Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-09-07
The House of The Wolf,,,,,,

distance see the Jewels CLEAN in the
bonnet OF one who seemed to be their
leader. He was in the center OF the
band, a very young man, perhaps 20 OF
his horse superbly. He wore a gray
riding coat, and al a head taller
than any OF his companions. There
was pride in the very air with which
his horse bore him.
1 did not need to ask Pavannes who
ne was. l knew that he was the duke
or Guise, and thai the house before
which he stood was Coligny's. I knew
what was being lone there, And In
the same / sickened with hor-
ror n rage. l had q vision OF gray
hairs and blood n fury scarcely hui
man. And | rebelled. / battled with
the rabble about me. ! forced my way
through them tooth and nail after
Pavannes. Intent only on escaping,
only on getting away, from there. And
so we neither halted nor looked back
until we were clear OF the crowd and
had left the blaze OF light and the
work doing by It way behind us.
We found ourselves Their in the
mouth OF an obscure alley which my
companion whispered would bring us
to his house; and there we paused to
take breath n look back. The sky
was red behind us, the air full OF the
clash and din OF the tocsin, and the
flood of sounds which poured from
every tower and steeple. From the
eastward came the rattle OF drums and
random shots, and shrieks of "A bas
Coligny!" "A bas les Huguenots!"
Meanwhile the city was rising as one
man, pale at this dread awakening.
From every window men and women,
frightened by the uproar, were craning
their necks, asking or answering ques-
lions or hurriedly calling for and kim
ding tapers. But as yet the general
populace seemed to be taking no ahtive
part In the disorder.
Pavannes raised his hat an instant
as he stood the shadow Of the houses.
The noblest man In France is dead"
he said, softly and reverently. God
rest his soul! They have bad their way
with him and killed hin like a dog. He
was an old man, and they did not
spare him! A noble, and they have
called in the canaille to e him. But
be sure, my friend"-and as the speak
er's tone changed and grew full and
proud, as form seemed to swell with
it-"be sure the cruel shall not live
out half their daysl No. He that
takes he knife shall perish by the
knife! And go to his own place! 1
shall not see It, but You Will"
His words made no great impression
on me then. My hardihood was re-
turning. 1 was %throbbing with fierce
excitment, and tingling for the fight.
But years afterwards, when the two
who stood highest in the group about
Coligny's threshold died, the one at 3S
and the other at 35-when Henry Of
Guise and Henry of Valois died within
six months Of one another by the as
sassin's knife-I remembered v
mes augury. And remembering It, I
read the ways Of Providence, and saw
that the very audacity OF which Guise
took advantage TO entrap Coligny led
him in his turn to trip smiling and
bowling a comit box In his hand and
the kisses Of his mistress damp on his
lips, into a kings closet.a kings
closet at Blois! Led him to lift the cur
tain-ah! to lift the curtain-what
Frenchman does not know the tale?-
behind which stood the admiral!
To return to our W fortunes; after
a hurried glance we pursued our way,
and sped through the alley, holding q
brief consultation as we went. Pavan-
nes' first hasty instinct to seek shell
ter at home began to lose it's force, and
he to consider whether his return
would not endanger his wife. The mob
might be expected to spare her, he ar
gued. Her death would not benefit
any private foes II he escaped. He
was for keeping away, therefore. But
/ would not agree to this. The priests
crew Of MISUNDERSTANDING Pavan-
nes' suspicious to be correct-would
wait some time, no doubt, to give the
master Of the house a chance to return,
but would certainly attack sooner or
later out Of greed, IL for no other mo-
tive. Then the lady's fate would be at
the best uncertain. / was anxious
myself to rejoin my brothers, and take
all future chances, whether Of saving
our Louis, or escaping ourselves, with
hoo AZ .aA 1AA.I1 l.
swords, and might at least protect
Nine. de Pavannes to a place of safety,
II on opportunity of succoring Louis
would present itself. We had too, the
dukes ring, and this might be Of SER
vice at a pinch. NO." ] urged, let us
get together. We two will slip in at
the front gate and bolt and bar 1t, and
then we will all escape In a body at
the back, while they are forcing the
gateway"
There is no door at the back" he
answered, shaking his head.
There are windows"
They are too strongly barred. We
could not break out in time" he ex-
planned with a groan.
l paused at that c~restfallen. But
danger quickened my wits. In a mo-
ment / had another plan, not SO hope
full and more dangerous, yet worth
trying, / thought. I told him OF 1t, and
he agreed to II. AS he nodded assent
we emergedint a street, and / SAVIOR
the gray light Of morning was begin
ming to penetrate between the houses
that we were only a few yards
from the gateway, and the small
door by which 1 had seen my
brothers enter. Were they still in the
house? Were they safe? l had been
away an hour at least.
Anxious az WAS abOut than 7
looked around me very keenly as we
fitted across the road and knocked
gently at the door. / thought II so
likely that We should be fallen upon
here, that / stood on my guard while
we waited, but we We're not molested.
The street, being at some distance from
the center of the connection, was still
and empty, with no signs OF life appar-
ent, except the rows OF heads poked
through the windows-all possessing
eyes which watched us heedfully and in
perfect silence. Yes, the street was
quite empty; except, ah! except, for
that lurking figure. which, even as I
spied 1t. shot around a distant angle
of the wall and was lost to sight!
"There!" I cried, reckless now who
might hear me, knock! knock louder!
never mind the noise. The alarm is
given. A score Of people are watching
us, n yonder spy has gone off to sum-
mon his friends"
The truth was my anger was rising.
l could bear no longer the silent re-
CARDS of all those eyes at the windows.
1 writhed under them-cruel, pitiless
eyes they were. rea in them a NOR
bid curiosity, a patient anticipation
that drove me wild. Those men and
women gazing on us so stonily knew
my companions rank and faith. They
haI x.yok4AA1 Al>a rfdfNar " 49,. ~.k
daily, one OF the sights of their street,
gay and gallant; and now with the
same eyes they were watching greedily
for the butchers to come. The very
children took a fresh interest in him,
as one doomed and dying; and waited