The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-07-25

The House of The Wolf,,,,,,$
y BY STANLEY j. WEYMAN 3
Observation-Disclosures
By STANLEY j. WEYMAN

o~~~~c~~~~~~~>~ ~~~~N>~.o~~>~~~S
long" he added with an evil smile.
You have arrived at Paris at fortu
nate moment. There is going to be a
Well. there is little scheme on foot
appointed for tonight--singularly 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
screams Take no notice. You Will be
| in no danger. For Nj. de Pavannes, he
continued, his voice sinking, II 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"
For moment the mask was off. His
| face took a sombre brightness. He
m6istened his lips with his tongue as
though he saw his vengeance worked
out then and there before him, and
We're gloating over the picture. The
| idea that this was so took such a hold
upon me that ] shrank back. shudder-
| ing; reading, too, in Croisette's face
the same thought-and late repent
| ance. Nay, the malignity of Beers
tone, the savage CLEAN of joy in his
eyes, appalled, me to such an extent
| that I fancied for a moment l saw IN
him the devil incarnate.
He recovered his composure very
quickly, however; and turned careless
/ ~ towards the door, "If you will fol-
| low me- he said, Il will see you dis
posed of. You may have to complain
| of your lodging-I have other things to
think of tonight than hospitality. But
you shall not need to complain of your
supper
Re drew aside the curtain as he
spoke, and passed into the next room
before US, not giving thought appar-
emily to the possibility that we might
4 strike him from behind There was an
odd quality apparent in him at times
| which seemed to contradict what we
knew of him.
The room we entered was rather long
tthan wide, hung with tapestry and
lighted by silver lamps. Rich plate en-
bossed, I afterwards learned, by Gel
lini, the Florentine-and richer glass
from Venice, with a crowd of meancr
vessels filled with meats and drinks
covered the table; disordered as by the
attacks of a numerous party. But save
a servant or two by the distant dresser,
and an ecclesiastic at the far end OF
the table, the room was empty.
The priest rose as we entered, the
vidame saluting him as if they had not
met that day you are welcome, M.
lie Coadjuteur," he said; saying it cold
ly, however, I thought. And the two
eyed one another with little favor;
rel over the SPOIL than host or guest.
Perhaps the coadjutor's glittering eyes
and great beak-like nose made me
think of this.
"Ho ho!" he said looking piercingly
at us-and no doubt we must have
seemed miserable and detected crew
enough. "Who are these? Not the
first fruits Of the night, eh?"
The vidame looked darkly at him.
| 1,a L,,,,c Ivy T1,nu
are not. l am not particular out of
doors, coadjutor, as you know, but this
is my house, and we are going to sup
; per. Perhaps you do not comprehend
the distinction. Still it eXists-for me,
with sheer.
This was as good as Greek to us
But ] so shrank from the priests ma
lignant eyes, which would not quit US
and felt so much disgust mingled witt
my anger that when Beers by ges-
ture invited me to sit down, I drew
. back II will not eat with you.' sale
(, sullenly; speaking out of a kind of dull
. obstinacy, or perhaps childish petul.
ance.
j 1t did not occur to me that this would
: pierce the vidame's armor. Yet dull
l red showed for an instant in his cheek
and he eyed me with a look that wa.
: not all ferocity, though the veins II
f his temples swelled. A moment, never
y theless, and he was himself again
j Armand" he said quietly to the serv
Y ant, these gentlemen will not SUI
1 with me. Lay for them at the othe
0 end.'
S Men are odd. The moment he CAV
e way to me repented of my words. 1
n was almost with reluctance that l fo!
e lowed the servant to the lower part o
the table. More than this, mingled will
I the hatred l felt for the vidame, Their
. c.t, 700 y
L I.hin-almost of admiration; that hat
e it's birth, think in the moment whel
e I held his life In my hand, and he ha'
y not flinched.
Y We ate in silence; even after Croi
IL settle by grasping my hand under tn
a table had begged me not to judge hin
!! hastily. The two at the upper EN-
r talked fast, and from the little tina
It reached us, I judged that the prizes
!? was pressing some course on his host
!, which the latter declined to take.
Once Beers raised his voice. II hav
+ my own ends to serve!'' he broke GU
y angrily, adding fierce oath which tn
II priest did not rebuke, and | sha
(" serve them. But there l stop. Yo
h have your own. Well, serve them, blu
g do not talk to me Of the cause! Th
Y cause? To hell with the cause! I hav
e my cause, and you have yours, and m
v lord Of Guise has his! And you wi
,ei not make me bel1eVe that there is an
d other?"
: "The kings suggested the prizes
j, smiling sourly.
Say rather the Italian woman's!
id the vidame answered recklessly-mear
t, ing the queen mother, Catherine i
" Medici, l supposed.
1t well then, the cause of the church?
m the priest persisted.
T Bah! The church? 1t is you, m
1t friend!' Beers rejoined, rudely tai
ID ping his companion-at that nome,
or in the act of crossing himself-on tt
ID chest "The church," he continued
m mo, no, my friend. I will tell you whs
Id you are doing. You want me to he
. you to get rid of your branch and yc
m offer in return to aid me with mine
ne, and then. say you, there will be I
n stick left to beat either Of US. But yt
he may understand once for all'-and tt
r. vidame struck his hand heavily dow
among the giasses-"that I VIII ha'
tie no interference with my work, mast
IN clerk! None! Do you hear? And
en- for yours, it is no business of mir
O. That is plain speaking, is it not?"
er The priests hand shook as he rails
x fun glass to his lips, but he made
,il ;n;, ,l1,, ,,,1 {l,a 1yi1 mo y