6 "THE; jp tl [COPYRIGHT, 1897. »Y LONGMANS. GREEN & Co.] CHAPTER I. THE JUSTICE OF M. DE RONE. "Millc diables! Lost again! The devil runs in those dice!" and de Gom eron, with an impatient sweep of his hand, scattered the little spotted cubes onto the floor of the deserted and half ruined hut, wherein we were beguil ing the weariness of our picket duty before La Fere, with a shake of our el bows, and a few flagons of wine, cap tured from Monsieur the King of Na varre, as we, in our folly, called him still. I knew little of de Gomeron, except that he was of the Camargue, and had followed the fortunes of d'Aumale from Arques to Ivry, from Ivry to the Exile in the Low Countries, and that he held a commission from the duke as cap tain in his guards. 01' our personal re lations it is enough to say that we hated each other, anil would have crossed swords ere now but for the iron discipline maintained by de Hone —a discipline the bouquet of which I had already scented, having escaped by the skin of my teeth after an affair with de Gonnor, who trod on my toe at i the general's levee, and was run j through the ribs at sunrise the next morning. Up to the time this occurred I had been attached to de liojie's staff, but after the accident to de Gonnor was banished to the outposts, thinking my self lucky to escape with that. At any rate, the outpost was under j my command. Imagine, therefore, my j disgust when I found that de Gomeron had been detached to examine into and [ report upon my charge. lie did this moreover in so offensive a manner that I could barely restrain myself from pa rading him on the stretch of turf be hind the thorn hedge that fenced in the inclosure to the hovel. Our feelings towards each other be ing as they were, it would seem odd tliut we should have diced and drunk together; but the situation was one of armed peace; and, besides, time had to be killed, ns for the past week M. de Ilctlielois, formerly as lively as a cricket, had kept himself close as a nun of f'ort Royal behind the walls of La Fere, and affairs were ineffably dull. I was certain, however, that we should soon break into open quarrel, and on this night I felt a mad anger against the man as he sat staring at nie, and it was ail I could do to restrain myself from flinging the lees of the wine in my glass in his face and abiding the result. It was at this moment that we heard the quick challenge of the sentry out side,. the password as sharply answered, anc the tramp of feet. '1 he same idea flashed through both our minds —it must be the general, and do Gomeron gave expression to the thought. 'Corbleu! de Hone perhaps —the old bat on the wing." There followed a shuffling of feet, and before a man could count two, Nicholas, the sergeant of our picket, with a file of men entered the hut, thrusting a couple of prisoners, a man and a wom an before them. "Two birds from La Fere, my cap tain," and Nicholas with a salute to de Gomeron pointed to his prize. "We took them," he ran on, "at the ford near the lied mill, and but for the moon they would have gone free; spies no doubt.. The old one is M. le Mouchard, I swear. There is fox in every line of his face; and as for madame there —so the old gentleman calls her —in time 1 warrant she will learn to love the camp of the Holy league," and the sergeant pushed the lantern so that it shown full on the lady's face. A curious light came into de Gomeron's eyes as he looked at. her, and she shrank back at the sergeant's words and action, whilst the old man strained at the cords that bound his wrists till the lines of the blue veins stood out on his forehead. Madame was unbound; but her hood had fallen back, loosening in its fall a mass of chestnut hair, and from this framework her eyes glanced from one to another of us, half in fear and half in anger. "Messieurs!" There was a tremble in the sweet voice, and there was light enough to see her color come and go. "Messieurs! We are no spies. It is true we are from l.a Fere, but all that we did was to try and escape thence—" "To the camp of the Ceamais—eh, mndaine?" interrupted de Gomeron. "To the caaip of the king of France," she flashed back at him, a red spot rising on each cheek. "Messieurs!" she went on, "you are gentlemen, are you not? You will li t lis go. Surely the Iloly league wars not with women and old men ?" The mention of the league stirred her companion anil he gave tongue. "The Holy league!" he exclaimed with a savage scorn. "Madame, though we stand delivered unto these sons of Belial, I must