Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-06-27
CHAPTER i


even now. / can shut my eyes and see
then-tnst the blue summer sky, and
one gray angle of the keep. from
which a fieecy cloud was trailing like
the smoke from chimney. could see
no more because 1 was lying on my
back. my head resting on my hands,
Marie and Croisette, my brothers. were
lying by me in exactly the same post
ure, and few yards away on the ter
race, Catherine was sitting on stool
GIL had brought out for her. 1t was
the second Thursday In August, and
not Even the jackdaws We're silent.
had almost fallen asleep. watching
my cloud grow longer and longer, and
thinner and thinner. when Croisette,
who cared for heat no more than a
lizard, spoke up sharply: "Madem-
ofselle', he said, why are you watch
ing the Cahors road?''
had not noticed that she was doing
SO. But something in the keenness of
Crotsette's tone, taken perhaps with
the fact that Catherine did not at once
answer him, aroused me; and ] turned
to her. And 10. she was blushing in
the most heavenly way, and her eyes
were full of tears, and she looked at us
adorably. And we all three sat up on
our elbows, like three puppy dogs, and
looked at her. And there was a long
silence. And then she said quite sim
ply to US; Boys, 1 am going to be
married to NJ. de Pavannes"
fell fiat on my back and spread out
my arms. "Oh, mademoiselle," / cried
reproachfully.
oh. mademoisele!" cried Marie
And he fell fiat on his back, and spread
out his arms and moaned He was a
good brother, was Marie, and obedient
And Croisette cried: ooh, made
moiselle!" too. But he was always
ridiculous In his ways. He fell nat on
his back, and Topped his arms and
squealed like a pig.
Yet he was sharp. 1T was he who
first remembered our duty, and went
to Catherine, cap in hand. where she
sat half angry and half confused, and
SAID, with fine redness i'm his cheeks.
Mile. de Caylus. our cousin, we give
you JOY, and wish you long life; and
are your servants and the good friends
and aiders of M. de Pavannes In all
quarrels, as
But could not stand that. mot so
fast, st. Croix de Caylus," i said, push
Ing him aside--he was ever getting be-
fore me In those days-and taking his
place. Then. With my best bow, 1 be-
gan: "Mademoiselle, we give you JOY
and long life, and are your servants
ana good friends and aiders OF NJ. de
AS becomes the cadets of your
house" suggested Croisette. softly.
AS becomes the cadets of your
house" repeated And then Cathe-
rine stood up and made me low bow,
and we all kissed her hand in turn, be-
ginning with me and ending with Croi-
settle, as was becoming. Afterwards
catherine threw her handkerchief
over her face-she was crying-and we
three sat down, Turkish fashion Just
where we We're, and said: ooh, Kit."
Very softly.
But presently Croisette had some
thing to add. What will the Wolf
say" he whispered to me.
All! To be sure,'' 1 exclaimed
aloud had been thinking of myself
before: but this opened quite another
Kit?"
She dropped her handkerchief from
her face, and turned so pale that I was
sorry had spoken-apart from the
kick Croisette gave me. rs M. de Be-
zers at his house?" she asked anx-
iously.
Yes" Croisette answered. HE came
in last night from st. Antonin, with
Very small attendance"
Inc news seemed to set her fears at
rest instead of augmenting them. as I
should have expected. l suppose they
were rather for Louis de Pavannes
than for herself. Not unnaturally, zoo,
for even the Wolf could scarcely have
found 1T in his heart to hurt our cou-
sin. Her slight, willowy figure, her
pale, oval face and gentle brown eyes.
her pleasant voice, her Kindness
seemed to US boys. and in those days
TO sum up all that was womanly. We
could not remember, not even Croi-
settle. the youngest Of us-who was IL,
year Junior to Marie and myself
we We're twins-the time when we had
not been In love with her.
But let me explain how we four.
whose united ages scarce exceeded 10
years, came to be lounging on the ter
race in the holiday stiffness of that
afternoon 1t was the summer of 1872
The great peace it will be remem-
bered, between the Catholics and the
Huguenots had not long been declared;
be solemnized, and, as most French
men hoped, to be cemented by the
marriage of Henry of Navarro With
Margaret of Valois, the kings sister
Vicomte de Caylus.. GATHERINGS fa-
ther and our guardian, was one of the
governors appointed to see the peace
enforced; the respect in which he was
held by both parties-he was Cath
oltc but no bigot. God rest his soul,
recommending him for this employ
ment. He had therefore gone a week
OF two before to Bayonne, his province
Most of our neighbors In Quercy were
likewise from home. having gone to
Paris tn be witnesses on one side or
the other of the royal wedding. And
consequently we young people, not
greatly checked by the presence of
good natured, sleepy Nine. Claude.
Catherine's duenna, We're disposed to
make the most of our liberty and to
celebrate the peace in our own fash
Ion.
We We're country folk Not one of
US had been to Pau, much less to
Paris. The vicomte held stricter views
than were common then upon Young
peoples education; and. though we
had learned to ride and shoot, to use
our swords and toss hawk, and to
read and write. we knew little more
than Catherine herself Of the world:
little more Of the pleasures and sins
OF court life, and not one tenth MS
much as she did OF its graces. Still.
she had taught us to dance and make
manners; and of late we had gained
something from the frank companions
shfps Of Louis de Pavannes, a Hugue-
not whom the vicomte had taken pris-
oner at Moncontour and held to ran
som. We were not, I think, mere
clownish yokels.
But we were shy We disliked and
Stunned strangers. And when old Gil
appeared suddenly, While we were still
chewing the melancholy cud of Kits
announcement, and cried sepulchrally
M. lie Vidame de Beers to pay his re-
spects to mademoiselle!"-W there
was something like panic, confess!
We scrambled to our feet, muttering:
THE Wolff" The entrance at Caylus
n hv a ric
to the level of the terrace. This sunk
en- way Is fenced by low walls SO that