Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-01-08

made, while the old woman crossed
herself reverentially.
Lady of heaven, queen of earth,
Empress of hell, kneel and plead
You pity, by the holy birth.
The humblest Christian of the creed /;
l cannot write; cannot read:
I am q woman poor and old,
But in the church, where behold
The gates OF paradise, cry
Woman to woman, make me bold
In thy belief to live and die"
There, nanny, there is pretty
prayer for YOU"
Mother Villon was dissolved in tears
and sobbed on his shoulder.
You should have been good man.
she said.
Vfllon stroked her hair very gently.
We are as heaven pleases, dear"
He paused for a moment, then sudden
ly remembering the silver coin which
dipped his fingers into his pouch and
produced it.
Here is something for you, NAM
my" he said, and as the old woman,
with faint flush on her worn cheeks,
seemed about to protest, he insisted.
ooh, yes. Take it, take 1T. 1t was
honestly come by, and you will spend
1t more honestly than should" He
forced the coin Into her lean, brown
hand, and added, Now run away,
nanny, and pray yourself to sleep.
You shall see me soon. promise you
He led her gently across the tavern
floor to the door. which he opened for
her. AS she turned to go, she look ed
up to him and repeated two lines of his
prayer:
Woman to woman, make me bold
In thy belief to live and die"
AS the door closed ana Villon turned
to come back to his seat, Jehan lie Loup,
who had been cycling him and who was
eager to pay off the score of his
cracked crown, rose to his feet, drag
cling Isabeau with him, and barred his
passage.
Kiss young mouth for a change
he said, and thrust the girl against the
poet. Villon brushed them both aside.
Go to the DEVIL he said angrily.
and passed them. Once again Jehan's
hand sought his weapon and once
again he was restrained.
He Is In one of his bad moods" said
lsabeau. Leave him to himself" and
she drew her reluctant companion back
to the table. while Villon seated him
self In a corner of the settle. staring
into the fire.
AT the moment the tavern door was
thrust open violently and Guy Tabarie
rushed into the room, his great moon
face sweating, his eyes bullying. his
fringe of crimson locks flaming out
from the egg-shell dome of his bald
head, his mighty belly swaying with a
passion of excitement.
"Friends!" he shrieked, at the top
of his voice, there's a fight at Fat
Margots between two wenches. They
are stripped to the waist and at ii
hammer and tongs. Come and see for
the love of God!"
The whole band was afoot in an in
slant, clamantly agog. Guy Tabarie
turned as he finished speaking and
rushed through the open door into the
shining moonlit street. The rest trailed
after him, wandering stars in the tail
of a dishonorable comet, shouting,
screaming, laughing, pushing, painting,
eager for the promised sport.
It'll crown the victor!" cried Mon
ugny as he ran-and ''Ill console the
vanquished!" shouted Jehan lie Loup
as he brought up the rear of the road
and vanished, gathering, into the night,
Only Huguette remained of all the
fellowship, and she turned instinctive-
ly to Vtllon when he crouched over the
dying fire.
will you come. Francois?" she
whispered softly. Villon lifted his head
for moment from his hands to sig
nifty refusal.
Nay, / am reading"
Huguette blazed out at him a fierce
You lie!" which failed to move the
poet from his melancholy resolve.
~ man may read without book" he
said. Go your ways, girl, and skelp
both the hussies!" He dropped into q
detected heap again, oblivious of the
girl, who looked at him half sadly, halt
angrily for an instant, and then dis
appeared in her turn into the cause
way, calling upon her knavish heralds
to wait for her.
Robin Turgis, shutting the door after
her with sigh of satisfaction, retired
to his own quarters to seek sleep until
custom should return. Louis and iris
tan, deep In their cards, paid little heed
to anything else.
Your barber tarries," Tristan said
after a pause.
The game makes amends" Louis
answered.
You are winning, SIRE" Tristan
grunted. The king chirruped merri.
ly.
My grandsire will be remembered
longer than most kings for the sake OF
these MASTERS and winners that they
made to soothe his madness"
But even as he spoke his mirth fad.
ed, for turn of fortune gave Tristan
an opportunity.
My game, sire!" he said, and swept
the stakes into his pocket
The king fell into a frowning silence
scrutinized his new hand with q som.
bre care, as il the fate of empire de.
pended upon 1t. Scarcely sound dis.
turbed the heavy quite of the room
Master Francois Villon glooming in
his settle corner. sucked long noise.
less draught from his stolen jug ant
meditated drearily. Between wine an(
WEAKNESS his head was beginning t.
swim. His head felt as heavy as LEAD
and his brain as light and foolish as
wind tumbled feather. Two women.
faces danced before his eyes. one proud
and beautiful and young, the Other
humble and pitiful and old, and hi
tried his best to shut both of them ou
of his senses Vaguely he tried to shape
ballade, a noble ballade in honor Of
least an excellent overword "A dish Of
tripe's the best of ALL" He mouthet
the line with relish, but his eyes were
seeing straws and his stumbled CHR
scraped his breast. There came clicl
at the latch, but he did not heed it, He
would scarcely have needed Burgund
ian cannon shot; he had drifted into &
lumpish doze. And yet the way of the
world depended, for him, upon that lif