speak, for my heart is full. Yea! Shall my lips be sealed be fore the enemies of the Lord! The Holy league! Ha! ha! There is no Holy league. It died at Ivry." llere de Gomeron cut in with liis quick, stern voice: "lie silent, sir! or else a gag will stop your tongue," and then with a bow, "Madame, it goes to mv heart to detain you; lint war is war, and we have opt!'ji. Will you not be seated? All that this poor hut affords is yours," and , he bent low again, perhaps to hide the ; expression in his eyes. She made no effort to take the chair j he offered, but burst out passionately: ; "Monsieur, 1 see you command here, ; and it is to you to whom I must appeal. Monsieur, I give you my word of honor we are no spies. The rules of war allow the ransom of prisoners, and anything you name will be paid. Monsieur, I pray : you let us go." As she finished her appeal madame | turned towards the captain with a ges ture of entreaty: but in this movement she saw that in his voice and manner which paled her cheeks to marble, and she made a half-irresolute step towards her companion as if for protection. De Gomeron observed this, and laughed under his heavy black mustache. "Madame, but there are some things which have no price! And there is no ransom you could name which would tempt Adam de Gomeron to part with his prisoners—with one of them at any rate. You are no spy, I know; such eyes as yours were never made to count the strength of battalions. As for your j friend there, we have means to make | him tell about himself to-mo 1 w; and you must not bruise your tender feet by walking through the night to the camp of monsieur—the king of France. In a day or so, perhaps," he went on with a horrible smile, "but not to-night. [ Come!" and lie stepped up to her. 1 "Come, taste the d'Arbois —it is from your friends —and learn to love the poor ! soldiers of the Iloly league." I Saying this he attempted to pass his | ] arm round her waist, but, slipping from j his grasp, and licr cheeks aflame, j madame struck him across the face ' with the back of her hand. The ret was done in a flash, and de j Gomeron reeled back with bleeding i lips. It was in nie to follow up my ; blow by passing my sword through the man, so mad was I in my fury; but luckily for him Nicholas hung on my arm and saved the villain's life. He righted himself at once, and passing his hand across his mouth, spoke to me quite coolly and collectedly, but witii livid features: "We finish this outside, sir; follow ine," and picking up his rapier, which lay on the table, where he had thrown it on the entrance of the prisoners, de Gomeron stepped out of the door. In the excitement of the moment the men poured after him, and I was the last to follow. It came to me like lightning that the prisoners were unguarded, and slipping my dagger from its sheath, as j I went out, I thrust its haft into madame's hand, and I saw that she un derstood from the thanks in her eyes. It was but a stone throw to the stretch of green, which extended as level as a tennis court for a hundred paces or so, and then sloped gently downward towards the junction of the Serre and the Oise. Beyond rose the walls of La Fere, whose gray outlines, lit up here and there by the flare of a lamp or (ire, were clearly visible in the : bright moonlight. So clear was this j light, that 1 could distinctly make out j the blue flowers of the patch of borage, beyond which de Gomeron was await- 1 ing me. When I came up I found him standing with his back to the moon, lie had thrown off his doublet and was in his shirt sleeves, which were rolled up to his elbows, and Nicholas and the men stood a little on one side, utterly forgetful of the prisoners, and eager as bloodhounds to witness the coming fight. It took but half a minute to make myself ready, and borrowing a poniard from Nicholas to help me to parry, I took my position. Then there was an angry little clash and our blades met, looking for all the world like two j thin streaks of fire in the moonlight. | We were both sober enough now, be- I sides being in deadly earnest, and de I Gomeron began to change tactics and l attack in hm turn. At this point aclotid , obscured the moonlight, and my op- 1 ponent, springing back, called out»: j "Hold! hold till the cloud passes! We cannot see." 1 "Hut I can, messieurs," answered n | deep voice to our right. "What means | this fool's work?" and a tall figure, the white line of a drawn sword shining in its hand, stepped between us, coming, as it were, from nowhere. The cloud ' passed, and the moon was again bril liant and clear. The light fell on the commanding form before us. showing i the high aquiline features and grizzled hair of de Hone himself. "So this is Ifow my outposts are ' kept?" he said. "M.de Gomeron, you are the senior officer here and I await ' your explanation." "I command the guards of the Due I d'Aumale," began de Gomeron, sullen ly, but de Hone interrupted him in the ' same deep measured voice. "I know that. Your explanation, or," I and in fierce anger, "by God! you will i hang like a common thief by sunrise." 