Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-04-22
T j. THE HOUSE b
R OF THE WOLF.
Es/) {lXk9 = = Z =
C:aSS:l, by STANLEY ]. WEYkaAN.
by STANLEY ]. WEYMAA.
CHAPTER IX.-CoNTINUED.

CHAPTER IX.-CoNTINUED.
read the hesitation of the gang in
their faces; and when one asked rough
~ who we were, 1 replied with greater
holiness: 81 am Anne de Caylus,
nephew of the Vicomte de Caylus, gov
ernor, under the king. of Rayonne and
the Landes." This / said with what
majesty / could. "And these u con-
t:nued-"are my brothers. You will
harm US at your peril, gentlemen. The
,icomte, believe me. will avenge every
hair of our heads"
/ can shut my eyes now and see the
stupid wonder, the baked ferocity of
those gaping faces. Dull and savage
the men were they were impressed;
they saw reason indeed; and all seemed
going well for us when some one in the
rear shouted: Cursed whelps!
Throw them overt"
I looked swiftly in the direction
whence the voice came-the darkest
corner of the room-the corner by the
shattered window. l thought / made
out slender figure, clolked and
nasked-a woman's it might be, but I
could not be certain-and beside it
couple of sturdy fellows, who kept
apart from the herd and we'll behind
their fuglemen.
The speakers courage rose no doubt
from his position at the back of the
room, for the foremost of the assailants
seemed less determined. We were only
thre and we must have gone down,
,.arricade and all, before n rush. But
three are three. And an arquebusc--
bob, Il.
we'll loaded with slugs is an ugly
weapon ut five PAGES, and makes nasty
wounds, besides scattering It's charge
famously. This, good MANY of them,
and the leaders in particular, seemed
to recognize. We might certainly take
two or three lives; and life is valuable
TO it's owner when plumber is afoot.
BESIDES most of them had common
sense enough to, remember that there
were scores of Huguenots genuine
heretics-to be robbed for the killing.
so why go out of the way, they reasoned,
to cut a Catholic throat, and perhaps
get into trouble! Why risk Montfau-
con for a whim and offend a man of in
fiuence like the Vicomte de Caylus, for
nothing!
Unfortunately at this crisis their
original design was recalled to their
minds by the same voice behind CRYING
out: "Pavannes! Where is Pavannes 90
"Ay!" shouted the butcher, grasping
the idea, and at the same time splitting
on his hands and taking a fresh grip of
the ak. "Show us the hereto dog, and
go! Let us at him.
M. de Pavannes," l said coolly-but
/ could not take my eyes off the shining
blade of that mans AK. it was so very
broad and sharp-"is not here!"
THAT is lie! lie is in that room
behind you'll" the prudent gentleman
in the background called out. "Give
him up!"
''Ay, give him up!" echoed the man
of the pole-ax almost good-humoredly
''or it will be the worst for you. Let us
have at him and get you gone,"
This with an air of much reason
while n growl as of a chained beast rar
through the crowd. mingled with cries
of "a mort les Huguenots! Vive Lor
raine."-cries which seemed to show
that all did not approve of the indlu
gence offered us.
Beware, gentlemen, beware"
urged, 81 swear he is not here! Isweal
it. do you hear?"
A howl of Impotence and then a sud
den movement of the crowd as though
the rush were coming warned me tt
temporize no longer. Stay! Stay.'
I added hastily. "One minute! Heal
me! You are too many for us. VIII
you swear to let us go safe and un
touched. if we give you passage?"
A dozen voices shrieked assent. Blu
looked at the butcher only. He seemed
to be an honest man. out of his profes
sion.
..Ay. swear it," he cried with :
nod.
by the Mass?'
by the Mass
I twitched Croisette's sleeve. and h,
tore The fuse from his weapon, ano
flung the gun-too heavy to be of US
to us longer-to the ground. 1t wa
done in a moment. While the mo
swept over the barricade, and smashe
the rich furniture of it in wanto
malice. we filed aside, and ninbl
slipped under it one by one. Then w
hurried in single file to the end of tn
room. no one taking much notice OF u:
All were pressing on. intent on thel
prey. We gained the door as To
butcher struck his first blow on tbs