nsely cold, and that the night was closing; but
the whiteness of the snow that covered the vast plain, with the broad
red circle of the half-obscured moon that glimmered through the fast
falling flakes as it rose behind a distant spire, cast a dim light upon
the place where the Dutchmen halted. But deeming that insufficient, Van
Wandenberg ordered half a dozen torches to be lighted, for his troopers
always had such things with them, being useful by night for various
purposes; and hissing and sputtering in the falling snow flakes, their
lurid and fitful glare was thrown on the close array of the Dutch
dragoons, on their great cumbrous hats, on the steeple crowns of which,
I have said, the snow was gathering in cones, and the pale features of
the two prisoners, altogether imparting a wild, unearthly, and terrible
effect to the scene about to be enacted on that wide and desolate moor.

"By order of Van Wandenberg, three halberts were fixed into the frozen
earth, with their points bound together by a thong, after which the
dismounted trumpeters layed hands on one of the young Frenchmen, whom
they proceeded to strip of his coat and vest.

"Disarmed and surrounded, aware of the utter futility of resistance, the
unfortunate volunteer offered none, but gazed wistfully and imploringly
at me, and sure I am, that in my lowering brow and kindling eyes, he
must have seen the storm that was gathering in my heart.

"'Dieu vous benisse, Monsieur Officer," cried the Frenchman in a
mournful voice, while shuddering with cold and horror as he was stripped
to his shirt; 'save me from this foul disgrace, and my prayers--yea, my
life shall be for ever at your disposal.'

"'Good comrade,' said I, 'entreat me not, for here, I am powerless.'

"'Baron,' he exclaimed; 'I am a gentleman--a gentleman of old France,
and I dare thee to lay thy damnable scourge upon me.'

"'Ach Gott! dare--do you say dare? ve vill ze!' laughed Van Wandenberg,
as the prisoner was dragged forward and about to be forcibly trussed to
the halberts by the trumpeters, when animated to the very verge of
insanity, he suddenly freed himself, and rushing like a madman upon the
Baron, struck him from his horse by one blow of his clenched hand. The
horse snorted, the Dutch troopers opened their saucer eyes wider still,
as the great and corpulent mass fell heavily among the deepening snow,
and in an instant the foot of the Frenchmen was pressed upon his throat,
while he exclaim