Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-08-24

more do you want with him, most val
liant knight-errand?"
II must see Kim" / said, firmly.
would have told her all and been
thankful, but he priest was within
h~earing-or barely out OF It: and l had
seen too much pass between him and
Beers TO be wiling to say anything
before him.
You must see NJ. de Pavannes?" she
repeated, gazing at me.
Il must" / replied, with decision.
Then you shall. That is exactly
what / am going to help you to do"
She exclaimed. III is not here. That
is what is the matter. He went out
at nightfall seeking news of his wife.
II crossed the river, the coadiutor
says, TO the Faubourg st. German.
Now II is of the utmost Importance
that he should return before morning
return here"
Gil my calculations at fault. You are
sure of 1T, madame?"
Quite sure" she answered, rapidly.
your brothers will have by this time
discovered the fact. Now, NJ. de Cay
JUS, must be brought here
before morning, not only for his wife's
sake-though she Will be wild with
anXiety-but also"
Il know" | said, eagerly, interrupt
Ing her, for his own tool There is a
hanger threatening him."
she turned swiftly, as If startled, and
l turned, and we looked at the priest.
l thought we understood one another.
There is" she answered, softly, and
would save him from that danger:
put he Will only be safe, as / happen to
KNOW, mere! Here, you understand, He
must be brought here before daybreak,
M. de Caylus. He must! He must,"
she exclaimed, her beautiful features
hardening with the earnestness Of her
feelings. And the coadjutor cannot
go. l cannot go, There is only one man
who can save him, and that is yourself.
Ihere is, o all, not a moment TO be
lost"
My thoughts were i'm q whirl. Even
as she spoke she began to walk back
the way we had come, her hand on my
arm; and /, doubtful and in a confused
way unwilling, went with her. | did
not clearly understand the position. |
would nave wished to go in and confer
with Marie n Croisette; but the June
ture a occurred so quickly, and it
might be that time was as valuable as
she said, and-well, it was hard for
me, a lad, TO refuse her anything when
she looked at me with appeal in her
eyes. l did manage to stammer: But
l DO not know Paris. / could not find
my way, l am afraid, and 1t is night,
madame
h released my arm and stopped.
Night" she cried, with a scornful
ring In her voice. Might! thought
you were a man, not a boy. You are
afraid!'
Afraid l said, hotly; 1--WE Caylus'
are never afraid"
Then | can tell you the way. if that
be your only difficulty. We turn here.
Now, come in with me a moment" she
continued, and l will give you some
thlng you will need-and your direc-
tons"
She had stopped at the door Of a tall.
narrow house, standing between larger
ones in a street which appeared to me
TO be more airy and important than
any i had yet seen. AS she spoke. she
rang the bell once, twice, thrice. The
sllVery tinkle had scarcely died away
the third time before the door opened
silently; l saw no one, but she drew me
into a narraw hall or passage. 4 taper
In an embossed holder was burning on
q chest. She took 1t up, and. telling me
TO follow her, led the way lightly up
the stairs. and into a room, half par
lof, half bedrOOm-suCh a room as
a never seen before. 1t was richly
hung from ceiling to floor with blue
SILK, and lighted by the soft rays of
lamps shaded by Venetian globes of
delicate hues. The scent Of c~edarwood
was in the air, and on the hearth in n
veiVet tray were some tiny puppies. A
dainty disorder reigned everywhere. on
one table a jewel case stood open, on
another lay some lace garments, two or
three masks and a far. A gemmed rid
ing whip and a silver-hilted poniard
hung on the same peg. And, strang-
est OF all. huddled away behind the
aoor, espled a plain, bl~ack-sheathed
sword n a mans gauntlets.
She did not wait a moment, but went
at once to the jewel case. She took
from 1t a gold ring-a heavy seal ring.
she held this out to me in the most
matter-of-fact way-scarcely turning,
IN 1act. Put 1t or your finger" she
said, hurriedly. IF you are stopped by
soldiers, or If they will not give YOU
a boat to cross the river, say boldly
that you are in the kings service. Call
Tor the officer II show that ring. Play
the man. Bid him stop you at his
PERIL"
| hastily muttered my thanks. and
she as hastily took something from a
drawer, n tore it into strips. Be
fore / knew what she was doing she
was on her knees by me, fastening a
white band of linen round my left
sleeve. Then she took my cap, and
with The same precipitation fixed q
fragment of the same stuff in it, in
the form Of a rough cross.
There" she said. Now, listen. NJ.
de Caylus. There is more afoot to-
night than you know Of. These badges
VIII help you across to st. German,
but the momen you land, tear them
on. Tear them off. remember. They
VIII help you no longer. You will come
back by the same boat, and will not
need them. If you are seen to wear
them as you return, they will command
respect, but on the contrary will
bring you-and perhaps me-into trou-
II understand" / said, but"
You must ask no questions she
waving one snowy finger be-
fore my eyes. MY knight-errant
must have faith in me, as / have in
him.; or he would not be here at this
OF night, and alone with me. But
TINS also. When you meet
do not say you come from
me. Keep that in your mind; | will
explain he reason afterwards. Say
that his wife is found. and is
wild with anxiety about him. If Won
say anything as to his danger he NAV
refuse to come. Men are obstinate"
l nodded a smiling assent, thinking
| understood. AT the same time | per-
myself in my own mind a lit
tie discretion. Pavannes was not a
fool, and the name Of the vidame-but.
however, l should see. / had more to
say to him than she knew Of. Mean
while she explained very carefully the
~turnings / had to take to reach
the river, and the wharf where boats
most commonly lay, and the name of
the house in which 1 should find M. de
Pavannes.
III is at he Hotel de Bailli," she
said. And there, / think that is ALL"
NO, not ALL" / said hardly. There
s one thing l have not got. And that
S a sword!'
She followed the direction of my eyes,
started, and la~ughed-a little oddly.
But she fetched the cap Take it,
inc do not she urged, do not lose
line. Do not mention me to Pavannes.