The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-09-05

J The House of The Wolf,,,,,,;
By STANLEY j. WEYMAN

1rotn time to time this immense crowd
sroaned or howled in unison, like
Wild beast in its fury, was so appal-
Ing, that l clutched Pavannes arm
ana chung to him in momentary ter
ror.. l do not wonder now that I
quailed, though sometimes have heard
that sound since. For there is nothing
In the world so dreadful as that brute
beast we call the canaille, when the
chain is off and its cowardiy soul is
reused.
Near our end of the street a group
of horsemen, rising island-l from
the sea of heads. sat motionless in their
saddles about a gateway. They were
silent, taking no notice of the rioting
tiends shouting at their girths, but
watching in grim quiet what was pass
ing within the gates. They We're hand
somely dressed although some wore
corselets over their satin coats or lace
above puff Jenkins l could even at that
distance sec the jewels CLEAN in the
bonnet of one who seemed to be their
leader. He was in the center of the
band, very young man, perhaps 20 or
81, of most splendid presence, sitting
his horse superbly. He wore a gray
riding coat, and was a head taller
than any of his companions. There
was pride in the very air with which
his horse bore him.
l did not need to ask Pavannes who
Abe was. / knew that he was the duke
of Guise, and that the house before
which he stood was Colignys. l knew
what was being done there. And in
the same moment / sickened with hor
ror and rage. 1 had vision of gray
hairs and blood and fury scarcely hi
man. And 1 rebelled. l battled with
the rabble about me. / forced my way
through them tooth and nail after
PaVannes, intent only on escaping,
only on getting away, from there. And
so we neither halted nor looked back
until we were clear Of the crowd and
had left the blaze of light and the
work doing by it way behind us.
We found ourselves then in the
mouth Of an obscure alley which my
companion whispered would bring us
to his house; and there we paused to
take breath and look back. The sky
was red behind us, the air full of the
clash and din of the tocSin. and the
fcod of sounds which poured from
every tower and steeple. From the
eastward came the rattle of drums and
random shots, and shrieks of "A bas
CoNgny!" "a bas les Huguenots!"
Meanwhile the city was rising as one
man, pale at this dread awakening.
From every window men and women,
frightened by the uproar, We're craninS
their neckS, asking or answering ques
Luis VI IiOl lSuiy CSilllllE lOi anu MIL
ding tapers. But as yet the general
populace seemed to be taking no active
part in the disorder.
Pavannes raised his hat an instant
as he stood in the shadow of the houses.
The noblest man in France is dead"
he said softly and reverently. God
rest his soul! They have had their way
with him and killed him like a dog. He
was an old man, and they did not
spare him! A noble, and they have
called in the canaille to tear him. But
be sure, my friend'-and as the speak
ers tone changed and grew full and
proud, form seemed to swell with
it-"be sure the cruel shall not live
out half their days! No. He that
knife! And go to his own place!
shall not see it, but You will"
His words made no great impression
on me then. My hardihood was re-
turning. I was throbbing with fierce
excitment, and tingling for the fight.
But years afterwards, when the two
who stood highest in the group about
Coligny's threshold died, the one at SO
and the other at S5-when Henry 1f
Guise and Henry Of Valois died within
six months of one another by the as
sassin's knife-I remembered Iavan-
nes' augury. And remembering it,
read the ways Of Providence, and saw
that the very audacity of which Guise
took advantage to entrap Coligny led
him in his turn to trip smiling and
bowling comfit box in his hand and
the Kisses Of his mistress damp on his
lips, into kings closet-a kings
closet at Blois! Led him to lift the cur
tain-ah! to lift the curtain-what
Frenchman does not know the tale?-
behind which stood the admiral
TO return to our own fortunes; after
hurried glance we pursued our way,
and sped through the alley, holding
brief consultation as we went. Pavan-
nes' first hasty instinct to seek shell
ter at home began to lose it's force, and
he to consider whether his return
would not endanger his wife. The mob
might be expected to spare her, he ar
gued. Her death would not benefit
any private foes If he escaped. He
was for keeping away, therefore. But
would not agree to this. The priests
crew Of Notwithstanding Pavan-
nes' suspicious to be correct-would
wait some time, no doubt, to give the
master of the house a chance to return,
but would certainly attack sooner or
later out Of greed, If for no other mo-
tive. Then the ladys fate would be at
the best uncertain. I was anxious
myself to rejoin my brothers, and take
all future chances, whether Of saving
our Louis, or escaping ourselves, with
them. United we should be four good
swords, and might at least protect
Nine. de Pavannes to place of safety
If on opportunity of succoring Louis
would present itself. We had too, the
dukes ring, and this might be OF ser
vice at a pinch. NO 1 urged, let us
get together We two will slip in at
the front gate and bolt and bar it, and
then we will all escape in a body at
the back, while they are forcing the
gateway"
There is no door at the back he
answered, shaking his head.
There are windows"
They are too strongly barred. We
could not break out in time he ex-
planned with a groan.
1 paused at that crestfallen. But
danger quiclzened my wits. In a mo-
ment I had another plan, not SO hope
full and more dangerous, yet worth
trying, thought. told him of it, and
he agreed to it. AS he nodded assent
we energedinto a street, and I SAVIOR
the gray light of morning was begin
ming to penetrate between the houses
that we were only a few yards
from the gateway, and the small
door by which I had seen my