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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1903)
Flower o' the Corn A Romance of the Seventeenth Century Religious War E (Copyright, 1!X2. by 8. R. Crockett.) CHAPTKU XXXVII-CONTINUKD. T WAS Interesting to note the method of Tvette Foy's homwom Inn. Nothing of uncertainty, noth ing of fear marked her approach to her ancient dwel Inn place. At the advance posts aha had the password ready, sign and counter-sign Just aa C'atlnat had arranged them. She went Straight to the gatehouse. Tvette tapped tightly on the window. Which still remained lit on the ftrat atory. With one of the long dried reeda of which the rude garden fence wad constructed. All wbs done easily and naturally, ss If It had been an action of long custom. Hut there wns that within the house of old Kline that night which had some neod of secrecy. All, Indeed, was dark and grim to the outside view. But when once the door had been opened In resMnse to the word which Tvette spoke In a low tone, the girl found herself In a warming nest of young male humanity. "Is Jean Cavalier here?" she said softly as she entered. "Not yet." said the frowsy old woman, whose fondness for strong liquors per fumed the whole house, Tvette turned up her pretty nose at this, but did not answer, nor indeed take very much notice of her words. Bhe talked apart With this one and that of the young men, to whom she assumed the mode of speech of a Camlsard who had faced things and knew (what she was anxious that they also should acknowledge) that there was no hope for them or their country save in submitting to the king. At last there was a general stir. The oor opened, and a young man of a pale countenance came in leaning heavily upon staff. Tvette stood up to greet the leader, throwing back her hooded cloak suddenly. The lamplight shone upward on her clear lined, dark fuce, flushed with the long ex ercise In the chili air. tier lips were scar lot, and her hair mere filmy wisps of night. The young man's staff fell clattering to the floor. 'Tvette!" he cried, with a gasp, clutching With his hands at the empty air. And he would have fallen had not the girl held out her arms. As she laM him gently back on a wooden settle, over which a coverlet had hastily been flung, sho smiled to herself. "Good." she said. "This will make It aslor. He loves me still t" blouse had been partially torn away. "Shal! the father forget the child, even If he have prepared death and slaughters for her aye, and for those with whom she hath chosen to company?" said Martin Foy. "Of a surety it was my daughter and none other the cockatrice whom I have hatched, the scorpion that hath nested In my tx som!" "And where Is she now?" said Catlnat, who with his shepherd's cloak over his arm, stood back In the gloom of 'the great bowlder behind which the two had con cealed themselves. The father of Tvette Foy pointed with his band to the gatehouse. "There," he said, "there Is she who has meeting In the old hall of the Templars, when he explained his action, "the folk of the Way are purged from those that de vise Iniquity! Are ye content?" And albeit there were many sore of heart fathers and brothers among that assembly, they responded all with one voice. "We are with you Abdlas Mau ret with you to the death." CHAPTER XXXIX. The Spider's Last Web. "So far, good!" said Tvette to herself, as she warmed her toes at the not un welcome blase. For even in the front of spring the crackling of logs Is welcome In the valley of the Tarn after nlght- Immediately consent to be married to Colonel Cavalier." Flo wer-'o-t he-Corn paled to the lips and then slowly became scarlet again, as the tides of shame flooded back to her pa' cheek. "And tell roe why you propose this to me," she said, "I hardly know him. And how will that save the life of Maurice Ralth, or of my father, If, as you say, that be at stake?" For the fraction of a second Tvette hesl taled. It was Indeed not so easy a ques tion to answer, even though she had been preparing for It for some time. "Thus," said Tvette, looking at her straight in the face; "If we can persuade CHAPTKR XXXVIII. The Katay Oeareat of A vera as. "I am here," said Tvette, as soon as Cav alier had come to himself, "to take you to the king. The Interview is all arranged. Tou have, I see, your men about you. Any that are wanting I can help you to recruit from the sturdy fellows who are every day Socking In to the standard of the Marechnl de Montrevel. They will be delighted to Serve under so famous a leader." The young man did not seem able to re move his eyes from her face. He had thought that the spell was broken, but he was now fatally to discover his mistake. As In a dream he listened to Tvette giving ber commands to the men who had cast in . their lot with him and declared their will ingness to follow him alone over the world. "And do you two," she spoke to two lads Who stood shyly together In a corner, "go and find a couple of horses for us to ride apon. It is necessary that I should be back before the day. I do not choose to return -with you and Cavalier here cannot, as you en can, find his way to Mlllau at wolf's trot! Haste you then. Bring the horses!" Aad though formerly she had been to them but Tvette Foy, the daughter of the fcnkeeper of La Cavallerle, such a vivid beauty and air of natural command, per baps also such, a fascination of the flesh aad the pride of life, disengaged themselves from her that the two young men saluted without a single other word spoken and vent out on their quest. Now, it seemed even to Cavalier that something had Indeed departed from him. The word was no longer with him. The power to speak and to be obeyed had fled. A woman had taken the life out of him, and only the outer shell remained of all that had been Jean Cavalier the man who, like F.noch, had walked with God and had been to his fetlowmen as a god. The horses went stumbling down the steep descent Into the valley of the Tarn. Whether the ease with which the exodus was effected was accidental or the con trary, may have some light thrown upon.lt by a conversation which took place behind certain rocks, advantageously placed so