The Argosy — page 242: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Caterina. 223 “Now,” whispered Truda, “ye see for yourselves; ye know how those pictures came to be painted.” “Ay,” said Van Rennen, “we see; and the enemy of souls 1s there, though ye see him not. ‘The sorceress deserves to die. What say e ? ) A murmur of assent ran along the row of peasants crowding the window of the summer-house. One clutched a bundle of straw; another brought sticks from the shrubberies; Stinsen drew ‘‘kindling”’ from his pocket and set fire to the pile heaped against. the wall; and Truda, a fierce joy in her eyes, fanned the flame with her apron. A smoke rose and penetrated the chinks and crevices of the summer- house, and Caterina began to cough. She stood upright, and looking away from Teresa, glanced at the window. Her ecstatic expression changed into one of fear. She thought herself alone with ‘Teresa, and behold, through the smoke she saw the angry faces of her enemies— Truda, who hated her—Van Kennen frowning at her—others whom she did not know, but who looked like foes. In vain she scanned the faces for a single friendly one. “Teresa, awake!” she cried wildly. A blow drove in the window, and a gust of smoke rushed through the opening, blinding and choking her; but she could not look away; she still saw dark, wicked faces enveloped in: clouds of smoke. Her senses reeled. Catching the rosary at her girdle, she tried to pray, for something told her that her peril was deadly. She called Teresa once more—no response. ‘The pale girl was in a happy dream. Caterina was strong: to die was not easy. She ran to the window to escape the stifling heat, panting for breath. The heat drove her back into the room. Her persecutors were gone—not a face was to -‘be:seen ; flames leaped up against the window in their stead. ‘‘ My Jacob, too late,’ she moaned, sinking down beside Teresa. _ At that moment there was loud uproar outside. The Mayor and their worships had arrived on the scene, and with them the outlandish sailors in white fox-skin robes and caps. There was shouting and scuffling, pursuit and flight; but the band from the. Haagstraat were taken captive, and securely bound and. guarded. Jacob and Jan did mot join in the struggle. They tore the burning sticks away, and dashed against the summer-house door with all their force. This was no.time for revenge. . The law was there to deal.with the assassins, and Caterina.and Teresa might perish if they did not bestir them- selves. “Stifled!” said Jacob, raising his wife in his strong arms and carrying her into the fresh air, followed by Jan with Teresa. “ No, thank God—wot stifled—she breathes—her eyes open. Teresa, too ” his good heart feeling for her companion, even at such a moment), > she also lives. .Thank God, thank God)!” “~ COnniclooolkKks (©) im