112 "A gentleman must defend his honor. i Orders or no orders, general, there are - times when one must fight. There was a matter in connection with some pris oners, and I was struck by M. d'Auriae. I have nothing further to say." l "Now, M. d'Auriae, what have you to if say ?" I '"The prisoners will, pert:ape ♦ •plain i to your excellency why I struck this > man." 1 "Take me to them." CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER i, 1898 We gathered tip our belongings, and, hastily dressing 1 , led the way back to the hut. My reflections were none of the most cheerful. We nil knew de Rone, and knew that, his mind once made up, nothing could turn him. De Gomeron had some chance of escape, as 1 was the op«*n aggressor. But we had no great time for thought, as a few steps brought us to the door of the hut. Another step took us in, and de lione, with a curling lip, cast a glance around the room. "I do not see the prisoners," said de Rone, quietly. It was not likely, I thought to my self. They were gone—not a doubt of j that. On the floor, near my feet, were some cut cords, and, lying on them, a knot of black and white ribbon, that had fallen there as if by chance, I had seen it last at the shoulder of madame's 1 dress, and something told me it was not ■ there by accident. There was, at any ! rate, no hojie for me from the prisoners, ! but a sudden impulse I could not under : stand urged me to get the knot of rib bon, so, stooping low, I picked up the bow and the cut cords, and, with a careless movement, flung the latter on the table, saying quietly: "They have ; escaped, your excellency." ' "And with them your explanation, M. d'Auriae, eh? Corbleu! Rut the eamp marshal will have hia hands full to morrow;" and Nicholas* halberd all but fell from his hands as the general's eye rested on him. De Rons went on:"M. de Gomeron, you have given me a rea son for your conduct that will hold good this onee. Further orders will reach you at dayfght about your neg lect of your prisoners. As for you," and he turned on me with the sharp command, "Follow me. You —knaves! fetch me my horse —he is tethered to the clump of elms to the rig'nt there." Two men vanished from the door to do his bidding, and I took the oppor tunity to secrete the knot of ribbon. In a minute or so we heard the sound of horses' hoofs, and as we went out, I saw there were two beasts at the door, and, from the whinny of welcome that came to me, that one was mine, and Nicholas was at his head. | As I sprang into the saddle the good fellow leaned forward and whispered: "Make a dash for it, chevalier, and i change the flag." I shook my head and followed de j Rone, who had already moved a few i paces onwards. And jet, a?, I rode on, Nicholas' ,words came Iwiek to me with an insistent force. "Gallop!" De Hone's sharp command broke the thread of my thoughts, and ended all chance of escape. We set spurs to our horses and splashed through the ford of the Oise, a half mile from the out post. On the other bank a picket chal i longed, and. giving them the word, we rode in the direction of camp. A few MADAME STRUCK HIM ACROSS THE FACE. j strides more and we reined in at the ! door of the general's tent. The guard ! presented arms and I received a brief | order to dismount and follow de Rone. I entered the tent, and stood patient ly whilst he walked backwards and for wards for a little time. Suddenly lie stopped and, facing me, said: "Well, M. d'Auriae?" "It could not be helped, your excel lency," I stammered. "You said that of De Gonnor, and promised it should never occur again—" "But there were circumstamces —" "Pshaw!" he exclaimed, "I ffucss them all —wine —dice —women. One of I the prisoners was a woman. I saw you j pick up that knot of ribbon. There is no excuse. None." "I had the honor to be the first man j behind your excellency at the storm of | Laon," I said, with a happy recollec ' tion. "And saved, my life, you were going |to say," he cut in.l bowejl, and