The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-07-11

and the saints. l looked over Croi-
settles shoulder and read the letter. 1t
began abruptly without any term of
address, and ran thus: Il have a mis-
sion IN Paris, mademoiselle, which adj
mitS of no delay, your mission, as we'll
as my own-to see Pavannes. You have
won his heart. 1t is yours, and l will
bring 1t to you, or his right hand, IN
token that he has yielded up his claim
to yours. And to this pledge myself"
The thing bore no signature. 1t was
written in some red fluid-blood per-
haps-a mean and sorry trick! On the
outside was scrawled a direction to
Mile. de Caylus. And the packet was
sealed with the vidame's crest, a VOLTS
head.
THE coward The miserable cow
ard" Croisette cried. He was the first
to read the meaning of the thing.
And his eyes We're full of tearS-tears
of rage
Fer me, was angry exceedingly.
My veins seemed full of fire, as I COM
pretended the mean cruelty which
could thus torture a girl
who delivered this?' I Numbered.
Who gave It to mademoiselle? How
did it reach her hands? Speak, some
one!"
A maid, whimpering in the back
ground said that Francis had given it
to her to hand to mademoiselle.
l ground my teeth together while
Marie, unbidden, left the room to seek
Francis-and a stirrup leather. The
vidame had brought the note in his
pocket no doubt, rightly expecting
that he would not get an audience of
my cousin. Returning to the gate
alone he had seen his opportunity, and
given the note to Francis, probably
with a small fee to secure it's trans
mission.
Croisette and I looked at one another,
experimenting all this. He will sleep
at Cahors tonight" 1 said. sullenly.
The lad shook his head and answered
in low voice: II am afraid not. His
horses are fresh. 1 think he will push
on. He always travels quickly. And
now you know"
nodded, understanding only too
well.
Catherine had flung herself into a
chair. Her arms lay nerveless on the
table. Her face was hidden in them.
But now, overhearing us, or stung by
some fresh thought, she sprang to her
feet in anguish. Her face twitched
her form seemed to stiffen as she drew
herself up like one in physical pain.
ooh. I cannot bear it," she cried to US
in dreadful tones. ooh, will no one
do anything? l will go to him! I will
tell him 1 will give him up! I will do
whatever he wishes if he will only
spare him!"
Croisette went from the room crying.
1t was a dreadful sight for us-this girl
in agony And it was impossible to re-
assure her! Not one of us doubted the
horrible meaning Of the note, it's covert
threat. Civil wars and religious hat
red, and I fancy Italian modes of
thought, had for the time changed our
countrymen to beasts. Far more dread
full things were done than this which
Beers threatened-eVen If he meant it
literally-far more dreadful things were
suffered. But in the fiendish ingenuity
of his vengeance on her, the helpless,
loving woman, thought Raoul de Bez-
ers stood alone. Alas! it fares i'll with
the butterfly when the cat has struck
it down. Ill indeed!
Nine. Claude rose and put her arms
round the girl, dismssing me by ges-
ture. I went out passing through two
or three scared servants, and made at
once for the terrace. I felt as if I could
only breathe there. ] found Marie and
st. Croix together silent, the marks of
tears on their faces. Our eyes met, and
they told one tale.
We all spoke at the same time.
"When?" we said. But the others
looked to me for an answer.
was somewhat sobered by that, and
paused to consider before I replied.
AT daybreak tomorrow" I decided,
presently. TT is an hour after noon
already. We want money, and the
horses are out. 1t Will take an hour to
bring them in. After that we might
more haste less speed, you know No,
At daybreak tomorrow we will start"
They nodded assent.
1t was a great thing we meditated.
No less than to go to Parasitic I'M
known city SO far beyond the hills
and seek out M. de Pavannes, and warn
him. 1t would be race between the
vidame and ourselves: a race for the
life of Kits sutton. Could we reach
Paris first, or even within twenty-f four
hours Of Beers arrival. we should in
all probability be in time and be able
to put Pavannes on his guard. 1t had
been the first thought Of all of US to
take such men as we could get to-
gether and fall upon Beers wherever
we found him, making it our Simple
object to kill him. But the lackeys M.
le Vlcomte had left with us, the times
being peaceful and the neighbofs
friendly. were poor spirited fellows.
Beers handful, on the contrary, were
men. We decided that it would be wis
er simply to warn Pavannes, and then
stand by him if necessary.
We might have dispatched a messen-
ger. But our servants-Gil excepted
and he was too old to bear the journey
were ignorant of Paris. Nor could
any of them be trusted with a mission
so delicate. We thought of Pavannes
courier, indeed. But he was a Rochel-
lois, and a stranger to the capital
There was nothing for it but to go our
selves.
Yet we did not determine on this ad
venture with light hearts. re11e11 Der
Paris doomed big and awesome in the
eyes Of all of us. The glamor of the
court rather frightened than allure6
us. We felt that shrinking from con.
| tact with the world which a countr,
! life engenders, as well as that dread OF
seeming unlike other people which is
| peculiar to youth And we trembled
| If we had known more-especially OF
| the future-we should have tremblec
| more.
But we were young, and with ou1
| fears mingled a DELICIOUS excitement
| We were going on an adventure OF
| knight errantry in which we might wiz
! our spurs. We We're going to see the
| world and play mems parts in it t.
save friend and make our mistres,