The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-24

with Pantin what we should do next q
couple Of men well rauff1ed In cloaks
passed down the lane on the opposite
side, and it was all could do to pre-
serve an expression Of unconcern on
my face, for in one Of the two I rec
ognized Latin: He. too, stopped for q
moment, as If to fasten q point that
had come undone, and whilst doing SO
fixed his eyes full on me. I met his
gaze as one might look at "a perfect
stranger, but, seeing he continued 1t,
put my hand to my hilt Of my sword
with scowl. The doubt on his face
cleared on the instant to look Of relief,
and I saw his thin lips curve into O.
slight smile Of contempt as he rose and
walked quickly after his companion,
That staggering movement of my
hand to my sword hilt had convinced
him that I was one of the swashbuck-
lers of the Faubourg St. Martin, and as
such unworthy even Of the contempt Of
the heir Of the Vidame.
who Is it2" asked Pantin, who had
been observing me closely.
'Laf1n."
"Are you sure, monsieur2"
I nodded, and he wnt on: '"Then
monsieur, If mistake not, M. le Wis.,
comte Is right, and we hunt the boar
as well as the wolf. will give word
Of this at the arsenal before three
hours are over"
We then went slowly towards the
Toison dor in the same order in which
we had come up the Rue st. Martin,
my heart full Of strange misgivings at
Laf1n's presence in the street. The
sun had already whitened the gables
of the houses, but so narrow was the
passage that 1t seemed as if 1t must al
ways be in shadow. There were few
people stirring; one or two street ur-
chins who flung gibes at Pantin, but
gave me a wide berth, half a dozen
women, in whose faces sin and want
had set their seals,and a man or two
of the worst class. Beyond the high
dead wall which closed in the passage
I could now see the tops of some trees
and judged from this that we are al
most upon the walls Of Paris, and In
this as it turned out I was right. AT
last 1 came opposite the Toison dor.
The gate leading into the little court
was shut, and so was every window
facing the street. The signboard was
swinging sadly over the closed door,
and at the first glance it looked as if
the house was deserted. For moment
the thought struck me to knock boldly
at the door and when it was opened
to force my way in, and trust to luck
for the rest; but I was cooled on the
instant when I thought what failure
meant would trust rs little to chance
as possible. I passed slowly on, and
found that the Totson dor joined on to
another but much smaller house, which
had it's bound set to it by the wall that
crossed the street. The sash Of a win
dow on the top story Of the house was
up and as I came up to 1t the front
door swung open, and a man stood
on the steps and looked me full in the
face. AS my glance passed him, saw
that the door opened into room that
was used apparently as a shop for all
kinds Of miscellaneous articles, and the
man himself would have stood well for
the picture Of thieves fence, which
indeed, he was.
"a good morning, captain" he said,
will you buy-or have you come to
sell?' he asked, dropping his voice.
AS he spoke Pantin came up and be-
gan to importune the man from safe
distance to purchase his wares; but be-
yond curse had no further attention
paid him; and with a disappointed air
he went slowly back toward the Toll
son dor. 1t flashed upon me that
something had fallen my way. Il have
come to buy compere," answered, and
anime a few cast-off doublets and flung
them aside, demanding one On which
the gold lace was good. A woman join
ed the man at this time, and whilst
they were rummaging amongst their
stores I hastily ran over in my mind
the plan I had formed. If l could get
a lodging here would be in position
to watch who came and went from the
house, and strike my blow with delib-
Grafton and certainty. So at last when
the doublet was shown to me, though
the price was exorbitant, paid it with
cut demur, and on the man asking If
it should be sent to my lodging /
pretended to hesitate for q moment,
and then explained that, as I had just
come to Paris and was in search Of
a lodging, I would take the doublet
with me.
Monsieur must have scaled the city
walls last night then" the man said
with a sly look.
Exactly" I answered.
The woman, however here cut in and
explained that if it was a lodging I
needed they could accommodate me.
''All the more if you buy as we'll as
you do now, captain" said the man.
81 will sell you as cheap as you want