Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-04-04

which usurped a place in a familiar
scene. She shaded her eyes and peered
1t 1t, asking:
For whom do you build this gall
ows? %
The glum hangman answered gloom
ly:
oddly enough, we don't know.
Make me a gallows here says the con-
stable, in the open place, and sieges for
The king and his courtiers.'
Mother Villon, her simple curiosity
easily satisfied, dropped her inform
ant a curtsey and hobbled slowly up
he steps into the church.
Petit-Jean stretched himself again
and yawned.
IN go to sleep and dream of hang
ng n king"
Trois-Eschelles put a lean finger to
ais lean chin.
Treason, friend, If Tristan heard
rou."
Politicians eyes twinkled.
We'll, let's say a. archbishop" he
said.
Trois-Eschelles nodded approvingly.
An archbishop ought to make a good
end"
His mind pleased itself with the pic
ture Of so high q dignitary of the
church in his full canonicals coming
lnder his tender care and being ex-
lOl lCu ny liz plOuS COulloGlS.
The two hangmen climbed on the
platform OF the grisly erection, and,
calmly indifferent to the nature OF
their bed, were In a few moments fast
asleep and snoring as merrily as IL
every man In the world had been hung
and there was nothing else for them to
DO but to take it easy for the rest OF
their days.
The hard WEAKNESS Of work and the
ao " NJ rim ca nf XUina had non6n them
SO heavy-headed that their slumbers
were not disturbed by the sound of
FOOTBALLS, though the FOOTBALLS choed
strangely o In the deserted place
he footballs Of a woman, swift and
impatient, the footballs of a man swift
pursuing. In another moment he
IN and the man came into the open
space, now bright and shining with the
risen sun. The woman was Katherine
lie Vaucelles; the man vas Noel lie
Jolys.
AS Katherine entered the silent
square, she paused for a q few
PAGES from the church, and turning,
looked at her silent follower.
why do you follow me?" she asked,
and Noel lie Jolys, who had logged her
footsteps from the palace, answered her
briskly:
You should not walk unguarded.
Therefore 1 shadow you"
Katherine scorned him
You may well play the shadow, for
you cast no shadow Of your own. The
streets are very idle-the streets are
very quiet. l would sooner ave my
loneliness than your company. Let me
pass to my prayers" For Noel a
glided between her and the church,
and stood barring her passage defer
entially.
"For your lover?" he asked, and
Katherine flashed al him:
You have q small mind to ask, yet l
q great mind to answer My
prayers are for a brave gentleman
whom l shall never see again"
AS she spoke, the cup of her heart
seemed to run over with red tears, n
the bitter waters trembled in her eyes.
Her thoughts wandered over the long
white night and her sleepless sorrow
and her vigil by the window, looking
out into the rose garden, and her tired
eyes straining in vain through the dark
any sight, and her tired ears strain
ing in vain for any sound of the battle
in which the lord of her heart was risk
ing his life. For she knew it now; she
had learned 1t through those age-long
of agony hat he whom she
called her enemy was the lord of her
neart, hat in spite Of all her rage at
the cheat that had been put Upon her,
she loved, not the great noble who a
lone SO much to save France-no nor
the ragged poet who had lent her his
sword-arm and his sword, but just the
man, by whatever name he might be
called and in whatever way of life his
wheel of fortune might spin, whose
a proved to be Of the right size
to hold her heart in it's hollow. The
of yesterday seemed dead
and buried, to ave died a fiery death
Of fierce thoughts, fierce agonies, fierce
Civilizations, and from that travail a
new Katherine had come into being
with cleansed yes to see the world
and with a cleansed sou to know
q great souls truth.
Noel watched her in silence, but 1t
meant nothing to him, and he tripped
into her high thoughts cheerfully.
Il am a brave gentleman" he said,
himself a~pprovingly upon the
II slew Thibaut d'Aussigny
last night. The king has taken me back
into favor. If l played the FOOLS part
yesterday, l can play the wise mans
part tomorrow. l was a bubble n a
gull and a Ounce, if you like, but 1
meant no harm to the king, and the
King smiles on me. Cannot you do the
Katherine came out Of her dream and
stood upon the earth again, and dis
lained him.
mo, for you envy a great spirit and
your envy makes you a base thing"
Noel protested pettishly:
HE is no man-angel. He is made
Of Adams clay like the rest Of u.s."
Katherine's thoughts had wandered
from her escort; her minds eyes
we're busy with waving banners, the
shock of meeting lances, the glitter Of
steel coats and the heating of steel up
On steel. Through all the melley, her
spied one shining figure in bright
lrmor like, so 1t seemed to her, Arch
angel Michael or Archangel Gabriel,
-iding In the pride of the fight with a
on his lips, sorrow in his heart,
md a token Of white ribbon between
ais breast-plate n his breast.
She answered, not Noel's words, but
her thoughts:
my pride has the right to hate him,
but l think he is still my souls man."
Noel was about to speak again, when
suddenly fell back and dotted his
Perched on the steps OF the
church stood the stopped sable figure
If the king, just coming from his ma
inal devotions. In the shadow behind
him stood his shadows-Tristan and
olivier.
Katherine, her attention swerved by
NoelS glance, tuIlleu anu SWayed a
to Louis as he slowly de-
,cended the steps. The king surveyed
hem sardonically.
Good morning, friends he said.
turning to Noel, he ordered,
Take the top of your speed to ST.
Anthony's gate and bring hot news of
battle"
Noel bowed and sped on his errand.
katherine requested:
Have / your majesty's leave?"
Tristan and Olivier withdrew them
selves discreetly apart, under the
of the gallows, hat building OF
Ill human buildings which was most
lear to their hearts n most sacred
their eyes.
and whispered:
"Are you so hungry for your devo-