Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-08-01
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The House of The Wolf,,,,,,a
Y BY STANLEY j. WEYMAN


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mount horse on the level. He held
| out his foot to me, and making an
| effort l reached the same dizzy perch.
| Croisette for the time remained below
"A narrow window ledge GO feet above
the pavement, and three bars to cling
to! l covered to my holdfasts. envying
even Croisette. My legs dangled airily,
and the black chasm of the street
ment I turned sick. recovered from
that to feel desperate. l remembered
| that go forward we must, bars or no
bars. We could not regain our old
prison if we would.
| 1t was equally clear that we could
not go forward If the inmates should
object. On that narrow perch even
Marie was helpless. The bars of the
window We're close together A wonl-
an. child, could disengase our hands,
and then-I turned sick again. I
| thought of the cruel stones. I glued
my face to the bars. and pushing aside
corner of the curtain looked in.
There was only one person in the
room--a woman, who was moving
about. fully dressed. late as it was. The
room was mere attic. the counterpart
of that we had left. A box bed with q
canopy roughly nailed over 1t stood in
one corner. A couple of chairs were by
the hearth. and all seemed to speak of
poverty and baroness. Yet the woman
whom we saw was richly dressed.
though her silks and velvets were dis
hair, and others on her hands. When
she turned her face towards us-a wild,
beautiful face, perplexed and tear
stained-I knew her instantly for a
gentlewoman, and when she walked
hastily to the door, and laid her hand
upon 1t. and seemed to listen--when she
shook the latch and dropped her hands
made another discovery. I knew at
once, seeing her there, that we We're
| likely but to change one prison for an
other. Was every house in Paris then
dungeon? And did each roof cover
| its tragedy?
"Madame!" I said, speaking softly,
to attract her attention "Madane!"
whence the sound came. and looked
round. at the door first. Then she
moved towards the window. and with
an affrighted gesture, drew the curtain
rapidly aside.
Our eyes met. What if she screamed
and aroused the house? What, indeed?
Madame" / said again, speaking hur-
|
the softness of my voice. I'VE inplo-e
your help! Unless you assist us ssa are
lost"
you! Who are your" she cried,
glazing at US wildly her hand to her
head. And then she murmured to her
self: Mon Deu! what will become of
me?"
1--WE have been Imprisoned in the
house opposite / hnstened to explain,
disjointedly, I am afraid. And we
have escaped. We cannot get back il
we would Unless you let us enter
your room and give us shelter"
I'VE shall be dashed to pieces on the
pavement supplied Marie. with per-
feet calmness-nay. with apparent en-
joyment.
LET you in here?' she answered,
starting back in q new terror; ''it is
impossible"
She reminded me of our cousin, be-
ing. like her, pale and dark-haired. She
wore her hair in a coronet, disordered
now. But though she was still benuti-
full. she was older than Kit. and lacked
her plant grace ] saw all this, and
Judging her nature. l spoke out of my
despair. Madame ] said piteously
I'VE are boys. Croisette! Come up
Squeezing myself still more tightly in
to my corner of the ledge. l made room
for him between us. See, madame" |
cried, craftily. will you not have pity
on three boys?"
st. Crooks boyish face and fair hair
arrested her attention, as l had ex-
pected. Her expression grew softer,
and she murmured: Poor boy
caught at the opportunity. We do
but seek passage through Your
ROOM 1 said, fervently. Good heav-
ems what had we not at stake. What
If she should remain obdurate? I'VE
are In trouble-in despair" I painted
SO. /! believe. are you. We will HELP
you if you will first save us. We arc
boys. but we can fight for YOU
Whom am j to trust?" She ex-
claimed, with shudder. But heaven
forbid, she continued. her eyes on
Croisette's face. that, wanting help
/ should refuse to give it. Come in, if
you Will"
l poured out my thanks, and had
forced my head between the bars at
imminent risk of its remaining there
before the words were we'll out of her
mouth. But to enter was no easy task
after all. Croisette did indeed, squeeze
through at last. and then by force
pulled first one and then the other of
US after him. But only necessity and
that chasm behind could have nerveG
US, think, to go through a process SC
painful. When / stood. at length. on
the floor. l seemed to be one great
abrasion from head to foot. And be-
fore lady, too.
But what a JOY / felt. nevertheless
4 A fig for Beers now. He had called us
boys: and we We're boys. But he
/ should yet find that we could thwart
him. 1t could scarcely be half an houl
after midnight; we might still be In
time. ! stretched myself and trod the
level floor jubilantly. and then noticed
h la Mi On fhnf \, l,.,x
retreated to the door and was eyeina
us timidly-half scared.
/ advanced to her with my lowest
bow-sadly missing my sword. Mad
anne said, II am NJ. Anne de Caylus
and these are my brothers. We are al
your service
And L." she replied, smiling faintls
i do not know why-"am Nine. dc
Pavannes. / gratefully accept your of
fers Of service
DE Pavannes?" 1 exclaimed amazed
and overjoyed. Nine. de Pavannes,
Why, she must be Louis kinswoman
No doubt she could tell US where he
/ was lodged, and so rid our task of hall
its difficulty Could anything have fail.
len out more happily? You know the1
NJ. Louis de Pavannes?" L continued
eagerly.
Certainly" she added, smiling
with a rare shy sweetness this time
Very we'll, inoeed. He is my hus-
band"
CHAPTER V.
A Priest and Woman.
He is my husband!"
The statement was made in the pur-
est innocence; yet never, as may vel
be imagined. did words fall with more
stunning force. Not one of us an
swered, or, believe. moved so much as
a limb or an eyelid. We only stared