The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-08-15
e - sS:ssssssssEssssssages
-She House of The Wolf,,,,,,ss
By STANLEY j. WEYMAN
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
BY STANLEY j. WEYMAN

polk had taken one of the candles with
MIN, and the other wanted shutting. l
could not see whether the latch moved;
whether or not it was rising. But
watching intently, made out that the
door was being opened-sowly, noise
lessly l saw some one enter-a fur
tive gliding shadow.
For moment 1 felt nervous-then
recognized the dark hooded figure. It
was only Nine. d'O. Brave woman!
She had evaded the vidame and slipped
to the rescue. Ha, ha! We would de-
feat the Vidame yet! Things were go
ing better!
But then something IN her manner
as she stood holding the door and peer
ing into the room-something in her
bearing startled and frightened me. AS
she came forward her movements We're
so stealthy that her footsteps made no
sound. Her dark shadow, moving ahead
OF her across the floor, was not more
silent than She. An underlined desire
TO make a noise, to give the alarm
seized me.
Half way across the floor she stopped
to listen, and looked around, startled
herself, | think. by the silence. She
could not see her sister, whose
figure was blurred by the outlines of
the curtain; and no doubt she was puz-
zled to think what had become of her
The suspense Which l felt, but did not
understand, was so great that at last
moved, and the bed creaked
In a moment her face was turned our
way. and she glided forwards, her fea-
lures still hidden by the hood of her
cloak. she was close to us now, bend
ing over us. She raised her hand to her
head-to shade her eyes, as she looked
more closely, l supposed, and l was
wondering whether she saw us--wheth-
hn CT, !,
shadow of the curtain for her sister, or
could not make it out was thinking
now we could best apprise her Of our
presence without alarming her--when
Crolsette dashed my thoughts to the
winds! Croisette, with a tremendous
whoop and crash, bounded over me
on to the floor!
| She uttered q gaSping cry-a cry Of
intense, awful fear. I have the sound
in my ears even now. With that she
staggered back, clutching the air.
heard the metallic clang and ring of
something falling on the floor. 1 heard
an answering cry of alarm from the
window; and then Nine. de Pavannes
ran forward and caught her in her
arms.
1t was strange to find the room late
~ SO silent become at once alive with
whispering FORMS as we came hastily
to light. l cursed Croisette for his fol-
~ ana was lmmeasurably angry With
MN, but had no time to waste words
on him then. hurried to the door to
!, guard it. l opened it a hands breath
and listened. All was quiet below the
mouse still. 1 took the key out Of the
lock and put it in my pocket and went
back. Marie and Croisette We're stand
ing little apart from Nine de Pa
Vannes, who, hanging over her sister,
was by turns bathing her face and
explaining our presence
In very few minutes Nine. 40
seemed to recover, and sat up. The
first shock of deadly terror had passed,
but she was still pale. She still trem-
pied and shrank from meeting our eyes.
though l saw her. when our attention
was apparently directed elsewhere,
glance at one and another of US with
strange lntentness, g shuddering Gu
riosity: No wonder, 7 thought She
must have had a terrible fright--one
that might have killed a more timid
Woman!
What on earth did you do that for?''
asked Croisette, presently, my anger
certainly not decreasing the more T
looked at her beautiful face. You
might have killed her!''
, In charity 1 supposed his nerves had
failed him, for he could not even now
give me straightforward answer. His
only reply was: Let us get away from
this horrible housed" and this he kept
repeating, with shudder as he moved
restlessly to and fro.
WITH all my heart" I answered.
looking at him with some contempt.
That is exactly what we are going to
do"
But all the same his words reminded
me of something which in the excite
ment OF the scene I had momentarily
forgotten, and that was our duty. Pa
vannes must be saved, though not for
Kit; rather to answer to us for his sins,
But he must be saved! And now that
the road was open, every minute lost
was reproach to us. Yes" I added,
. roughly, my thoughts turned into
8. more rugged channel, you are right
This is no time for nursing. We must
be going, Nine. de Pavannes,'' I went
on, addressing myself to her. you
know the way home from hereto your
house?''
"Oh, yes!'' she cried.
: THAT is WELL" answered. Then we
: will start. Your sister is sufficiently
| recovered now, think. And we will
not risk any further delay
l did not tell her Of her husband 8
danger, or that we suspected him OF
wronging her, and being, in fact, the
cause Of her detention. I wanted her
point, though l was glad to be able to
put her In a place Of safety at the same
time that we fulfilled our own mission.
She rose eagerly you are sure that
we can get out? she said.
Sure" 1 replied, with a brevity
worthy Of Beers himself
And I was right. We trooped down.
stairs making as little noise as posi-
BILE; with the result that Mirepoix only
took the alarm, and came upon us
when we were at the outer door, bung-
ling with the lock. Then l made short
work of him, checking his scared words
OF remonstrance by flashing my dagger
before his eyes. I induced him in the
same fashion-he was fairly taken by
surprise-to undo the fastenings him
self; and so, bidding him follow us at
his peril, we slipped out one by one We
softly closed the door behind us. And
10! we were at last free-free and in
the streets of Paris with the cool night
air tanning our brows. A church hard
by tolled the hour of two; and the
strokes were echoed, before we had
gone many steps along the ill-paved
way, by the solemn tones OF the bell
of Notre Dame
We were free and in the streets, with
| q or "a rry1,N H.