Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-04-15
+ i THE HOUSE 3
N n OF THE WOLF.
h lh&s . = - =
SrESsc BY STANLEY J. NEYHAN.
CHAPTER VIu.-CoNTINUED.

CHAfIER NllI.-CONTINUED.
Near our end of the street group of
horsemen, rising island-like from the
sea of heads, sat motion1ess in their
saddles about a gateway. They were
silent, taking no notice of the rioting
fiends shouting at their girths, but
watching in grim quiet what was pass
ing within the gates. They were
handsomely dressed, although some
wore corselets over their satin coats
or lace above buff jenkins. l could
even at that distance see the jewels
CLEAN in the bonnet of one who seemed
to be their leader. He was in the CEN
ter of the band, very young man. per-
haps 20 or 81, of most splendid pres
ence, sitting his horse superbly. He
wore a gray riding coat. and was q
head taller than any ofhis companions.
There was pride in the very air with
which his horse bore him.
1 did not need to ask Pavannes who
he was. l knew that he was the Duke of
Guise, and that the house before
which he stood was Coligny's. knew
what was being done there. And in
the same moment l sickened with hor
ror and rage. 1 had vision of gray
hairs and blood and fury scarcely hui
man. And l rebelled. l battled with
the rabble about me. L forced my way
through them tooth and nail after
Pavannes. intent only on escap-
ing, only on getting away, from
there. And so we neither halted
nor looked back until we were clear of
the crowd and had left the blaze of
light and the work doing by it way be-
hind us.
We found ourselves then in the
mouth of an obscure alley which my
companion whispered would bring us
to his house; and there we paused to
take breath and look back. The sky
was red behind us, the air full of the
clash and din of the tocsin. and the
flood of sounds which poured from
every tower and steeple. From the
eastward came the rattle of drums and
random shots, and shrieks of "a bas
Colignyi" "a bas les HG;yuenotsi"
Meanwhile the city was rising as one
man, pale at this dread awakening.
From every window men and women,
frightened by the uproar, were craning
their neclls, asking or answering ques-
tons or hurriedly calling for and kim
ding tapers. But as yet the general
populace seemed to be taking no active
part in the disorder.
Pavannes raised his hat an instant as
we stood in the shadow of the houses.
''The noblest man in France is dead"
he said, softly and reverently. God
rest his souli They have had their way
with him and killed him like q dog. He
was an old man, and they did not spare
him! A noble, and they have called in
the canaille to tear him. But be sure,
nv friend"-and as the speakers tone
changed and grew full and proud. his
form seemed to swell with it -"be sure
the cruel shall not live out half their
DAYS! No. He that takes the knife
shall perish by the knife! And go to
bis own place. [ shall not see it, but
you will!"
His words made no great impression
on me then. My hardihood was return
ing. | was throbbing with fierce eN-
element, and tingling for the fight.
But years afterwards, when the two
who stood highest in the group about
Coligny's threshold died, the one at
IS and the other at 35-when Henry OF
Guise and Henry of Valois died within
six months of one another by the assas-
sins knife-I remembered Pavannes'
augury And remembering it. L read
the wayssof Providence, and saw that
the very audacity of which Guise took
advantage to entrap Colignv led him
in his turn to trip smiling and bowling
comfit box in his hand and the kisses
of his mistress damp on his lips. into a
kings closet-a kings closet at Blois!
Led him to lift the curtain-ah! to lift
The curtain-what Frenchman does not
know the tale?-behind which stood
the admiral!
To return to our own fortunes; after
a hurried glance we pursued our way
end sped through the alley, holding e
brief consultation os we went. Payan
nes' first hasty instinct to seek shell
ter at home began 10 lose its force, ano
he to consider whether his return
would not endanger his wife. The moi
might be expected to spare her, he
argued. Her death would not bene.
fit any private foes if he escaped. He
was for keeping away, therefore. But
would not agree to this. The priests
crew of desperadoes- assuming Pavan-
nes' suspicious to be correct-would
wait some time, no doubt, to give the
master of the house chance to return
but would certainly attack sooner OF
later out of greed. if for no other mo-
tive. Then the iadv's fate would at the
best be uncertain. I was anxious my
self to rejoin my brothers, and take
all future chances, whether Of saving