The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-01-09
CHAPTER III.
THE COMING OF KATHERINE.

The door opened and a woman entered
the room. a woman closely muffied after
the fashion adopted by discreet ladieA
when they walked abroad in Paris In
the fifteenth century. She was fol.
lowed by an ARMED serving-man to
whom she turned and spoke In a wills,
per as h paused upon the Threshold
You are sure this is the placer" she
asked, and the man answered
"Sure!"
wait outside!" the mufled lady cor.
manded, and the servant with an obels.
ance stepped back into the street. The
woman looked cautiously about her
only her bright eye showing over thu
lifted fold of her cloak. Villon wal
hidden from her while he sat; there wal
no n in her view ave the two men
playing cards. She came cautiously
forward and touched Tristan, who wal
nearest to her, on the shoulder. Ee
swung around. with hooded face, to an.
swer he challenge, and as he did 50
Louis took advantage Of his turned
back to examine Tristan's hand, which
he had laid upon the table. and to SUBJ
stitute q care from his own hand fol
one of his ~adyersary's.
Has Master Francois Villon beer
here tonight?" the woman asked. Hel
voice was full and sweet, and Tristan
knew 1t well though he listened I'm.
moyably. She had lowered her CLOAK
enough to allow him a glimpse Of a
young, lovely face, but he needed no
glimpse to assure him.
"Yonder he squats by the hearth" hs
answered, masking his own voice with
hoarseness and jerking his thumb to.
wards the settle. The girls eyes fol-
lowed the signal and saw for the first
time the huddled figure on the bench. y
thank you," she said simply, and
moved into the background, her eye,
fixed on the crouching form, her fingers
clasped ~nervously, waiting an impatient
patience upon resolution.
Tristan leaned hurriedly owe to the
king.
POUNDS, sire! do you know what that
was?"
Louis, smiling at his adopted cards
answered carelessly, Some bonaroba
who took you for a gull" but Tristan's
next words pricked him from his indif.
erence.
ut was 0 III majesty's kinswoman
the Lady Katherine de Vaucelles.''
The king rose cautiously to his feet.
ooh, no, Oh. ho!' he chuckled. doe!
lovely Katherine come to meet Thi'
baut?"
She seeks Francois Villon, sire"
The king started.
rs she the girl he spoke of? Do we
catch her tripping?"
Louis looked at the m%otionless fgur.
of the girl, then his gaze travelled rap
idly around the room. Behind him wa,
q doorway. Soundlessly he opened it
saw that it geve or to a dark passage
motioned Tristan through it, babe hin
in q whisper to wait In the darkness
AS Tristan disappeared the girl seemed
| 10 ms lya IN har mind md roo1yad o1ory1,
across the floor toward the doing poet
The king watched her narrowly as he
too, began to move, skulking among TIN
shadows along the wall. His goal wa;
the distant space behind the settle
where his cunning mind discerned
good listening place-for to listen wa
Louis passion. The kings tread wa
cat-quiet-the kings breath wa
mouse-still; for a moment he pause,
at the street door as If about to pas
out, but seeing that he was unnotiee,
he drifted unheeded through obscurit,
to his haven and nestled there Just a
the girl, bending forward, touched tn
sleeper firmly on the shoulder and the
drew back, defiantly abiding by he
tenerity.
Vfllon moved ~uneasily, as If r%esentin,
the Interruption to his shoulders tina
the firm touch had disturbed, and h
grumbled sullenly, without looking Ut
What is it?"
The woman bent towards him agail
and whispered:
"A word with you" e.
Villon rose YEARLY to his feet, an
as he did SO the woman drew bacl
towards the open center Of the room
which now appeared to her to b
empty. Her nerves were too highl
strung to note anything surprising Il
the disappearance Of the two visitors
If she thought Of them at all it. wa
only to be glad that they had gon
their ways and left the place so lone
ly. Villon followed her almost uncon
scfously, too sleepy for wonder. Sud
denly the woman threw off the fold
that mutf1ed her face and the visio,
that had haunted him flashed on hi
frightened eyes, the vision so proud, S
beautiful and young. He crossed him
self as he questioned in a voice tina
sounded strangely alien to him. "Ar
you real?"