Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-01-01
ry thinking: lets TO drinkine!" AZ

dry thinking; let's to drinking!" As
he spoke villon rose to join his COM
rades. when his quick eye noted that
Robin Turgis had fallen asleep on his
bench. villon skipped lightly toward
him, dexterOusly unlocked his bunch OF
keys from his girdle, and, With tri-
umphant gesture, made on tiptoe Tor
the cellar door, which he unlocked and
through which he disappeared. Louis
looked after him with an acid smile.
Tristan leaned forward and plucked at
the kings sleeve. Shall hang him
tomorrow" he asked, hoarsely. The
king turned, musing, to his henchman.
I'VE shall see! He is a loose-lipped
fellow, but he might have been man.
He has set me thinking of my dream.
was swine rioting in the streets OF
Paris and l found a pearl-well. Well
Let us kill the time with cards till Thi-
baut d'Aussigny cones. Tristan pro-
duced- a pack OF cards from his pouch
and laid them on the table do you
think he will Gomez" he asked.
He does not expect to .nd me here,
I promise you, Louis answered lie
would not come if he did Barber Oil
vier is to warn me of his coming" AS
he spoke the inn door opened a little
and the king, hearing the click of the
catch, asked: rs that he?"
Tristan glanced round over his Shout
der The door was pushed partly open,
and an old, stopped women was peep
ing curiousiy into the room. Tristan
shrugged his shoulders.
mo, SIRE" he snarled: another old
woman"
BY this time the king had arranged
the cards to his satisfaction. He made
an imperative gesture to his companion
to seat himself, and in a few seconds
had forgotten everything else in the ex-
element of the game. Meanwhile the
old woman, having pushed the door
wide open, came softly into the room.
She was quiet, mild-faced creature,
one of those human shadows who sug-
gest without tragedy faded youth and
withered comeliness. She was very
poorly but very neatly dressed, in worn
gray and rusty black, and the linen
folds about her lined face were scru-
pulously clean. She looked anxiously
around her, shading her eyes with her
hand. in the dim light Of the tavern,
unable to discern much, but evidently
eager to discern something.
Rene de Montigny, tired of teasing
Isabeau, SUDDENLY looked up and caught
sight of the old woman as she stood
Very helpless and wistful, peering about
her. An impish spirit floated leaf-like
on the surface of his mind. He rose to
his feet and danced towards her in Il
fantastic manner, sweeping her pro-
found salutation as he approached her.
"Your pleasure, sweet princess?" he
said with mock Difference.
The old woman turned her wrinkled
visage UP to his in wonder.
rs Master Francois Villon In this
company, sir?" she faltered
Montigny treated her to another pro-
found bow.
Sweet creature" he simpered. 81
kiss your hand and inquire"
He turned to his companions at the
table and his eye rested lnockingly on
the bowed figure of Huguette. After
Master Villon had told his tale HUI
guette had been glum enough, and her
comrades finding her snappish wisely
left her to herself. She had pulled a
pack of cards from her scarlet pouch;
she had been spelling out her fortune
silently, and the death card insisted
itself again and again with grim per-
tinacity. With a sense of despair that
was strange to her airy nature she had
bowed her face on her arms and was
sobbing sv.tly to herself. Montigny
was not man to be touched by Il
woman's sorrow. He mookingly gesti-
culated over her bent shoulders as he
cried to the others in a false whisper:
There is beautiful woman at the
door, beseeching our Francois"
The moment these words fell on HUI
guette's ears, they stung her into life
and activity. She leaped to her feet
in a flash.
CONTINUED Next Weels.)