gave her my name. Ant
I discovered that she was branded
marked with the f1eur-de-lis, the hang
mans brand for thieves"
With wild, futile effort, the woman
lifted her head and defied Athos t.
name the tribunal that had delivered
such sentence.
The man in the red cloak advanced
without a sound. Slowly he took of
his mask. The woman's countenanc,
became livid. Her hair seemed to ris,
above her face like something dread
fully alive.
"Helpl Help!" she screamed. Sh,
tore at the wall as If she would scratch
O hole through it for escape. 9Th,
executioner of Lille!" came from he
suffocating throat. 1.-THE executionel
Of Lille!"
"What is the penaky you demand
against this woman?" demanded Atho
with hollow voice.
"The punishment of death II" reptile,
the others.
Milady dragged herself toward then
on her knees. Without a word, tn,
swordsmen's lackeys seized her an,
bore her from the house, followe,
closely by the executioner.
It was midnight. The storm hat
passed. The houses Of Armentieres an,
the skeleton Of its high belfry stoo,
black against a slowly rising moon
Low, stunted trees stood along tn
Lys, like deformed, squatting dwarf
watching the sinister scene.
The executioner bound the woman
hands and feet and carried her to
small boat. Athos handed him a sun
Of silver. Here" he said, "is the pric
Of the execution, that it may be plail
we act as Judges"
ut is correct" answered the execu
toner. He threw the money into tn
river.