Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-10-19
CHAPTER XII.


I was too weary with riding to go EN-
tirely without sleep. And moreover it
In anxiety and the tremor of excite
inent which makes the pillow sleepless,
not, heaven be thanked, sorrow. God
made man TO lie awake and hope; but
never to lie awake and grieve. An hou
or TIVE before daybreak 1 fell asleep,
utterly worn out. When I awoke the
sun was high, and shining slantwise on
our window. The room was gay with
the morning rays, n soft with the
morning freshness, and l lay awhile,
my cheek on my hand, drinking in the
cheerful influence as l had done many
anG many a day In our room at Caylus.
IL was the touch Of Marie's hand, laid
tlmidly On my hand, which aroused me
with a shock to consciousness. The
truth broke upon me. i remembered
where we were and what was before
Us. "Will you get up, Anne?" Croisette
said. '"The vidame has sent for u.s."
/ got to my feet and buckled on my
sword. Croisette was leaning against
the wall, pale and downcast. Bure
filled the open doorway, his ~feathered
a in his hand, q queer smile ON hia
face. You are "a good sleeper, young
gentleman" he said. You should have
a good conscience"
Better than yours, no doubt / re-
tofted, "or your masters"
He shrugged his shoulders, and. bid
ding us by a sign to follow him, led
the way through several gloomy pas
sages. At the end of these a flight Of
stone steps leading upward seemed TO
promise something better; and true
enough, the door at the top being
opened, the murmur OF a crowd reached
Our ears, with a burst OF sunlight and
warmth. We were in a lofty room
with walls in some places painted, and
elsewhere hung with tapestry; we'll
lighted by three old pointed windows
reaching to the Undiscovered floor. The
room was large, set here and there with
stands OF arms, and had a dais with a
raised carved chair at one end. The
ceiling was Of blue, with gold stars
set about it. Seeing this, / remembered
the place. / had been in Ii once, years
ago., when l had attended the vicomte
on a state visit to the governor. All!
that the vicomte was here now!
/ advanced to the middle window,
which was open. Their 1 started back,
for outside was the scaffold built level
with the floor, and rush-covered like
Il! Two or three people were loungtng
Oh 1t. My eyes sought Louis among
the group but In vain. He was not
there; and while l looked for him i
heard a noise behind me, and he came
In, guarded by four soldiers with pixies.
Ills ldCt was Ddlt anu BIoNN - pdN '
fectly composed. There was a wistful
look in his eyes indeed, as If he were
thinking of something or someone far
away-Kit's face on the sunny hills OF
Quercy, where he had ridden with her,
perhaps; a look which seemed to say
that the doings here were nothing to
him, and the parting was yonder where
she was. But his bearing was calm and
collected, his step firm n fearless.
NUhpn he co w TIC indeed. his face light
ened a moment and he greeted us cheer
fully, even acknowledged Bure's salu-
tation with dignity and good temper.
Croisette sprang towards him lmpul-
sively, and cried his name-Croisette
ever the first to speak. But before
Louis could grasp his hand the door
at the bottom of the a swung open
and the vidame came hurriedly in.
He was alone. He glanced around,
his forbidding face, which was some
what flushed as If by haste, wearing a
scowl. Then he saw us and, holding
haughtily, strobe UP the floor, his spurs
clinking heavily on the boards. He
gave us no greeting, but by a short
word dismissed Bure and the soldiers
to the lower end Of the room. And Their
he stood and looked at us four, but
principally at his rival; and looked, and
looked with eyes OF smoldering hate.
And there was q silence, a long silence,
while The murmur of the crowd came
almost cheerfully through the window,
and the sparrows under the caves
chirped and twittered, n the heart
hat throbbed least painfully was, l
do believe, Louis de P~avannes'!
At last Beers broke the silence.
IN. de Pavannes." he began, speak
ing hoarsely, yet concealiLg all passion
under a cynical smile and a mock OF po-
likeness, m. de Pavannes, | hold the
kings commission to put to death all
the Huguenots within my province OF
Quercy. Have o anything to say, |
beg, why / should not begin with youY
Or do you wish to return to the church?
Louis shrugged his shoulders as in
contempt, and held his peace. | saw
his captor's great hands twitch con-
vulsively at this. But still the vidame
mastered himself, and when he spoke
again he spoke slowly. Very WE'LL
he continued, taking no heed of us, the
silent witnesses of this strange strug-
gle between the two men, but cycling
Louis only. You have wronged me
more than any man alive. Alive or
dead! or dead! You have thwarted me-,
Nj de Pavannes, and taken from me the
woman | loved. Six days g l might
have killed you. / had it In my power.
l had out to leave you to the rabble, re-
member, and you would have been rot
ting at Montfaucon today, M. de Pa
vannes."
THAT is true said Louis quietly.
why so many words?"
But the vidame went on as If he
had not heard. Il did not leave you to
them" he resumed, and yet j hate you
more than / ever hated any man yet,
and l am not apt to forgive. But now
the time has come, sir, for my revenge!
The oath / swore to your mistress a
fortnight ago | will keep to the letter.
T. Silence, babel" he Numbered, turn
ing suddenly, ''or l will keep my word
with yo'-, tool"
Groise.te had muttered something,
and this had drawn on him the glare of
Beers eyes. But the threat was eff
fectual. Croisette was silent. h two
were left henceforth to one another.
Yet the vidame seemed to be put out
by the interruption. Muttering a string
of oaths, he strobe back again. The
cool cynicism with which he was wont
to veil his anger and impose on other
men, while ii heightened the effect of
his ruthless deeds, in part fell from
him. He showed himself as he was
masterful and violent, hating with all
the strength of a turbulent nature
which had never known a check. 1
quailed before him myself. / confess it.
"Listen!" he continued harshly, COM
Ing back and taking his place in front
of us at last, his manner more violent
than before the interruption. II might
have left you to die in that hell yonder!
And / did not leave you. I had but to
old my hand and you would have been
torn to pieces! The wolf, however,
does not hunt with the rats, and a
Beers wants no help In his vengeance
from king or canaille! When | hunt my
enemy down l will hunt him alone, do
you hear"-he paused a moment-"if /
ever meet you face to face again, M.
de Pavannes, l will kill you where you
, stand!"
He paused, and the murmur of the
crowd without came to my ears; but
mingled with and heightened by some