de j Rone began again to pace up and down, tugging at his short-pointed beard. "See here, I will pay my debt; but i first ask if I have your parole not to | attempt escape. If you do not give it—" | and he laid his hand on a call-bell, with j an inquiring look towards me. "I will not attempt escape." "Then you will not have to complain ! of the justice of de Rone. To-morrow ! some things will happen, and amongst I them will be the lamented death <*f the ) Sieur d'Auriae. This much I will tell you. To-morrow the king and I meet ' oneo more—and you must die on the j field. Win or lose, if I catch you alive nt the close of the day, I will hang you 1 as high as Ilaman; and now go." My first thought 011 leaving de Rone j was to make my way direct to the quar ters of the staff, where I felt .sure of . iv«lcome and accommodation for the i rest of the night. As I came near to them I saw a light streaming from the partly open door of the largest tent, and from within burst a chorus of voices singing an old chanson of j Guienne. I The last line was repeated amidst peals of laughter, followed by the crashing of glass. It was enough for me. I was in no mood for any further 1 folly, or any more d'Arbois. and re solved 4 o make the best of it in the open, as t.t this hour it was worse than use- less to attempt to find my lackey Jacques, whom I had left behind in the camp with my belongings when I went onto the outposts. Tethering my horse to a stump, I removed the saddle, which I made shift to use as a cushion, and, leaning my back against it, was soon as comfortable as circumstances would permit. My sleep could not have lasted much more than on hour; but so pro found was it that ages seemed to have passed when I awoke with a start, and the consciousness of movement around me. The moon was on the wane; but I saw that the camp was astir, and that the men were being mustered as silent ly as possible. "So things are nbout to happen," 1 raid to myself, recalling de Rone's words, and, hastily my horse sprang on his back, and moved towards the general's tent. All around me was the muffled tramp of feet, the jingle of tfhajn bits and steel scabbards, the plunging of impatient horses, and a subdued hum of voices, above which rose now and again a hoarse word of command, as regiment after regiment wheeled into position on the level stretch before us. [TO BE CONTINUED.] ESSAY ON CHILDHOOD. Iluefiil Ileinlnifieencea of That lleat lftc Period Wliieli AH of I'h Have Known, The following essay on childhood was recently read at the Turniptown Lit erary society bv Mr. Randolph Hogg, one of the society's star members: "Childhood is a good thing. It is something all of us have had more or less experience with. If is a pretty diffi cult matter to get along in the world without being a child nt some period in our careers. Childhood is the flush bud ding of life'si young spring. It is the season of fairy dreams and golden am bitions, and cramp, colic and seed ticks. And, as we grow old, as the ghostly shadows of the great afternoon steal athwart our pathways, we love to sit down and recount the joys of the van ished past. We love to recall the ex hilarating thrill which filled our breast when we stuck our thumb in our mouth and looked in at the dining-room door just in time to see the fat chicken leg we longed for vanish down the throat of the local preacher, llow cold and desolate the world looked! llow we longed to hear a motion to adjourn! llliiK h Skeptic. Young Mokeby (sullenly) —I wants ma' fo' dollahs back, dat 1 paid for dis chawm, Unc' Johnsiug; none ob ma' dreams come true. Unc' Johnsing (the conjure man) — I)oan' you remember de dreams dat you fo'git; de dreams you know you dream but can't recall? "Why, yas! Many tames I know I hab had dreams, but in de mawnin' I can't rec'lcc' dem!" "Dem's de witch dreams! Dcm's de ones dat come true!"— Puck. MannKiiiK Tramps. Mistress —Did anyone call whilel was out ? Servant —No one, ma'am, exoeptdn' a tramp. He wanted srtmethin' to ea>! ■, but 1 toid him there was notlnin' ready, air he'd have to wait till the leddy of the house got back from the cooking school, an' mebbe she'd make him something. Mistress —Of all things! Did he wait? Servant —No, ma'am. He runned. — N. Y. Weekly. A Typical Juror. An old German, being drawn to serve on a coroner's jury, sat stupidly and stolidly listening to the evidence for an hour or so. Then he became weary in his attention. Suddenly he fixed his eyes 011 the corpse, advanced to it, and raised the corner of the sheet. "Mein Gott, slientlemens!" he exclaimed, starting back in surprise and fright, "dot man ish dead!"