without a word signed to some of those about him. Three soldiers sprang toward the smith, who faced them fearlessly, and lifted his hammer.
"I have done no wrong. No man shall touch me," he said threateningly.
"Down with the rebel dog," cried the Duke; and at the words the soldiers, who had hesitated, rushed upon the smith. Two went down with broken heads from blows of the terrible hammer; but the third got his halberd in, and as the man lay on the ground some others dashed forward and one of them thrust home to his heart.
"So perish all rebels," cried the Governor, in a ringing tone to the crowd; and at the threat and the sight of the smith's blood the people shrank together and cowered.
The Duke smiled coldly on the crowd, and without another word signed for the procession to reform and march on, the people shrinking and cowering in silence from the troops as they passed.
Gerard's hot blood had fired at the scene, and he stood looking after the Governor with a heart hot with indignant anger at the foul injustice he had witnessed.
His two followers in monkish garb crossed to him and as the three whispered together, they were startled by the sound of a woman's wailing. It was the dead man's wife. She had heard the news and came rushing upon the scene in wild disordered distress, carrying her babe in her arms.
As she was nearing the body, a girl attended by a page, whose attire evidenced his mistress' high station, met her and with tender solicitude offered such consolation as was possible.
Gerard's gaze, attracted by the girl's beauty, followed the couple as together they approached the body, which