as to command the who'e of the approaches from the direction of Mlllau. Two men stood there, one wrapped In a Cauasenard cloak. His companion, whose long unkept gray locks fell over his eyes and streamed on his back, wore only the ordinary blouse and knitted trunks of the workman, shoeless and without headgear, his beard worn thin and straggling, th eyes piercing and restless almost to the point of madness. "Tou are sure that you saw her. Mar tin?" said the herdsman, laying has hand on the man's shoulder, from which the FRANCE8 SAT VP SUDDENL.T AND GAZED AT HIM. come amongFt us to flaunt the golden taches of her gorgeous npparel." "And there ore with her whom?" The face of Martin Foy took on an ex pression so bitter and wicked that even stout Catlnat was afraid. "The man Is certainly mad," he thought, "but then In the meantime he Is useful! "The young and the foolish," he an swered, "the sons of men that are highest In place among us. It la only that she who was my daughter may lead them down to the king's camp In Mlllau, as fools are led to the correction of the stocks!" Catlnat caught him by the wrist. "Why. then, did not you tell me before?" he said fiercely. "This roust be stopped and instantly. I will go rail out the guard. These treacherous persona shall see that there are still faithful m on true brothers of the Way, In Tua Ca Valerie!" The madman caught him by the thick tall of his sheepskin cloak as he turned hurriedly away. "Are all captains fools?" he said fiercely. "Have they no heads given to them save those of cabbages? Hath God bereft them all of wits In making of them prophets? Prophets, forsooth! Listen! How many, think you. of these young man are the sons of those whom you call true brethren of the Way? All I tell you, nil! And how many of these fathers would put the knife to the throat of the unfaithful first-born who are there assembled? I will tell you. One only! And his name? Why, Martin Foy! No, no let them , go down, down Into the camp or the king. I will go with them. They shall not eecaie me! There la no knife In the world so sharp aa that of Martin Foy!" So It was upon the advice and observ ance of a certain mad fellow, named Martin Foy, sometime landlord of the hostelry of the Hou Chretien In La Cavalerle. that the troop of discontented and disaffected among the Camlsard was permitted to tuke their way In safety down to the king's cttmp in Mlllau. "And so once more," auld Catlnat, at the tall. The marshal had put off the day of Man tlc?'s trial by court martial till the mes sage from Versailles "should be received. And when It came, lo! as he had antici pated, the purport was worse than at the lirst. So when Flower-o'-tbe-Corn came down one morning from her bedroom, pale and of eye uncheerful, having slept little, in the cluunber which they had chosen for a winter parlor, looking toward the south, and with the sunlight ever on the win dows, she came upon Tvette, as she had been sobbing her beart out over a great paper which lay spread out on the table before her. "It has come!" she said, without look'ng up. and continuing to sob. "What has come?" questioned Flower-o-tho-Corn, beginning to tremble a little and with a tight chill beginning to grip her heart. "This!" was the reply of Tvette. pushing the great written sheet across to her guest. Frances Wei I wood tried to read, but the words changed partners before her eyes. Again and again she caught the name of Maurice Ralth. once the wards "the afore said spy," and again, "after the customary question, the pain of death." She let the paper fall from her hand. "He is condemned to die?" said Flower-o'-the-Corn. She spoke almost coldly, be cause of the very beating of her heart. "No," said Tvette. "not yet but of a surety he will be. Nothing can save him nothing. My. husband even Is condrnr.ed to lose Ms place-It may be to lose his head." And so, looking st her enemy, recognlaed for the first time, end knowing her the stronger, Frances Wellwood said in a faint, even tone. "What would you have me do te save him? Tell me and I will do It!" "Well, then." said Tvette, "so far as I know (and my h unhand is with me In this), thrro Is but one thing that can save the life of the spy. Maurice Ralth. and It may be also that of your father that you h.ll the king that Camifards are dlvlch-d among themselves if we can send him three or four sturdy regiments with full ranks to fight his battles, with Colonel Jean Cavalier at the head of them; if that commander takes to court with him a young and lovely bride we shall be able to cause the king to forget his enmity to this Knglirb sol dier, who even his own people have dis owned." "Ah!" said Frances, steadily on the de fensive; "then the king will pardon Maurice) Ralth if I marry Jean Cavalier! Has his majesty so expressed himself? I cannot be) content allh the chance." "His majesty has not so expressed him arTf-that Is. exactly." said Tvette, meeting Flo wer-'o-t he-Corn's look squarely; "but a 3 the same It is so In effect. If you will marry the young chief of the Camlsard regiments it is clear that the many hun dreds who are now wavering will Join us at once. Tou are the daughter of their greatest preacher. Tour adhesion will help us enrmoualy. Also It will ssve the young n.sn's life. It will re-establish my husband's credit and" "In fact, you offer me the life of the man I love as ths price of my honor f" It is no dishonor to marry a good man. Ml.-tress Frances!" said Tvette, keenly. "As you should bent know!" .retorted Flower-'o-t he-Corn. As the Rlrl entered the room sue found herxelf suddenly face to face with Jean Cavalier. At the sound of her footsteps Tvitte had moved a little back till she stood in the shadow of a curtain, aad from thence she kept her great dark eyes fixedly upon Cavalier. At sight of Flower-o'-the-Com the young man moved forward almost automatically, though not without a certain dignity, raided her hands to his lips and kissed it with a quiet and betittlng reverence. Then he legan to Rreak In a slow, even slightly strained volce not at all like' his own. as Flowor-o'-the-Corn remembered it among the men at Ia Ca Valerie. "I have the honor to beg that tnade-