— San Francisco Argonaut. Queenx of Europe. There have never been more than three contemporary European queens; in fact, tbe number who have occupied the throne in medieval and modern times is comparatively small. England heads the list with live. Russia car boast of four, but the total comes to considerably under 30 altogether. Tin- TallcKt Obelisk. A single st'Mie 115 feet long, ten feet square at one end and four feet square at the other, has been successfully cu' from the sandstone quarries at Hough ton Point, Wis. It is supposed to be th. longest monolith eva 1 quarried. Youth's Companion. POOR ISLAND QUEEN. A Victim to the Superstition of Her Dusky Subjects. Danshter of un Kiirllhli C««lnn«) la Forced to lleeouie the Uuler of the Mult Inland*, and Meets a Tr«Kic End. Capt. Luttrell, of the schooner Ocean Spray, just arrived at San Francisco from a voyage to the South seas, brings a strange story from the Muna islands. Somewhere near IJO years ago a trading schooner hailing from Australia was driven out of her course by one of those tremendous storms which occasionally made a misnomer out of the name Pa cific ocean. When the hurricane was at its height the schooner, in the middle of the night, struck t he coral reef which surrounds the largest of the Muna is lands. The vessel was dashed to pieces and all on board perished except Wil liam Young, one of the sailors.. He was found next morning lying on the beach, half naked and wholly unconscious. At that time Muna islands were hardly known to civilization and the simple in habitants concluded that the white youth so suddenly thrown in their midst was a god. He was tenderly cared for and soon became enamored of the lazy life. He was a bright lad and in a few months had mastered enough of the island language to stand him in good stead. A young sister of the king de cided that he would suit her as a hus band. and the sailor was nothing loth, and soon the marriage of the dusky princess and the white god was cele brated with all the pomp incident to royal weddings in the Muna islands In the course of time a daughter was born to the distinguished pair. The father named her Margaret, after his own mother in far-away England. From little trading sloops manned by Sa moans, who on rare occasions visited the islands. Young obtained a couple of books and some papers, and with the aid of these taught his daughter to read. She grew up to be a handsome girl and her father sent her to school in Samoa, where she remained for sev- POOR QUEEN MARGARET. (A Victim to the Superstition of Her Ig norant Subjects ) eral years. While there she fell in love with a Samoan chief, who urged her to marry him, but being a dutiful daugh ter she refused to do so before acquaint ing her father. The next vessel carried h"r to th« Muna islands. Almost immediately t'pon her arrival the king was taker seriously ill and Margaret sought fot an opportunity to leave the islands she being the heir to the throne. Onct seated thereon, she would be kept in seclusion, and would not even be al lowed to look at a man, much less marry him. She was unable to get away, and when the king died she was declared queen of the islanders. So rigid wai the seclusion to which she was con deinned that even her own father was rot allowed to see her. the islanders Ik lieving that their queen should be ab solutely free from male influence in ruling her people. The horror of hia daughter's situation so wrought on Young that he sickened and died. Mar garet was carried to his grave in the great funeral procession, tbe convey ance being a bamboo box carefully cov ered with leaves all around, and with only part of the roof open. Shortly after this Oucen Margaret was herself taken ill, and about that time Capt. Luttrell arrived at the island with the Ocean Spray, his wife being with him. The islanders had become alarmed at the condition of theil queen, and besought the captain's as sistance. Mrs. Luttrell prepared some simple remedies, which they gave to the islanders, but the latter were afraid of the white man's remedies, and did not carry out the captain's instruc tions. Instead, they built an enor mous semicircle of brushwood, in the center of whb 1 ' they placed the bntu boo cage, with the queen inside. Then they set fire to the brushwood, their idea being that the god of heat would drive out the evil cold spirit. 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