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

We could sea bend In the street
laying 1t o~pen-part OF tho Vidame's
house; the gloomy square hold which
had come to him from his mother. His
own chateau of Beers lay far away
In Franche Comte, but OF late he had
shown a preference-Catherine could
best account for II, perhaps-for this
mean house in Caylus. 1t was the only
house in the town which did not be-
long to us. Ii was known as the
House OF the Wolf. apd was a grim
stone building surrounding a court
yard. Rows of wolves heads carved
in stone hanked the windows, whence
their bare fangs grinned day and night
at the church porch opposite.
The noise drew our eyes In this d.
rection; and there, lolling in a window
over the door. looking out on the
street with a laughing eye. was Be
GERS himself. The cause of his merri-
ment-wo had not far to look for It.
was a horseman who was riding up
the street under difficulties. He was
refining In his ~steed-no easy task on
that steep, greaGy' pavement-so as TO
present some front 10 a score or so Of
ragged knaves who were following
close at his heels, hooting and throw
ing mud and pebbles at him. The man
had drawn his sword. n his oaths
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cries of "Nive la messed" and half
drowned by the Gathering of the
horses hoofs. We saw a stone strike
him In the face. and draw blood. and
heard him swear louder han before.
OH" cried Catherine, clasping her
hands with a sudden shrek Of indig-
nation. my letter! They will get my
!%etter!'
Death" exclaimed Croisette. "She
Is right! IL is NJ. de Pavannes' cou-
rier! This must be stopped! We can
not stand this. Anne!'
They shall pay dearly for it. by our
lady," I cried, swearing myself. And
In peace time, too-the villains! GIL!
Francis!" / shouted. Where are
your"
And / looked round for my fowling
piece, while Croisette jumped upon the
wall, and. forming a trumpet with his
hands, shrieked at the top of his voice:
Back. he bears a letter from the
vicomte!"
But the device did not succeed, and
I could not find my gun. For a mo-
ment we were helpless. and before /
could have fetched the gun from the
house the horseman and the hooting
rabble at his heels had turned O COR
ner and were hidden by the roofs.
Another turn, however, would bring
them out In front OF the gateway, and,
seeing this, we hurried down the ramp
to meet them. / stayed a moment to
tell GIL to collect the servants, and,
this keeping me, Croisette reached the
narrow street outside before me. AS
l followed him / was nearly knocked
down by the rider, whose face was
covered with dirt and blood, while
fright had rendered his horse unman-
ageable. Darling aside, l let him pass
he was blinded and could not see me
and then found hat Croisette-brave
ladl-had collared the foremost Of the
ruffians and was beating him with his
sheathed sword, while the rest Of the
rabble stood back, ashamed, yet sui
len, and with anger In their eyes. A
dangerous crew, ] thought; not towns
men, most Of them.
Down with the Huguenotsl" cried
one, as 1 appeared, holder than the
rest.
ed, sternly, cycling the ill-looking ring.
win you set yourselves above the
kings peace dirt that you are? Go
back to your kennels!"
The words were scarcely out Of my
mouth beforet / saw that the fellow
whom Croisette was Furnishing a got
hold of a dagger. l shouted q warn
Ing, but 1t came too late. The blade
fell, and-thanks to God-striking the
paNhiC VI ilC ldd . z u RldllSSu Ol
harmless. l saw the steel fash up
~again-saw the spite in the mans eyes;
but this time ! was a step nearer, and
before the a. fell / passed my
sword clean through the wretch's
body. He went down like a log. Croi-
Bette falling with him, held fast by
his stiffening fingers.
/ had never killed a man before, nor
seen a man die: and If / had stayed to
think ahntif a. ehnt,Id hnrFa pol1an
sick perhaps. But It was no time for
thought; no time for sickness. The
crowd were close upon US, a line of
flushed threatening faces from wall to
wall. A single glance downwards told
me that the man was dead, and / set
my foot upon his neck. Hounds!
Beastsl" / cried, not loudly this time,
Cor though 1 was like one possessed
with rage, 1t was inward rage, "go to
your kennelsl VIII you dare to raise
a hand against a Caylus? Go-or when
the vicomte returns, q dozen of you
shall hang In the market place."
1 suppose l looked fierce enough
know / felt no fear, only a strange ex-
altation-for they skunk away. I'm
willingly. but with little delay, the
group melted. Brezers' following-of
whom l knew h dead man was one
the last to go. While / still glared at
Shem, 10! the street was empty; the
iast had disappeared round the bend.
] turned to find GIL and half a dozen
servants standing with pale faces at
my back. Crolsette seized my hand
with a sob. "Oh, my Lord" cried GIL,
Quaveringly. But ! shook one Off, l
frowned at the other.
Take up this carrion!" I said.
suching 1t with my foot, land hang
1t from the justice elm. And then
close the gates! See to It, knaves, and
Lose no time"
CHAPTER II.
vrHE NInAMENc nnInEAn