Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-01-17
CHAPTER w.
T THIBAUT.

Once again the door swung on it's
hinges admitting a very tall, powerful
man, dressed like a common soldier, his
brawny bulk panoplied in steel and
leather. He glanced about him as he
entered, exchanged looks with Rene de
Montigny and came down to the settle,
where he flung his vast body with a
clatter while he called to the landlord
in a bulls below to bring him some
wine.
Katherine leaning and looking gave
q little gasp.
That is he!" she breathed into VII
Ions ear.
Villon gave an involuntary sigh, part
ly indeed Of satisfaction at the thought
that his quarry was before him, q very
vast and royal stag for a hunters hand
to threaten, but partly too Of exquisite
regret. 1t had been very sweet to
crouch there in the darkness of the
stairway so close to the one fair wom-
an Of all the world, to feel her breath
upon his cheek, almost to hear her
heart-beats, to know that once If only
for once they were alone together and
allied In q common purpose, to feel the
touch Of her soft gown, to know that
If he chose he could touch her hair with
his outstretched hand. Those seconds
of strange intimacy seemed to be worth
all the rest Of his life-and now they
had come to an end. Now he had to
show hat he deserved them. Good"
he said, and leaving her side he softly
descended the stairs, crept cat-foot
across the tavern floor and insinuated
himself deXterously into the society of
his friends, who were by this time far
too mad and merry to show any sur
prise at his sudden temperance, or
to question whence he came. Only one
Of the fellowship was away from the
board-Rene de Montigny, who had
risen as soon as the soldier had taken
his seat by the fireplace. and had come
down to greet him in a seemingly
careless, off hand fashion. Vilon dex-
terously moving from friend to friend
managed to niche himself by the back
Of the settle where he could catch some
of the words that passed between Mon
tigny and the stranger, whose meet
ing was also the subject of unsupported
scrutiny on the part Of the unassum-
ing burgesses who sat apart and to
whom no one now gave heed.
"A fine evening, friend" Montigny
said affably.
Pretty fin for the time Of year." the
soldier answered. How is you gar
den, friend?"
Montigny smiled whimsically.
Very salubrious, If 1t were not for
the shooting stars"
Then as the soldier stared at him he
fastened to explain.
MY quip. The shooting star was a
Burgundian arrow q cloth-yard long
which came winglng its way over the
walls at noon n made itself at home
in my garden. Here is what the arrow
carried"
He pulled from his pouch a small
piece of parchment folded and sealed,
and handed 1t to the seeming soldier.
The disguised constable took the mis-
sive and scanned 1t narrowly.
THE seal has not been tempered
with" he said to himself. Rene caught
him up with a noble gesture Of indig-
nation.
Il never read other peoples letters"
he protested.
Thibaut shrugged his shoulders.
1T would have profted you little IL
you had" he said, as he broke the seal
and turning aside stopped q little to
read by the faint fire light what the
letter said. 1t was couched in words
that seemed commonplace enough, but
Thibaut knew their secret meaning,
knew that the duke OF Burgundy would
do all that he asked, give him a duchy,