her ears torn out for the
gems which had decked them. Upon my left sat little Celia. But for
one lurid stripe of crimson across her girlish breast she might well
have been asleep, so lightly death had touched her. Behind them I saw
a tall, gaunt woman, wearing a man's helm and carrying a pike. She
directed the men. This was a woman's hellish work.

Ortez rose with studied politeness:

"Your wife and child, d'Artin; our charming family reunion would be
incomplete without them." And the woman laughed aloud.

My brain burned; something seemed to strain and give way. I lost all
sense of pain, all capacity to suffer. How long this lasted I know
not. When the revelry was at its height, when the wine had dulled
every human instinct of these rough "Soldiers of the Church," Ortez
raised his voice above the tumult; he knew his men were in the humor
for a diversion he was about to propose.

"Now comrades," he said, "for the crowning joy of this most blessed
day, now for our last sacred duty to Mother Church."

He came round the table and taking a cord from the hands of one of his
men he threw the noose over my head. With feet bound together, hands
free, I stood amongst them, this throng of butchers, each with the
white Cross of Christ in his cap, the white scarf of Guise upon his
arm, drunk and eager for blood.

"Henri Francois Placide d'Artin, what hast thou to say why we shall not
declare thy blood attainted, thy name dishonored, thy estate forfeited,
why we shall not hang thee for a Huguenot dog, traitor to King and
church? Speak."

All the defiance of my race burned fearless in my eyes; I felt my face
flush an instant at the shame of such a death, but replied as steadily
as might be:

"Not a word to you, thou infamous one, thou base-born coward, murderer
of the helpless; not to you!"

The cool, polite manner of Ortez fell from him like a mask. He seized
the cord with his own hand, jerking me prone upon the floor and
commenced to drag me from the hall. A dozen willing hands lent aid. I
clutched instinctively at everything which came in my way, being torn
from each hold by the ruthless villains at the rope.

Desperate, I grasped the leg of a trooper, but a savage kick in the
face wrenched him free, and down the stair they started for the open
court. At the end of the cord came tumbling, rolling, bumping down the
stone steps this almost senseless heap which was yet a man.

Arrived beside the well, wh