The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-03-17

tharae, Armentteres and the little
River Lys, all on the tUo war-torn
roads to Lille. Seventy-two gears
ego 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-
an known as Milady, the famous spy
and tool of the kings intentionally
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
a man known only to Athos, who had
added him to the party without intro
ducing him. Immensely tall, this man,
who was wrapped in great red cloak,
wore q tight mask and accompanied
them In utter silence.
The powerful horses splashed
through mud and streams. Their riders
urged them headlong, although it was
90 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, a sentinel,
advanced from the shelter of a tree.
Dismounting, they followed him to a
little, lonely house on the bank of the
River Lys, within hundred yards of
small ferry.
The musketeers ran at the house and
broke In. A woman, most beautiful,
richly apparelled, faced them with star
ing eyes.
"We want" said Athos in a terrible
was called Comtesse de la Fere and
afterward Milady de Winter, baroness
of Sheffield. D'Artagnan, 1t 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."
1--WE bear witness to this" said
Porthos and Aramis.
Lord de Winter advanced. Before
God and man, accuse this woman Of
having caused the assassination of the
duke Of Buckingham ut 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,
] demand justice upon you'll"
my turn!" cried Athos, his great
frame trembling. II, who truly am
Count de Ia Fere, married this woman
when she was young girl. gave hes
my wealth. gave her my name. And
j discovered that she was branded
marked with the feur-de-lis, the hang
mans brand fog thieves"
With wild. futile effort, the woman
lifted her head and defied Athos to
name the tribunal that had delivered
such sentence.
The man in the red cloak advanced
without sound. Slowly he took Off
his mask. The woman's countenance
became lvid. Her hair seemed to rise
above her face like something dread
fully alive.
'Help! Help!" she screamed. She
tore at the wall as IL she would scratch
a hole through 1t for escape. "The
executioner Of Lille!" came from her
suffocating throat. 'The executioner
Of Lille!"
'sWhat is the penalty you demand
against this womanw demanded Athos
with hollow voice.
1.-THE punishment Of death ~ replied
the others.
Milady dragged herself toward them
on her knees. Without a word, the
swordsmen's lackeys seized her and
bore her from the house, followed
closely by the executioner.
4 It was midnight. The storm had
passed. The houses Of Armentieres and
the skeleton Of its high belfry stood
black against q slowly rising moon.
Low, stunted trees stood along the
Lys, like deformed, squatting dwarfs |
watching the sinister scene.
The executioner bound the woman's
hands and feet and carried her TO a |
small boat. Athos handed him q sum
Of silver. "Here," he said, els the price |
Of the execution, TINT It may be plain |
we act as judges"
1T is correct" answered the execu- |
toner. He threw the money into the |
river.
The boat with its burden, passed to
the left shore of the Lys. The others
remained on the right bank, where
hey fell on their knees.
They saw the headsman and his vic
i'm gain the shore. Their figures stood
put an huge black shadows against
horizon tinted redly with the dying
gfnrm.