The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-07-11

talking such nonsense when we had our
own business to think about.
CHAPTER III
THE ROAD TO PARIS.
The sun had not yet risen above the
hills when we three, with single SER
want behind us, drew rein at the end
of the valley, and easing our horses on
the ascent turned in the saddle to take
last look at Caylus-at the huddled
gray town, and the towers above it. A
little thoughtful we all We're, / think.
The times We're rough and our errand
was serious. But youth and early
morning are fine dispellers of care and
once on the uplands we trotted gayly
upward, now passing through wide
slades in the sparse oak forest, where
the trees all leaned one way. now over
bare, wind-swept downs: or once and
again descending into chalky bottom.
where the stream dubbed through
deep beds Of fern. and lonely farm
house nestled amid orchards.
Four hours riding, and we saw be-
low us Cahors, filing the bend of the
river. We cantered over the Vallandre
bridge, which there crosses the lot.
and SO to my uncle's house of call in
the square. Here we ordered break
fast, and announced with pride that
we were gong TO 1aTlS.
Our host raised his hands. Nov,
there" he exclaimed, regret in his
voice. and if you had arrived yester-
day you could have travelled up with
Vidame de Bezers And you small
party-saving your lordships' presence
and the roads but so-so!''
But the vidame was riding with
only half dozen attendants also!" 1
answered, Ticking my boot in a care
less way
= The landlord shook his head "Ah,
M. lie Vidame knows the world" he
answered shrewdly. He is not to be
taken off his guard, not he. One of his
men whispered me that 100 stanch
fellows would join him at Chateauroux.
They say the wars are over, but
and the good man, struggling his Shout
ders, cast an expressive glance at some
fine flitches of bacon which were hang
ing in his chimney. However, your
lordships know better than I do" he
added, briskly. II am poor man. I
only wish to live at peace with my
neighbors, whether they go to mass or
sermon"
This was a sentiment so common In
those days and so heartily echoed by
most men of substance both in town
and country that we did not stay to
assent to it; but having received from
the worthy fellow a token which would
insure our obtaining fresh cattle at
Limoges, we took to the road again,
refreshed in body, and with some food
for thought.
Five-and-twenty attendants We're
more than even such man as Beers,
who had many enemies, travelled with
In those days; unless accompanied by
ladies. That the vidame had provided
such a reinforcement seemed to point
to wider scheme than the one with
which we hah credited him. But we
could not guess what his plans We're
since he must have ordered his people
before he heard of GATHERINGS engage
ment. Either his JEALOUSY therefore
had put him on the alert earlier, or
his threatened attack on Pavannes was
only part of larger plot. In either
case our errand seemed more urgent,
but scarcely more hopeful.
The varied sights and sounds how
ever of the road-many Of them new,
to us--kept us from dwelling over
much on this. Our eyes were young,
and whether it was a pretty girl lin
gering behind q troop of gypsies, or a
pair of strollers from Valencia-jong-
leurs they still called themselves
singing in the old dialect of Provence
Of a Norman horse dealer with his
string of cattle tied head and tail or the
Pup de Dome to the eastward over the
Auvergne hills or a tattered old SOL
der wounded in the wars-fighting for
either side, according as their lordships
inclined-we were pleased with all.
Yet we never forgot our errand. We
never, l think, rose in the morning-too
often stiff and sore-without thinking:
To-day or tomorrow or the next day.
as the case might be-"we shall
make all right for Xiii" For Kit! Per
haps 1t was the purest enthusiasm we
We're ever to feel. the least selfish aim
we were ever to pursue. For Kit!
ba rnnG we mt Travellers Of rank
France were still in Paris enjoying the
festivities which We're being held to
mark the royal marriage. We OBJ
tanned horses where we needed them
without difficulty. And though we
he'd heard much of the dangers Of the
wy, infested as it was said to be by
disbanded troopers. we We're not once
stopped or annoyed.
But it is not my intention to chron-
icle all the events Of this my first jour
ney, though dwell on them with pleas
towns, all new and strange to me,
through which we passed. Enough
| that we went by way Of Limoges,
Chateauroux and Orleans, and that at
Chateauroux we learned the failure of
one hope we had formed. We had
| thought the Beers when joined there
| by his troopers would not be able 10 get
relays; and that on this account we
might by travelling post overtake him;
and possibly slip by him between that
place and Paris. But we learned at
| Chateaurax that his troop had re-
| ceived fresh orders to go to Orleans
and await him there, the result being
that he was able to push forward with
relays SO far. He was evidently in hot
haste. For leaving there with his
| horses fresh he passed through Anger
vile, 40 miles short of Paris, at noon
whereas we reached it on the evening
of the same day-the sixth after leav-
ing Cayus.
| We rode into the yard of the inn-a
large place. seeming larger in the dusk
so tired that we could scarcely slir
! from our saddles. Jean, our servant
| took the four horses, and led then
across to the stables, the poor beasts
hanging their heads and following
/ meekly. We stood moment stampins
our feet and stretching our legs. The
place seemed IN a hustle, the clatter OF
pans and dishes proceeding from the
| windows over the entrance, with glow