The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-07
LIE THERE, YOU INsoLENT RASCAL.

grooms, my only attendants: but on
coming near the house, and looking
about with a curious eye, 1 remarked
something which fixed my attention,
and, for the moment, brought me to
a halt. This was the spectacle of
three horses, OF fair quality. feeding
in field of growing corn, which was
the only enclosure near the inn. They
were trampling and spelling more
than they ate; and, supposing that
they had strayed into the place, and
the house showing no signs of life, [
babe my grooms fetch them out. The
sun was about setting and 1 stood a
moment watching the long shadows
of the men as they pIodded through
the corn, ana the attitudes of the
horses as, with heads raised, they
looked doubtfully at the newcomers.
Suddenly q man came round the
corner of the house, ard seeing us,
and what my men We're doing, began
to gesticulate violently, but without
sound. The groOms saw him too,
and stood; and he ran up to my stir
Iup, his face flushed and sullen.
DO you want to see US all ruined?"
he muttered And he begged me to
call my men out of the corn
You are more likely to be ruined
that way" I answered, looking down
at him why. man, is it the custom
y
the half-ripe corn
He shook his fist steathily God
forbidr' he said. But the devil is
within doors, and we must do his
bidding"
~AhF' replied. my curiosity
aroused, ''I should like to see him.
The boor shaded his eyes, and look
ed at me suIkily from under his mat
ted and tangled hair. You are not
his company he said with suspicion.
II hope not" l answered. smiling at
his simplicity. But your corn is
your own l Will call the men out"
On which I made sign to them to
return. Now" 1 said, as walked
my horsa slowly towards the house,
while he tiampled along behind me,
''v'lo is Within
M. Gringuet." he said, with an
other stealthy gesture.
.4Ahr' 1 said, I am afraid that
am no wiser"
'"The-tax-gatherer.
"Ohi And those are his horses"
Still, 30 not see why they are in
the corn?'
II have no hay
But there is grass.
"Ah," the inn-keeper answered bit
ferlv. ''And he said that 1 might eat
81. It was not good enough for his
1
and Il I had none, so much the worse
for me-"
Full of Indignation. I made in my
mind a note of NJ. Gringuet's name:
but al that moment I said no more,
and we. proceeded to the house, the
exterior of which, though meagre, and
even miserable, gave me an impress
sion OF neatness. From the inside,
however. boarse, continuous foise
was issuing, which resolved itself as
we crossed the threshold into q mans
voice. The speaker was out of Aight.
sn an upper room to which a ladder
gave access, but his oaths, complaints,
and imprecations almost shook the
house. A middle-aged woman, scantily
dressed, w9s busy on the hearth, but
1,erhaps that which, next to the per-
pstual scolding that was going 81
above, most took my attention was a
great lump of salt that stood on the
table at the woanan's elbow, and
seemed to he evidence of greater
iuxury-for the gabeile had not at that
time been reduced-than I could
easily associate with the place.
The roaring and clustering continu-
ing upstairs. 7 stood moment in
sheer astonishment rs that NJ. Grin
guet?" I said at last.
The inE-keeper nodded sullenly,
while his wife stared at me. But
what is the matter with him?" I
7e. s.T;s:,e govt But for that he would
have been gone these two days to col |
lect at LIE Mesnii. !"
All" I answered, beginning 20 I'm
derstand. and the salt is for a bath |
is it2''
Well" ] said, as Maignan came in