The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-02-24

ccN~N%AAShf'J t'lAEEAs W d0 1ilSllllGhJ e1iSA
fore. to make sport of him, knowing
that the pretenders TO that art are to
the true men as ten to one. But his
words, and particularly the fact that
he had asked for nothing, had inn
pressed my followers differently, so
that they talked Of nothing else While
we ate, and could still be heard dis
cuSSing him in the saddle. The wild
ness Of the road and the gloomy as
pect OF the valley had doubtless some
effect on their minds. Which thunder
storm that shortly afterwards overlook
US and drenched us to the skin cid not
tend 10 tighten. I was glad to see
the roofs of Saury before US: though,
on nearer approach, we found al the
houses except the inn ruined and ten
antless, and even that, scorched and
SCARED. with the great gale that had
once closed its courtyard PROSTATE in
the road before it.
However, in view of the country we
had come through, and the general ces-
0lation, we were thankful 10 find
things no worse. The village stood at
the entrance to a gorge with the Gre
uSe-here faSt-running stream-run-
ming at the back Of the inn. The lat
ter was Of good size, stoae-built and
tiled, and, at first, seemed to be empty,
| but the servants presently une2rthed
man and then boy. Fires were lit
and the horses stabbed; end a second
room with chimney being found. Para
bere and I. with Colet and my gentle
! men, took possession of it, leaving the
Kitchen to my following.
had had my boots removed, and
was drying my clothes and expecting
supper. when Boisrneil, who was be-
side me, uttered an exclamation of
anlazement
E'What is If? said.
He did not answer, and I followed
his eyes. a woman had just entered
I the room with a bundle of sticks She
had one eyeI
1 confess that. for an instant, this
staggered me; but a moments thought
reminded me that the astrologer had
come from this inn to us, and
smiled at the credulity which would
have built on coincidence that was
no coincidence. When the woman had
retired again. therefore 1 rallied Bois-
rueil on his timidity. but, though he
admitted the correctness of my reason
ing. l saw that he was not entirely
convinced. He started whenever
shutter tapped, or the draughts, which
searched the grim old building through
and through, threatened TO eXtinguish
/ our lights. He hung cloaks over the
WindoWs-to obviate the latter incon-
ventence, he Said-and was continually
going out and coming back with
gloomy looks. Parabere joined me in
ralying him, which we did without
mercy but when had occasion, after
a while, to pass through the outer
room. 1 found that he was not alone in
! his fears. The troopers sat modify
I listening, or muttering together, While
the cup passed round in silence. When
babe man go on an errand to the
! stable, four went; and when L dropped
| a word to the woman who was tend
I ing to her pot, a dozen heads were
/ stretched out to catch the answer.
! Such feeHng-to which, in this in
| stance, the murmur of the stream and
! the steady doWnDour of rain doubtless
! added something's so contagious that
/ 1 was not surprised to find Colet and
! La Font sinking under it. Only Para
| bere, in fact, rose quite superior to the
| notion, laughing at their fears. and
! drank to their better spirits; and, max
I ing the best of the situation, as be-
came an old soldier, presently engaged
me in tales of the war-fought again
/ the seige OF Laon, and buried men
! whose bodies had lain for ten years
under the oaks at Fontaine FRANCHISE.
Talk of this kind, which we still
maintained after we had despatched
| our suppers, was sufficiently engroSs-
ing to erase BoisrueiPs fancies entirely
| from my mind. They we're recalled by
| his sudden entrance, with Colet at his
elbow, the faces Of both full OF inn
/ portance. [ saw that they had some
thing to say, and asked what it was.
! I'VE have been examining the back
gate. NJ. le Marquis. Colet said.
Wei, MANI"
ut is barricaded and cannot be
opened,'' he answered.
"WeII," I said again, there is moth
ing wonderful in that. Anyone can see
that there has been rough work here.
The front gate was stormed, [ sup
pose, and the back one left standing -
seBut it is so barricaded that it is not
possible to open it," he objected. And
:. the men have an idea"
well" 1 said, seeing that he hest
tated.
That this is a one-eyed house"
Parabere laughed loudly. "Of course
it is" he said. THAT strolling rogue
saw the gate as we'll as the woman
: and made his profit of them"
Pardon. sir!' BoiSrueil answered
bluntIy, 'That is just what he did not
DOR
well" I said, silencing him by
a gesture, "is that an2'
NO." he replied: I have tasted the
: mems wine"
"And is it drugged?''
No. he said. 'tOn the contrary, il
is a great deal too good for the price
or the house. And you ordered E
Itre apiece. Some have had two ane
not asked twice for it
'fHo, hor' 1 said. staring at him
care you sure of that?"
: Quite" he said.
1 was genuinely startled at last, bu
Parabere still made light of it
"Whatr' he said. Are we pack O.
nervous women or one poor traveller il
a solitary inn, that we see shadow!
and shake at them?''
1.-The inn is solitary enough" Bois
rueil grumbled.
.eBut we are twenty .swords!" T'ara
: bere retorted, opening his eyes wide
fWhy, have ridden all day in al
enemy'S country with lessW
"And been beaten with more a
/, Craon.''
t'But, man alive, that was in a bat
l tie, and by an army
: 'eWell, and there may be a battl
, and Ian army here" Boisrueil answer
: ed sulkily.
[ was inclined to laugh at this ex
} traVagance; but seing that La Fon
and CoIet sided with Boisreuil [ re
membered that the latter was no COW
2 ard though a great gossip; and
thought better of it. Accordingly, re
[ sowing 10 loon lnlo Inc tnlDS hySSil
! babe La Font fetch q couple O
lanthorns, and when he had done sc
!, went out with him and Boisrueil as
> had a mind to go around the horse
before I retired. Parabere declined i
accompany me on the ground tina
he would not be at the pains of IT
and Colet I left III the Kitchen to keel
an eyeion the man and woman.
There was no moon, rain was still
falling, and the yard crowded wit
[ SCANNING. shivering horses, wa