The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-08-08
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The House of The Wolf,,,,,,$
Y BY STANLEY j WEYMAN 4

BY STANLEY j. WEYMAN

~~~~~o~~o>-~.~o~
angry disdain. How dare you-such
as you.mention my name? Wretch"
the priest took it UP. CAY, wretch!
Wretched man indeed" he repeated,
slowly, stretching out his long thin
hand and laying it like the claw of
some bird of prey on the tradesman 5
shoulder, which flinched, saw, under
the touch. How dare you-such as
you-meddle with matters of the no.
bility? Matters that do not concern
you? Trouble! I see trouble hanging
evec this house, Mirepoix! Much trou-
ble!"
TIE miserable fellow trembled visibly
under the covert threat. His face grew
pale. His lips quivered. He seemed
fascinated by the priests gaze. II am
faithful son of the church, he NUT
tered; but his voice shook so that the
words We're scarcely audible. Il am
known to be such! None better known
in Paris, M. lie Coadjuteur.'
Men are known by their works."
the priest retorted. Now, now" he
continued, abruptly, raising his voice
and lifting his hand in a kind of eX-
altation, real or feigned, lis the APP
pointed time! And now is the day of
salvation! And woe, Mirepoix, woe
woe! to the backslider, and to him
that putteth his hand to the plow and
looketh back tonight
The layman covered and shrank be-
fore his fierce denunciation; While
Mime. de Pavannes ga.ed from one to
the other as if her dislike for the priest
were so great that seeing the two thus
quarreling, she almost forgave Mire-
polk his offense. "Mirepoix said he
could explain" she murmured, irreso-
lutely.
The coadjutor fixed his baleful eyes
on him. "Mirepoix," he said, grimly,
dare him to eXplain!"
And certainly MirepoiN, thus chal-
lenged, was silent. Come" the priest
continued, peremptorily, turning to
the lady who had entered with him.
your sister must leave with us at
once. We have no time to lose.''
But what-what does it mean?"
Nine. de Pavannes said, as though she
hesitated even now.
rs there danger Still?"
"Danger!" the priest exclaimed, his
form seeming to swell and the exalta-
ton l had before read in his voice and
manner again asserting itself. Il put
myself at your service, madame, and
danger disappears l am as God to-
night with powers of life and death!
You do not understand me-? Presently
| you shall. But you are ready. We will
| go then. Out of the way, fellow!" he
Numbered, advancing upon the door.
But Mirepoix, who had placed him
self with his back to it, to my astonish-
ment did not give way. His full bour-
geoise face was pale; yet peeping
through my chink, 1 read in it a des-
perate resolution. And oddly--very
oddly, because knew that, in keeping
Nine. de Pavannes a prisoner, he must
| be in the wrong-I sympathized with
| m -hrnl tra tor oP
annes though he was. I sympthized
| with him, when he said firmly:
She shall not go!"
II say she SHALL" the priest shrieked,
losing all control over himself. Fool!
Mailman! You know not what you
dol" AS the words passed his lips he
4 made an adroit forward movement, sur
prised the other, clutched him by the
arms, and with a strength 1 should
never have thought lay in his meager
/ frame, flung him some PAGES into the
room. ''Fooln' he Kissed, shaking his
crooked fingers at him in malignant
triumph. There is no man in Paris,
| thwart me tonight
Is that SO? 1ndeed?"
| The words, and the cold, cynical
voice, were not those of Mirepoix; they
came from behind. The priest wheeled
| round, as if he had been stabbed in
| the back. I clutched Croisette, and
arrested the cramped limb I was NOV
speaker was Beers! He stood in the
open doorway, his great form filling it
| from post to post, the old gliding smile
on his face. We had been so taken up,
actors and audience alike, with the
alteration, that no one had heard him
ascend the stairs. He still wore the
! black and silver suit, but it was half
/ q 1oc ri iyer o1/, l.,
| Which just disclosed the glitter of his
weapons. He was booted, spurred and
gloved as for a journey.
Is that so?" he repeated mockingly.
as his gaze rested in turn on each of
the four. and then Travelled sharply
| around the room. SO you will not be
thWarted by any man in Paris, tonight.
Ell? Have you considered, my dear
| coadjutor, what a large number Of peo-
pie there are in Paris? 1t would amuse
me very greatly now-and I'm sure it
would the ladies too, who must par
don my abrupt entrance-to see you
put to the test; pitted against-shall
Guise, our great man? Or the admiral?
| Say the admiral foot to foot?''
| Rage and fear-rage at the intrusion.
fear Of the intruder-struggled in the
priests face. How dare you come
here, and what do you want?" he in
CURED, hoarSely. Ii looks and tones
could kill, we three, trembling behind
our fiimsy screen, had been freed that
moment from our enemy.
II have come in search Of the young
birds whose necks you were for stretch
ing, my friend" was Bazers' answer.
They have vanished. Birds they must
be, for unless they have come into this
house by that window, they have flown
away with Wings
They have not passed this way" the
priest declared stoutly, eager only to
get rid of the other-and blessed him
Tor the words! have been here since
I left you
But the vidame was not one to ac-
eept any 2 =: mans statement. Thank
answered, coolly Madame he con-
tinued, speaking to Nine. de Pavan-
mes as he passed her, permit me-
He did not look at iler, or see her
emotion. or think he must have di-
yined our presence. And happily the
others did not suspect her Of knowing
more than they did. He crossed the
floor at his leisure, and sauntered to
he, yxyiy