Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-07-27
CHAPTER ".
Entrappedi

CHAPTER ".
~Entrapped.
There was a long silence. We stood
glaring at him, and he smiled upon US
- as a cat smiles. Croisette tod M
afterwards that he could have died OF
mortihcation-of shame and anger tina
We had been outwitted. For myself
l did not at once grasp the position.
l did not understand. / could not dis.
entangle myself in a momen from the
belief In which i had entered the house
that 1t was Louis de Pavannes' house.
But | seemed vaguely to suspect thai
BeZers had swept him aside and taken
his place. My first impulse, therefore
-obeyed on the inStant-was to stride
10 the vidame's side and grasp his arm.
what have o done?" / cried, my
voice sounding hoarsely even In my
own ears. What have you done with
M. de P~avannes? Answer met"
He showed just a little more OF his
sharp white teeth as he looked down
at my face-a flushed and troubled
face, doubtless. "Nothing-yet," he re-
piled, very mildly. And he shook me
off.
Then" l retorted, "how do you come
here?' He glanced at Croisette and
shrugged his shoulders, as If / a been
a spoiled child, m. Anne does not
oSSii " ullutISldlu, ne hdlu, WIN
mock courtesy, that / have the honor
to welcome him to my house, the Hotel
Beers, Rue de Platiere."
The Hotel Beers! Rue de Plat
riere!' cried, confusedly. But Blaisc
Bure told US that this was the Rue
81. Antoinei'
"Ah!" he replied, as II slowly Ell
li~ghtened-the hypocrite! "Ah! I see"
n he smiled grimly. so you have
made the acquaintance of Blaise Bure,
my excellent master Of the horse!
Worthy Blaise! Indeed, indeed. now |
understand. And you thought. you
whelps," he continued. and as he spoke
his on changed strangely and he xed
US suddenly with angry eyes, ito play
a rubber with me! With me, you inn
beetles! You thought the wolf of
Beers could be hunted down like any
hare! Then listen, and, I will tell you
the end Of It. You are now In my
house and absolutely at my mercy. l
have two score men within call who
would cut the threats Of three babes
at the breast II l babe them. Aye" he
added, a wicked eXultation shining in
his eyes, they would, and like the
job"
He was going on to say more, but l
interrupted MIN. The rage | felt,
caused as much by the thought Of our
folly as by his arrogance, would let me
be silent no longer. First. NJ. de
Bees, first" i broke out, fercely, my
words leaping over one mother in my
haste, "a word with you! Let me tell
you what / hin Of you! You are a
treacherous hound, vidame! A CUR.
a beast! And I spit upon you! Traitor
and assassin" / shouted, lis that not
enough? VIII nothing provoke you?
II you call yourself a gentleman,
draw"
Hhe shook his head; he was still smil-
Ing, still unmoved. II do not do my
own dirty work" he said, quietly, nor
stint my footmen Of their sport, boy"
Very well!' / retorted. And with
the words / drew my sword and sprang
as quick as lightning to the curtain by
which he had entered. Very well. we
will kill o irst!'I cried, wrathfully,
my eye on his eye, and every savage
passion In my breast aroused, "and
take u chance with the lackeys after
wards! Marie! Croisette!" I cried,
shrilly, ION him, lads!"
But they did not answer. They did
not move or draw. For the moment,
indeed, the man was in my power. My
wrist was raised, and / had my point
at his breast, I could have run him
through by a single thrust. And |
hated him. Oh, how I hated him! But
he did not stir. Had he spoken. had
he moved so much as an eyelid, or
drawn back his foot, or laid his hand
on his hilt, I should have killed him
there. But he did not stir and I could
not do it. My hand dropped. Cow.
ards!" / cried. glancing bitterly from
him to them-they had never failed me
before. "Cowards!" / muttered, SEEM
ing to shrink into myself as I said the
word. And l flung my sword clatter-
ing on the floor.
That is BETTER" he drawled, quite
unmoved, as If nothing more than
words had passed, as If he had not beer
In perial at all. 1T was what / was go
Ing to ask you to do. If the other
young gentlemen will follow your ex.
ample. | shall be obliged. Thank you.
Thank you"
Croisette. and q minute later Marie,
obeyed him to the letter! / could not
understand it. / folded my arms and
gave up the game in despair, and but
for very shame / could have put my
hands to my face and cried. He stood
in the middle under the lamp, a head
taller than the tallest of us; u mas
ter. And we stood round him trapped.
beaten, for all the world like children.
oh, / could have cried! This was the
end Of our long ride, our aspirations,
our knight %errantry!
NOW perhaps you will listen to me-"
he went on, smoothly, land hear what
! am going to do. / am going to keep
you here, young gentlemen, until you
can serve me by carrying to mademoi-
selle, our cousin, some news Of her
betrothed. oh, l shall not detain you
long" he added, with an evil smile.
have arrived at Paris at a fortu-
nate moment. There is going to be a.
well, there is a little scheme on foot
appointed for Notwithstanding lucky
you are!-for removing some objection
able people, some friends of ours, per-
haps among them, NJ. Anne. That is
all. You will hear shots, cries, perhaps
Take ne notice. You will be
in no danger. For M. de Pavannes," he
continued, his voice sinking, 1T think
that by morning / shall be able to give
you-a-a more particular account of
him to take TO Caylus-to mademoi-
selle. you understand"
Fol a moment the mask was off. His
lace took a sombre brightness. He
moistened his lips with his tongue as
though he saw his vengeance worked