Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-09-05

The House of The Wolf,,,,,,ss
BY STANLEY j. WEYfAN Il



bonnet of one who seemed to be their
leader. He was in the center OF tho
eand. 4 Very young man, perhaps ~ or
II. of most splendid presence. sitting
his horse superhly. He Wore Il gray
riding coat, and was q head taller
than any OF his companions. There
was pride in the very air With Which
his horse bore him.
l did not need to ask Pavannes Who
he was. | knew tina, he was the duke
of Guise, and that the house before
which he stood WAS Colgny'S. | klltsv
what was being done there, Ana in.
the same moment l siclSened With hes-
ror and rage. l had vision of sS;sS
hairs and blood and fury scarcely hu-
man. And l rehe,led battied w{ih
the rabhle about me. forced my Way
through them tooth and nail AFTER
PaVannes, intent only Oh escaping.
only on getting away. from there. Mad
SO we neither halted nor looked back
until we were clear of the crowd and
had left the blaze of light ana the
work doing by 1t way behind 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 rcd behind us, the air fun of inc
clash and din of the ,ocsin, and tiae
hcod of sounds which poured from
every tower and steep.e, From the
eastward came the rattle of drums and
random shots. and shrieks nj "a has
Coigay., "A has les Husuenots."
Meanwhile the city was rising as one
man, pale at this dread awakening.
From every window men and women.
frightened by the uproar We're cranins
their necks, asking or answering eues-
tons or hurredly calling for and kim
ding tapers. But as Vet the general
populace seemed to he taking no active
part in the disorder.
Pavanaes raised his hat an instant
as he stood in the shadow of the houses.
The MODEST man in France is dead"
he said. softly and reNerently. .Ciod
rest his soul, They have had their way
with him and killed him like dog. He
was an old man. and they did not
spare him. A noble, and they cave
called in the canaille to tear him. hut
be sure, my friend"-and as the speak
er's tone changed and grew full and
proud, 8 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 his own place. l
shall not see 1t. but you Will"
His words made no great Impression
on me then. My hardihood WAS re-
eScitment. 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 Nalois died within
six months of one another by the as
sassin's knifel remembered AVIAN
mes augury. And remembering it,
read the ways of Providence. and saw
that the Very audacity of which Guise
took advantage to entrap Coigny led
him in his turn to trip smiling and
bowling n comtit box in his hand and
the kisses of his mistress damp on his
lips. into a kings closet kings
closet at Blois. Led him to lift the cur
tain ah to lift the curtain What
Frenchman does not know the tale p
behind which stood the admiral.
To return to our own fortunes; after
n hurried glance we pursued our way.
and sped through the alley. holding y
brief consultation as we went. rlvan-
nes first hasty instinct to seek shell
ter at home began to lose its force. and
he to consider whether his return
would not cndanger his Wife. The mob
might be expected to spare her. he ar
gued. Her death would not benefit
any private foes If he escaped. He
was for keeping away therefore But
would not agree to this. The priest s
crew OF desleradoeS assuming Pavan-
mes. sus,,icjons Ia he ce,rae, ,.,,,,,,
wait some time. no soubt 10 give the
master of the house a chance to return,
but would certainly attack sooner or
later out of greed. if for no sothe, mo-
tive. Then the lady's fate would he ut
the best uncertain. | WAS anxious
myself 10 reioin my brothers. and take
all future chances. whether of savins;
our Louis. or escaping ourselves, with
them. United we should be -four good
swords, ANA might at least protect
Nine, de Pavannes to u place of safety,
ii on opportunity of succoring Louis
would present itself. We had too, the
IiIlSf.'s riilfp and This, ,yltt lao Of