Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-07-27
CHAPTER X.
NIl[Al L Lio "a
THE VULTURE AND ITS PREY.

Just as the party had disappeared into
the house voice was heard on the road |
outside the gate trolling a merry air:
Ouvriers, dcpechons.
Gagnons bien notrc argent;
Depechons, travillons,
Gagnons bicn notrc argent,
and couple of strangers turned into the
courtyard of Les Bons Amis.
1t would not have been easy to find
more disreputable, not to say villainous
looking, pair than these new arrivals.
1t was not merely their wretchedly poor
appearance. their ragged, travel stained
garments, but there was that indefina-
BILE something about them by which the
practiced eye at once distinguishes one
of the criminal class from the mere men
dicant.
The first to enter was the singer He
lounged in with a sort of devil may care
swagger, The last words of his song still
on his lips, while at the same time he
cast rapid glance around, the search
ing, somewhat anxious glance of man
who needs to be always on his guard,
who looks TO find danger lurking in
every corner. the glance of man at
war with society.
He was a tall man, of thin yet muscu-
lar frame, about so years of age, his
dark hair thickly sprinkled with gray
and in parts almost white. His face
was partly hidden by black bandage
which covered one eye and added to the
already sinister expression of his features
as well as bringing into still greater
prominence the cadaverous color of the
skin.
His features were aquiline, and no
doubt he had been handsome in his youth
before dissipation and crime and hard.
ship had done their work, before his
mouth had hardened into those cruel
lines or his eyes had learned that ex-
preston of cool, relentless ferocity
which brought despair into the heart of
any poor wretch who might chance to
come between him and the object he had
in view. In fact, he was the very type
of a cool, remorseless, daring villain,
though at the present moment it suited
him to assume the air of light hearted
vagabond.
With all that there was certain sub
|
remnant of earlier associations. an easy
insolence of manner and an air of one
accustomed to command which had its
effect on the simple villageois among
whom he found himself and overawed
them in spite of his broken shoes and
torn coat. He was dressed in an old
brown coat buttoned Up tightly, round
his neck was twisted red cravat, he
wore reddish pantaloons and red
striped waistcoat, retains of pair of
riding boots, and carried on his head a
high crowned white Lat much dilapi-
dated He carried stick which he
twirled on his finger as he advanced into
the courtyard with an air of the greatest
insouciance, singing another couplet:
La tendre Annette,
Sen va seulette,
| ~ Sous la coudrette,
Chanter lie Robin des Bots.
His companion, who followed closely
behind him as he entered the COURTYARD,
was of quite a different type and even
less prepossessing. He was a mean,
scoundrelly looking little man, with
brown hair cropped short, and coarse,
!
We're not in any degree, however small,
the result of circumstances, but We're
the inevitable outcome Of his nature and
instincts. He was the consummate fruit
of hereditary degradation. 1t was nat
ural that he should walk behind his
stronger and more masterful companion,
whom he seemed to hold in considerable
awe, and it seemed natural, too. that he
should carry both their bundles as he
did. He Wore gray coat and an odd
looking pair of old Wellington boots.
The leader. as he seemed to be, hav-
ing taken seat at one of the tables un,
der the tilleuls with an air as if the
place belonged to him, his companion
followed his example with frightened
air.
Well" said the tall one, ''we are not
far from the frontier now. 1t won't take
us long to get over the Jura, and ther
messieurs les gendarmes may go wills
fle.'
Il wish we were over, Remond,
said the other my blood runs cold
,very time | see gendarme, and they
have Il way of looking at one that is moi
pleasant. I'm sure | don't know what
brought you up here. We might hav,
got much more quickly over the from
tier
I'VE might have got still more quickly
back to the Lyons prison if we had trie(
10 cross just where they were on thu
lookout forus. Bah! Bertrand, You ar,
only white livered fellow after ALL
"Oh, l don't pretend to have your as
surance. You march along as if you haC
nothing in the world to be afraid Of"
Cant you understand, You fool. tina
that assurance is our best safeguard?
wish you would cultivate it little, for
with your cursed cowardice, you'll &c
us into a hole one of these days. VIVA
Is there to be afraid of besides? Thu
, uanaage dlsgulses me completely, ant
! haven't we our passports quite en- regle!
+ Thanks TO my little accomplish
ments'
, "Just so. You're good for that muc
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