Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-07-06

ing.'' ! murmured, hardly able to be-
lieve my eyes. He Is going after ALI"
Waltz Croisette answered dryly.
But he a right. We had not to
walt long. He was going. In another
moment he came himself, riding a
strong iron gray horse; and we could
see that he had holsters to his saddle.
His steward was running beside him,
to take. | suppose, his last orders. A
cripple, whom the hustle had attracted
from his usual haunt, the church porch,
held up his hand for aims. The vidame
as he passed cut him savagely across
the face with his whip and cursed him
audibly.
May the devil take himi" exclaimed
Croisette In Just rage. But l aid moth
Ing, remembering hat the cripple was
q particular pet of GATHERINGS.
thought instead of an occasion, not so
very long ago, when the vicomte being
at home we had had a great hawking
party. Beers and Catherine had rid
den up the street together, and Cath
crime giving the cripple a piece of
money Beers had flung TO him all ais
share of the game. And my heart sank.
only for a moment however. The
man was gone; or was going at any
rate. We stood silent and m~otionless,
all watching, until after what seemed
a long interval, the little party of seven
became visible on the white road far
below us-to the northward, and NOV
Ing in that direction. Still we watched
them, muttering q word to one another,
now and again. until presently the rid
ers ~slackened their ace and began TO
ascend the winding track that led to
the hills and Cahors; n TO Paris also,
IL one went far enough.
Then at length with a loud "Whoop!"
we dashed across the terrace, Croisette
leading, and SO through the courtyard
To the parlor, where we arrived breath
less. Hes OFT" Croisette cried, shril-
ly. He has started for Paris! And
bad luck so with him." And we all
threw up our caps and shouted.
But no answer, such as we expected,
came from the women folk. When we
picked up our caps and looked at Cath.
crime, feeling rather foolish, she was
staring at us with a white face and
great scornful eyes. "Fools!' she said.
Fools"
And that was all. But 1t was enough
to take me aback. / had looked to see
her face tighten at our news; instead 1t
wsre an expression l had never seen
on il before. Catherine, so kind and so
gentle. calling us fools! And without
cause, l dii not understand 1t. l
turned confuscdly TO Croisette. He
was looking at her. n saw that he
Was IllSlleieu. AS Tor NINE. claude,
she was crying In the corner. A pre-
sentiment Of evil made my heart sink
like lead. What had happened?
"Fools!' my cousin repeated, with
exceeding bitterness, her foot tapping
the parquet increasingly. do you
think he would have stopped to avenge
himself on you? On you! Or that he
could hurt me one hundredth part as
much here as-as-" She broke off
-stammering. Her sCorn faltered for an
instant. Bah! he is a man! He
knows!" she exclaimed, superbly, her
chm in the air; but you are boys. You
do not understand"
l looked amaZedly at this angry
woman. / had a difficulty In ASSOCIATE
ing her with my cousin. As for Croi-
settle, he stepped forward abruptly, and
picked UP a white object which was
lying at her feet.
Yes, read IT," she cried, read I'll
All" and she ClenChed her little hand,
and In her passion struck the oak table
beside her, so that q stain OF blood
sprang out Of her knuckles. why did
you not kill him? Why did you not do
IT while o had the chance? You were
three to one!" she Kissed. you had
him in your power, You could have
killed him, and you did not! Now he
will Kill mel"
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