The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-01
TIE BLACK DOUGLAS.
BY 8. n. CROCKETT.
Copyright. 1928. BY S. r. Crockett
CHAPTER XIII.
THE sHE-woLF ksTARrE.

France. sat writing. The hotel had recently
been rodecorated after tho %sojourn of the Eng
lish. Wooden pavements had again been
placed In the rooms. where the barbarians had
streved their PUSHES and trampled upon their
fish bones. Noble furniture from the lathes
Of Poitiers. decorated with the royal ermines
OF Brittany. stood about the many ~alcoves.
The table itself. wherein. the great soldier
wrote. was closed In with drawers and shelves
which: descended 10 the floor and seemed to
shut the ccupa in as in a cell.
Before De Retz stood a curious inkstand.
made by some cunning jeweller out OF the
upper half OF a human skull Of small size. cut
across At the eyeholes. inverted. and set in
silver with a rim OF largo rubies. This was
half filled with ink OF n vermillion color.
The document which GILES de Retz was
busy transcribing upon sheets of noble vel
lum in this strange ink was OF the most mys-
FERROUS character. The upper part had the
appearance OF a charter enErossed by the hand
OF some deft legal scribe. but the words which
followed we're as startling as the vehicle In
which they were made to stand out from the
vellum.
Unto Barran- Sathanas: Lord most glorious
and ~puissant in hell beneath and In the earth
above, l. his unworthy servitor. GILES de Retz.
make my vows. hereby forever renouncinG
God and Christ and the blessed saints
: To this appalling introduction succeeded
many lines Of close and delicate script, inter-
apersed with curious cabalistic signs, in which
the sign OF the GROSS reversed could frequently
he detected. GILES de Retz wrote rapidly. ris-
ing only at intervals to throw a fresh log of
wood across the vast iron dogs on either side
of the wide fireplace, as the rain from the
northwest beat more and more 1ercely upon
the small glazed panes of the window and.
howled among the innumerahle EarEoyles
and twisted roof stacks Of the Hotel de Pornic.
Within tho chamber itself. in the intervals
Of the storm. a low continuous growing made
itself evident. At first it was disregarded by
the writer, but presently by It's sheer peril
nacitv the sound so i~rritated him that he rose
from his seat. and striding to a narrow door
covered with a heavy curtain, he threw 1t wide
to the wall. Then through The black oblonE
so made a huge and shaggy she-wolf paced
slowly into the room.
The Marshal kicked the brute impatiently
with his slippered foot as she entered. and
strange to relate the she-wolf skunk past him
with the.ccw-d air Of a dog conscious OF hav-
ing.deserved punishment.
"Astarte. vilest beast" he cried. have | not
n thousand times warned you TO be silent and
wait outside when l was at work in my cham
berl"
The she-wolf eyed her master as he went
back toward his table. Then. seeing him lift
his pen. with a sigh OF content she dropped
down upon the warm hearthstone. lying with
her launches toward the blazing logs and with
her bristling head couched upon her paws.
Her yellow shining eyes blinked sleepily and
approvingly.at him. while with her tongue she
raped the soft pads OF her feet one by one.
biting away the fur from between the tees
with her long and cleaning teeth. Presently
Astarte appeared to doze off. Her eyes were
shut, her attitude relaxed. But so soon as
even her master moved an inch to consult a
marked list OF dates which hung on a hook be-
side him. or leaned over to reach his ink. the
flashing yellow eye and the CLEAN of white
teeth underneath told that Astarte was awake
and intently Watching every movement Of the
worker.
Through the heavy boom Of the storm with
out. the thresh OF the ram upon the lattice
easement and the whipping gusts which shook
the house. the soft wheeZe of the enGrossinG
Quill could be heard. the crackie Of the burn
Ing logs and the heavy. regular breathing of
the couchant she wolf being the only other
sounds audible within the apartment.
GILES de Retz wrote on. smiling to himself
Us he added line after line to his manuscript.
His beard shone with n tfuculent blue black
lustre. For the moment the aged look had
quite gone OUT OF his face. His cheek appeared
flushed with the hues of youth and hone. yet
withal n youth without innocence or charm.
Rather it seemed as If fresh blood had been
injected into the veins Of some aged demon.
moribund and cruel, giving instead OF health or
grace only a new lease OF cruelty and lust.
Presently another door opened. the main
entrance of the apartment this time. not the
small private portal through which Astarte
the wolf had been admitted. A girl came in.
thrusting aside the curtain and for the space
OF a moment holding It outstretched with an
arm gowned in white before dropping 1t with
a rustic of heavy silken fabric upon the
ground,
The Marshal de Retz wrote on without'ap-
pearinG to be conscious Of any new presence In
his private chamber. The girl stood regard
ing him. with eyes that blazed with an intent
so deadly and a hate SO all-possessing that the
yellow t:cachery in those OF Astarte the she
wolf appeared afIectionate by contrast.
At the girls entrance that shaggy beast had
half raised herself upon her forepaws and
given vent to a low growl. half of distrust and
half of warning. which at once reached the
ears Of the busy worker.
GILES de Retz looked up quickly and catch
Ing sight Of the Lady Sybilla. with a sweep OF
his hand he thrust his manuscript into an
open drawe of the escritoire.
Nh's '@N''"f nv 'eAA' HbiA DSNh 49, hfS
chair with easy familiarity. you are more
Sparing.of your visits to me than of yore. To
what do | eve the pleasure and honor OF this
one?"
The girl eyed him long before answering.
She stood statue-still by the curtain at the
entrance OF the apartment. ignoring the chair
which the Marshal had offered her with a bow
and a courteous wave of his hand.
Il have come" she made answer at last. 10
The aNRn hnnn 1nnpg which Ghn had nlnI hafnra
the council of the traitors at Stirling. to de-
mand from you. Messire titles de Retz, what
you mean TO do with the little Margaret Doug
Jas and her companion. whom YOU wiok eddy
kidnapped from their own country and have
brought with you to Francey"
Il have satisfaction IN informing you" re-
piled the Marshal ~suave!y. that ifis'my pur-
4se TO dispose Of both these agreeable young
radles entirely according to my M pleasure"
Tho girl caught at her breast with her hand,
20 stay u sudden pam.
Not at TiffauGes." she Gasped; mot at
Shamptoce?"
1he Marshal leaned back, enjoying her
terror. as one tastes in slow sips a rare brand
OF wine, He found the flavor Of her fears deli
No. Srbllla.' he re piled at last. neither at
Champtoce. nor yet at Tiffauges-for the pres
ent, that is, unless some OF your Scottish