] 7777 STHR.
lines of barrels were lowerced like corn before the wind ;o the volley burst forth. The Light gleamed upon the limes of the Royalists; and some shots struck the women and children knecelimg at the foot of the altar. For an imstant wails of distress arose. Then the priest held up his crucitix, and all was silent agan.
The Republicans, stll advancing, hred (heir second discharge, and now neither ide had time to Toad 1t was a hand-to- hand light with bayvonets, and all advantage wis on the side of the well-armed ]\q)ul)lr cans.Uhe Rovalists gave way ;o entire ranls fell. The priest, perceiving l]ll\ made A sien. The torches were k\l]ll“tll\h((l and all was darkness. Then Iul]m\ el ccene of disorder and carnage, where cach man struck with blind fury, and died with out axking tor prty.
“Merey ! merey ! volce, suddenty, at about to strike.
kneit down ;o thiee
"eried a heartrending Marceau's feet, as e was [t was a voung bovowith- OUE Wedapons, U Save ey n the Heaven D he ered.
The general stooped and dragoed him some paces from the affray, but as he did
the vouth unted. \llt}l exeess ol ter- ror in a soldicr astonished Marceau ;3 but,
- ‘Ul\\'ilh\‘t'm(ling‘, he loosened his collar to
sive him air. s captive was a qirl! - There ws s not an instant to lose. The Convention's orders were mmperative ; all Royalists taken with or without weapons, whatever their age or sex, must perish apon the scaffold. He placed the young oirl at the foot of o tree, and ran towards the skirmish, Amongest the dead he per- ceived @ voung Republican ofhicer, whosce houre d])])ullul to him about the same as llnl ol l]l\ prisoner. rle ~tripped him quickly of his coat and hat, and retuwrned with them to the gl The the night had revived her,
“ Ay father D my father D7 were her first words, 1 have abandoned hime; he will he killed T
o tademorselle
Blanche !
suddenly
"hi“})k‘l'ul 4 voice behind the tree, *the siarquis de Beaulicu Tives; he 1s osaved.” he who had said these words disap- pearcd ke a shadow,
“Pinguy, Tingoyv D7 cried the eirl, ex- tending her arms towards the spot where he had stood.
“Silenee ! a o word will denounce vou,” sard Marceau @ and Towish to save vou.
’ut on this coat and hat and wait here” e returned to his soldiers, vave orders
1IN D
naine ol
Marquis de Beaulicu escaped.
freshness ol
M AGAZINT
for them to retive upon Chollet, left his companion in command, and came back to hiz prisoner. Finding her ready to follow him, he directed their steps to the road where his servant waited with horses. The yvoung girl sprang into the saddle with all the grace of a practised rider. Three- quarters of an hour after they galloped mto Chollet. Marceau, with his httle cscort, took his way to the Hotel Sans Culotte. 1le eng 'wul (WO Tooms, and con- ducted the young ol to one of them, advisine her, at the same time, to take Some after the fearful night she had cndured. \Whilst she slept, Marceau deter- mined on the course he would take to save hoer. e wounld take her himself to Nantes, whoere s mother hived, e had not seen her for three vears, and it would be natural cnough Tor him to ask permission for leave of absence. s dawn began to break he cntered General Westermann's house. His demand was accorded at once, but 1t was necessary that his permission should be stoned by Delmar, T'he General promised (o send hitwith thecertiticate, and Marceau ctirned o the hotel to snatch a few moments of reposc.,
Moarceau and Blanche were about to sit down to breakfast when Delmar appeared in the doorwav. He was one ol Robes- pierre’s avents, in whose hands the guillotime was more active than mtelhigent.
AL T he said to Marceau, vou wish (o leave us already, citizen, but vou have done this night’s work so well T ean refuse vou nothine. My only regret 15 that the [ had pro- scnd them his
1rest
mi=cd the Convention to
Blanche stood tatue ol terror, Lefore her.
CBut owe will follow his track. Hlere I5vour he added 5 vou can ~tart when vou choose. But T cannot quit vou without drinking to the health of the
crect and pale hike a Marceau placed himesclt
Republic.” And he sat down at the table by the side of Blanche.
They were beginning to feel more at case, when o discharee ol musketry burst
upon themr cars,
and rushed
stopped him. “AVhat noise
The General Teapt to his fect to his arms, but Delmar
i that 7" asked Marceau.
- Oh, nothing ! rephicd Delmare st
. ‘ . . " night's prisoners being shot.” Blanche
attered a oryv ol terror. Delmar turned
Jowly and looked at her