Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-02-18


''All quarrels are my quarrels! and
no quarrels are your quarrels. This is
about the truth, 1 fancy!" was the
| smart retort; which our champion
rendered more emphatic by playful
lunge that caused the big bully to skip
again.
| There was loud laugh at this, even
| among the enemy's hackers. bah, the
great pig!" calculated the girl above.
'tSpit hiIni" and she spat down on the
| whilom Hector-who made no great fig
ure now.
''Shall bring you slice Of him, my
! dear?" asked my rakehelly friend,
| looking up and making his sword play
round the shrinking wretch. Just a
tit-bit. my love?" he added, persau-
sively ga mouthful of white liver and
caper sauce?"
| Not for me, the beast!" the girl
cried, amid the laughter of the yard.
''Not bit? If warrant him tender :?
| Ladies' meat? ?"
| "Bahi mol" and she sto1idly spat
! down again.
.'Do you hear9 The lady has no taste
for you," the tormentor cried. pig
of Gasconi" And deity sheathing his
| dagger, he seized the big coward by the
ear, and turning him round, gave him
a heavy kick which sent him spinning
| over bucket, and down against the
wall. There the bully remained,
| swearing and rubbing himself by turns;
while the victor cried, boastfully:
| Enough of him. If anyone wants to
| take up his quarrel, Blaise Bure is his
man. If not, let us have an end Of it.
Let some one find stalls for the gentle
mems horses before they catch chill;
and have done with it. AS for me-" he
added, and then he turned to us and
removed his hat with an exagg Grated
| flourish: II am your lordships' servant
| to command"
thanked him with a heartiness, half
earnest, half-assurned. His cloak was
ragged, his trunk hose, which had been
fine enough, were stained, and almost
pointless. He staggered inimitably,
and had led-captain written large upon
him. But he had done us a service, for
Jean had no further trouble about the
horses. And besides one has natural
liking for brave man, and this man
was brave beyond question.
"You are from Orleans" he said, re-
specially enough, but as one asserting
a-fact, not asking a question.
"Yes," [ answered, somewhat aston
ished. "Did you see US come in?''
'No, but I looked at your boots, gen
tlemen," he replied. white dust, north;
red dust, south. Do you see? ?"
"Yes, see.' I said, with admiration.
''You must have been brought up in a
sharp school, NJ. Bure."
SHARP masters make sharp scholars"
he replied, grinning. And that answer
I had occasion to remember afterwards.
you are from Orleans, also 2" asked,
as we prepared to go in.
Eyes, from Orleans, too, gentlemen.
Eut earlier in the day. With letters
letters of mportancei" And bestOwing
something like wink of confidence on
us, he drew himself up, looked sternly
at the stable folk, patted himself twice
on the chest, and finally twirled his
mustaches, and smirlked at the girl
above. who was chewing straws.
I thought it likely enough that we
might find it hard to get rid of him.
But this was not so. After listening
with qualification to our repeated
thanks, he bowed with the same gro
tesque flourish, and marched off as
grave as d Spaniard, humming:
''Ce petit homme tant jolil
Qui toujours cause ct toujours rit,
Qui toujours baise mignonne.
Dieu gard de NAL ce petit homme?'
On our going in, the landlord met us
politely, but with curiosity, and Il sim
mering of excitement also in his man
ner. From Paris, my lords" he asked,
rubbing his hands and bowling low. ''Or
from the south?''
"From the SOUTH answered.
From Orleans, and hungry and tired,
Master Host
"Ah," he replied, disregarding the
latter part OF my answer, while his lit
tie eyes twinkled with satisfaction.
Then 1 dare swear, my lords, you have
not heard the news?" He halted in the
narrow passage, and lifting the candle
he carried, scanning our faces closely,
as if he wished to learn something about
us before he spoke.
"News!" I answered, brusquely, be-
ing both tired and, as had told him,
hungry. 1--WE have heard none, and the
best you can give us will be that our
supper is ready to be served"
But even this snub did not check his
eagerness to tell us the news. admiral
de Coligny," he said, breathlessly, you
have not heard what has happened to
him?''
ITO the admiral? No. what?'' in