he three sons of Siadoux remained to be inflicted.
But the people, roused by the death of the ill-fated priest, rose
against this third execution with a resolution before which the local
government gave way. The cause of the young men was taken up by the
hot-blooded populace, as the cause of all fathers and all sons; their
filial piety was exalted to the skies; their youth was pleaded in their
behalf; their ignorance of the terrible responsibility which they had
confronted in forcing the secret from the priest was loudly alleged in
their favor. More than this, the authorities were actually warned that
the appearance of the prisoners on the scaffold would be the signal for
an organized revolt and rescue. Under this serious pressure, the
execution was deferred, and the prisoners were kept in confinement
until the popular ferment had subsided.

The delay not only saved their lives, it gave them back their liberty
as well. The infection of the popular sympathy had penetrated through
the prison doors. All three brothers were handsome, well-grown young
men. The gentlest of the three in disposition--Thomas Siadoux--aroused
the interest and won the affection of the head-jailer's daughter. Her
father was prevailed on at her intercession to relax a little in his
customary vigilance; and the rest was accomplished by the girl herself.
One morning, the population of Toulouse heard, with every testimony of
the most extravagant rejoicing, that the three brothers had escaped,
accompanied by the jailer's daughter. As a necessary legal formality,
they were pursued, but no extraordinary efforts were used to overtake
them; and they succeeded, accordingly, in crossing the nearest frontier.

Twenty days later, orders were received from the capital to execute
their sentence in effigy. They were then permitted to return to
France, on condition that they never again appeared in their native
place, or in any other part of the province of Languedoc. With this
reservation they were left free to live where they pleased, and to
repent the fatal act which had avenged them on the murderer of their
father at the cost of the priest's life.

Beyond this point the official documents do not enable us to follow
their career. All that is now known has been now told of the village
tragedy at Croix-Daurade.

THE BURIAL OF THE TITHE

By SAMUEL LOVER

With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover--_Shakespeare_

It was a fine morning