Evening star., 1898-12-31

ated Giles de Sille. glowering at his mercu-
rial Jailer. without needing his persinage
why, nothing at all" said Laurence
trutnfuiiy, except that while we stood
listening to the singing of the choir within
his hotel, a poor woman came CRYING for
her son. whom $50 she declared) the mar
shal had kidnapped, whereat came forth
the guard from within and thrust her away.
en Ihen arrived you ana your varlets and got
your leads broken for your impudencei
That is all know or want to know of your
master"
GILES de sille lay back on his pallet with
a sigh, STILL however, continuing to watch
the lads countenance.
You should. indeed. take service with
the marshal. He is the most lavish and
generous master alive. He thinks no more
or giving handful of gold pieces TO
youth who takes him than of throwing a
crust to a beggar at the gate He owns the
finest province I'm all the west from side TO
side He has castles well nigh a dozen,
inner and stronger than any in France. He
has college of priests. and the service at
his chapel is more nobly intoned than that
IN the private chapel of the holy father
nimsef. When he goes in procession he
mas a thurtfer carried before him by the
pope's special permission. And 1 tell you.
You are just the lad TO take his fancy. That
! can see at glance. j warrant you. Mas
ter Launce If you viii come with me the
marshal Will make your fortune
Did the other young fellow make his for
tune? said Laurence. GILES de Sille glared
as IL ne could have slain him.
What other?' he growled. truculently.
why, the son OF the poor woman who
cried beneath Your kind masters window
the night before yestereeni"
The lank, swarthy youth ground his
teeth.
'''Tis i'll speaking against dignities." he
replied, presently, with a certain mellow
dignity. Il dare say the young fellow took
service with the marshal TO escape from
home. and is in hiding at Tiffauges. or may
hap Machecoul Or he may well have been
listening at some lattice of the Hotel de
Pernic itself to the idiot clamor of his
n other and of the ignorant rabble of
Paris
'Your master loves the society of the
young?" queried Laurence, mending care
fully a string of his viol and keeping the
end of the catgut in his mouth as he spoke.
He dotes on all young people" answered
Giles de Sille, eagerly, the flicker of a
smile running about his month like wild
fire over swamp. why. when a youth
of parts once takes service with my master
he never leaves it for any other, not even
the kings
Which. in its way, was a true enough
statement.
t'Wei,'' quoth Master Laurence, when he
had tied his string and finished cooking his
ear and twingIe-twangling it to his salts
faction. you speak well. And / am not
sure but what | may think of it, i am
tired both of working for my father with
out pay, and of singing psalms in a mon
astery to please my Lord Abbot Moreover
in this city of Paris l have to tell every
jack with a halhert that l am not the son
of the King of England. and after all, as
like as not. he marches me to the bilboes."
of what nationality are you?" asked de
Sille.
Och I'm all of rank TreIander. and
my meme is Laurence O'Halloran. at your
service" quote the rogue without a blush.
For among other accomplishments which
he had learned at the abbey of Dulce Cor
was that of lying with the serene couu-
rGr Of IFas7. al
seen, he had the rudiments of the art in
him before setting out from the tourneying
field at Glenlochar on his way to holy
orders
said GILES, smiling.
Laurence listened to make sure that nei-
ther his father nor Shoito We're approach
ing the garrett
he said, you must not mention my going
to the others. And when We escape you
must put bandage over your eyes till
we are half dozen streets away.
why. done with you-after all, you are a
right gamesome cock, my young Ireland
err cried GILES, whom the conditions
pleased even better than Laurences prom
ise to accompany him.
Then lending the prisoner his viol where
with to amuse himself. and locking the
door, Laurence made an excuse to go to
the kitchen, where he laughed low to him.
self, chucklng in his joy as he deftly ham
died the saucepans
Aha, Master Sholto you are the captain
of the guard and a knight, forsooth, and
| am but poor Clerk Laurence. as you have
ofttimes reminded me. But will show you
q shift worth two of watching outside the
door of the marshal for tidings of the
maids. l will go where the marshal goes
and See all he sees And then, when the
time comes, why, I will rescue them single
handed. and thereafter make up my mind
which 1 shall marry, whether Sholto's
sweetheart or the fair maid of Galloway"
Thus headlong Laurence communed with
himself. not knowing what he said nor to
what terrible adventure ne was committing
himself.
But GILES de SilIe OF the house of the
Marshal de Retz. being left to himself I'm
the half darkness of the garret, took up
the viol and sang q curious air, like that
with which the charmer wiles his snakes 10
him, and at the end of every verse he also
la rhadl n himself