Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-06-11

adding with sneer: "lle is o careful
man! II they were all like him, witt
eyes on both sides of his head and |
dag by his candle-well, my lord, Their
would be one more king in France--ol
one less! But they are blind lot; a.
blind as bats" He muttered some
thing farther in which ! caught thu
word Tonight" But I did not heal
1t all; or understand any Of it.
"Your lordships are going to PARISH
no resumed in different tone. Wher
! said that we were, he looked at me il
shamefaced way, half-timid, half-ar
rogant Il have q small favor to asl
Of you them" he said. Il am going L
Paris myself. | am not afraid Of odds
as you have seen. But the roads will
be in queer state If there he anything
OH foot in the city, and-well, l would
rather ride with you gentlemen than
alone"
"You are welcome TO join u.s. ! said
"Dut we start in half an hour. Do you
know Paris well?'
"As well as my sword hilt," he replied
briskly, relieved | thought by my ac-
quiescence. "And | have known that
from my breeching. II you want a
game ut paume, or u pretty girl To kiss
can put you in the way for the one OF
tic other"
The half-rustic shrinking from the
great city which ! felt, suggested to me
that our swash-buckling friend might
help us II he would. do you know M
de Pavannes" asked, impulsively
"Where he lives in Paris, mean?"
IN. Louis dc Pavannes?" quoth he.
Eyes"
II know" he replied slowly, rub
bing his chin and looking at the ground
in thought, where he had his lodg-
ings in town awhile ago, before All!
do know! remember he added,
slapping his thigh, when was in
Paris fortnight ago ! was told that
his steward had taken lodgings for him
In the Rue St. Antoine"
"Good!" answered, overjoyed. "Then
we want to dismount there, II you can
guide us straight to the house.
Il can" he replied simply. "And you
will not be the worse for my company.
Paris is u queer place when there is
trouble to the fore, but your lordships
have got the right man to pilot you
through It."
did not ask him what trouble he
meant, but ran indoors to buckle on
my sword, and tell Marie and Croisette
Of the ally | had secured. They were
much pleased, as was natural; so that
we took the road in excellent spirits
intending to reach the city in the after
noon. But Marle's horse cast shoe,
and 1t was some time before we could
findasmith. Then ut Etampes,w where we
stopped tolunch, we were keptan uncon-
scionable time waiting for 1t. And SO
we approached Paris for the first time
at sunset. A ruddy glow was at the
moment warming the eastern heights,
and picking out with flame the twin
towers of Notrc Dame, and the one tall
tower Of st. Jacques la Boucherie. A
dozen roofs higher than their neigh
bors shown hbtly; and great bank OF
cloud, which lay north and south, and
looked like mans hand stretched
over the city, changed gradually from
blood-red to violet, and from violet to
black, us evening fell.
Passing within the gates and across
first one bridge and then another, we
were astonishcd and utterly confused
by the noise and hubbub through
which we rode. Hundreds seemed to
be moving this way and that in the mar
row streets. Women screamed to one
another from window to window The
bells Of half-a-dozen churches rang the
curfcw. Our country ears were deaf
encd. Still our eyes had leisure to
take in the tall houses with their high
pitched roofs, and here and there a
tower built into the wall; the quaint
churches, and the groups OF towns
folks--sullen fellows. some of them,
with fierce CLEAN in their eyes--who,
standing in the mouths of reelling al
leys, watched us go by.
But presently we had to stop. A
crowd had gathered to watch a little
cayalcade of six gentlemen pass across
our path. They were riding two and
two, longing in their saddles and
chattering to one another, disdainfnlly
unconscious Of the people about them,
or the remarks they excited, Their
graceful bearing and the richness Of
their dress and equipment surpassed
anything | had ever seen. A dozen
pages and lackeys were attending them
on foot. and the sound of their icste
md laughter came to us over the heads
Of the crowd.
While ] was gazing at them, some
movement Of the throng drove bacl,
Bure's horse against mine, Bure him.
self uttered a savage oath; uncalled
for so far as ! could see. But my at.
tention was arrested the next moment
by Crolsette, who tapped my arm with
his riding whip. "LooiS'" he cried in
some excitement, ''is not that hep
| followed the direction Of the lad.
finger-as well us could for the phng
ing Of my horse, which Bure's hat
frighiened-and scrutinized the last