Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-02-21

NiANoNA AhAAA - Z
and evil p~recipice.
do % by any chance love this VII
lon?"
A little wave of disdain rippled ever
the girls calm face.
Great ladies do not love tavern
braves But / pity him, and l do not
want him to die, though, indeed, lie
cannot be very lear to him IL he would
fling 1t away to please a woman
She held a rose in her hand, and as
she spoke she flung it from her In dam
ty symbolism of the life which the poor
tavern poet a risked so bravely for
her sake. A mad resolve came into
Villon's mind. If he was, indeed, all J
that this woman thought him to be, all
that those with whom he had spoken
had assured him he was, now was ms
chance to play the lover to his hearts
desire. If the grand constable had the
right TO pardon, surely the grand con-
stable had also the right to WOO. She
had drawn a little way from him ana
! he followed her up, standing so close
to her that with a little movement ne
might have kissed her on the cheek.
Even when you are the woman? II
a stood In this rascaPs shoes,
would have done as he ala tor your
sake"
The girl gave a joyous cry.
IF you think this, you should gram
the poor knave his freedom
Villon flung his hands apart with a
magnificent gesture OF liberation.
THAT broker of ballads shall go free.
Your prayer unshackles him and we
will do no more thar Danish him from
Paris. Forget tina uch a slave ever
came near you"
The lady dropped him a magnificent
curtsey. and her cheeks glowed with
gratitude.
Il shall remember your clemency."
- a CHI NNYnTnlH leave Ills
presence, but his boldness waXed WITH
i'm him as a fire wakes with new wood
and he caught her lightly by the wrist
"By Saint Venus, l envy this fellow
that he should have won your thoughts
For l am in his case and /, too, would
die to serve you!"
Surprise famed in the girls eyes,
surprise and amusement mingled.
NV lord, you do not know me" she
laughed and her laughter was as fresh
and merry as a milkmaid's in the
meadows.
"Did he know you? Yet when he
saw you he loved you and made bold
to tell you So
testing rown.
His words were of no more account
than the wind in the caves. But you
and l are peers, n the words we
change heve meanings"
ViIIon caught his breath. The lord
of Montcorbier was, indeed, warded by
very different stars from the fellow Of
the Fircone. He saluted her banter
ingly.
"Though / be newly come to Paris l
have heard much of the beauty n
more of the pride of the Lady Rather
inc de Vaucelles."
< little fire burned in the girls pale
cheeks, and she flung her head back
s~cornfully.
II am humble enough as to my
beauty, but / am very proud or my
pride"
ViIlon, leaning forward with entreat-
ing hands, pleaded with beseechlng
lips. 5000,
Would o pity me IL l told you
that l loved you?"
Katherine laughed, md the music of
her laughter seemed to wake faint
echoes among the roses as II every
blossom were a magic bell with a fairy
hand at the clapper.
Heavens mercy" she said. How
fast YOUR fancy gallops. / care little to
he battered and less to be wooed, and
iswear that l should be very hard to
win"
she turned to mount the steps as she
smoke, as IL she had said all that she
wanted to say, but Nillon delayed her
with imploring protest.
II have more right to try than your
/ ltaproom bandit. l see what he saw;
love wha he loved"
Again the girls laughter frightened
the summer air.
You are very iHflammable.'
Villon caught at her words.
INV fire burns to the she's. You can
mo more stay me from loving you than
lyou can stay the flowers from loving
the soft air. or true men from loving
honor, or heroes from loving glory. !
would rake the moon from heaven fol-
: The girl swa yed her head daintily. as
"a queen rose might in a realm OF roses
There was something like pity In her
ewes, but laughter fingered on her lips
Slips.
"That promise has grown rusty since
adam first made 1t to Eve" She eyed
him in silence for a second time, derid-
ing his signs with a smile: then There
lis a rhyme in my mind,' she cried
,"about moons and lovers" and she be-
,gan to declaim, hair muse, halt mink
some lines that had pleased her, &c
tease the importunate stranger.
Life is unstable,
Love may uphold;
Fear zoe in sable,
Courage In gold.
Mystery covers
Midnight and noon,
Heroes and lovers
Cry for the moon"
AS the first words OF the verse fel
from her lips, Villon's heart lcaped an(
his eyes frightened for he knew the
sound. They were part Of the rhyme!
himself had sent her on that very
parchment which had cost him first {
dinner and then a drubbing. He haC
fancied the words and the rhymes wher
he wrote them, but now they seemed t
sound on his ears with the married mu
sic of all the falling waters and all tn
blowing winds of the world. 1t was
shining face that he turned to the cir
as he jeered, denying the thought o
his heart:
'"What'doggerel!"
The girl flashed scorn at him.
"Doggerel! It is divinity" she insist
ed. hinging q kiss from her flnger-tip!
in Godspeed, as it were, to the ban
ished ballad-maker, as she moved a lit
tie further up the steps. Villon followed
her. Let come what might come, h
was the maids equal for the momen
and would press his suit II he died 70
it..
Tell me what I may do" he said, "t'
win your favor"
The girls smiling face looked grave
as she looked down on the implorini
poet.
"a trifie," she said lightly, as a child
might bid for a doll; and then, as Vii
Ions eyes glowed questions, her voice
rang out like the call Of a clarion. "Sav'
France!" she trumpeted.
Villon caught fire from both he
moods.
mo more?" he said, and though thu
sound of his voice TESTED, the look IL
his eyes was earnest.
The girl responded to jest and earn
est royalty.
mo less. Are YOU not grand con
stable, chief Of the kings army? There
Is an enemy at the gates Of Paris, ant
none of the kings men can frighten hin
nrrnMn Cha naintnd aiat xuhare in thl