The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-03-06


sarousing, we shall make a sortie iron
will be muffled, no spur shall Jingle
and no bride clink. We will stea
through the night like shadows. A
The cross road some few of us will maxi
an attack upon the enemy's left ant
beat a retreat. This will tempt hin
INTO our ambuscade n as / believe enc
tn his rout. At nine, my lords. Fare
well.'
He raised his hand in dismissal: the
three captains saluted the king and his
minister and passed out of the pres,
ence. AS they descended the winding
stairs, du Lau said to his companions:
I do not know your hearts, my lords
but 1 love this soldier of fortune"
Nantoillet answered cordially:
GOD knows where he came from and
o knows where he will go to, but ]
would ride with him to the worlds
end.
MY father" said Poncet de Riviere,
told me often of the Maid of Orleans
and her power with bearded men. He
must be of her kindred for he wins me
against my will"
As the sound Of their feet died away
N the depths of the tower, Villon
turned to the king.
IF the duke of Burgundy falls into
my trap" he said: men will call me
\ great captain. Yet 1t is no more than
remembering the shape of a meadow
where I played in childhood. Strange
That an urchin's playground should be-
come a Golgotha of graves and glories."
The king clapped him playfully on
the shoulder.
Where did you learn wisdom?"
In the school of hope deferred. When
Il was-what I was, I still believed that
this dingy carcass swaddled a Roman
spirit. In the pomp of my pallet I
dreamed Olympian dreams. And the
sreanls have come true"
You are an amazing fellow. Here in
D week, you nave maden me more popu-
lar h I made myself since my access
sion. In court, in camp, in council, men
are pleased to cali you paragon
Il am a man of the people and I
know what the people need. A week
ago the good people of Paris were dis
loyal enough. I repeal the tax on wine
and today they clap their hands and
cry God save King Louis Justify. A
week age your soldiers We're mutinous
because they were Ill fed, worse, cloth
ed, INC never paid at all. I feed them
tuil, clothe them warm, pay them well,
n today your majesty has ar army
that would follow me to the devil If I
whistled a marching tune"
But in the meantime, your sands
are running out. Is your heart failing?
Is your pulse flagging?"
Not a whit. I have been translated
without discredit from the tavern to
the palace, and If the worse comes to
the worst, I may say with the dying
Caesar, Applaud me-"
The king grtnned sardonically.
win the worse come to the worst %
he piped. "How Is your suit with the
Lady Katherine"
J. y,illon's smile fingered still on his
Ups as he answered.:
Sire, no wise nan boasts that he
Knows the heart of a woman. and yet.
for the best"
Villon's smile grew more ~philosoph-
teal. In his heart he felt fairly con-
ddent. but spoke cautiously.
Why. then, when the housewife
moon ktndles her pale fire on the
hearth of heaven tomorrow, I shall be
quiet enough. But either way you have
given me a royal week, and I have
made the most of 1t, lived a thousand
lives, eaten my cake to the last sweet |
and have known the meaning
Of kingship."
Louis laughed.
You speak as If you had reigned for
century"
pillon's sententiouS mood deepened.
"A mar might live a thousand years
Ind yet be no more account at the last
as a great eater of dinners.
snuff all the perfume but Of a single
our, to push all its possibilities to the
edge OF the chesSboard, is to live great
y though 1t be not to hive long, and
end is an end If 1t come on the
winged heels of a week or the dull
of a century"
Louis leaned back and looked at his
in establishment.
Pray heaven this philosophy NAV
sound as fine when your neck is in the
Your majesty's wit and my wish
nose n nose in a leash"
Louis changed the subject as If there
we're more important matters in the
world than the life, loves and death
of a grand constable.
"Messire Noel brings me a new as
rologer tonight. The heavens seem in
| conspiracy of confusion. the stars are
a tangle! My dream Of a star fall
ng from heaven defles divination."
Vtllon looked at him pityingly.
DO you never tire of these sky doc
he questioned.
Louis frowned, as he always frowned
u any mint OF disbelief in the science
# the stars.
Don't jest, master poet, "but ply
our suit with proud Kate, for I swear
I you fail, you shall hang tomorrow.
Vow leave me, for l must work while
'ou play" n he bent over a chart
md seemed to forget all else in his
profound contemplation.
Villon looked at him for a moment
n silence and then went out of the
Dom n descended the steps, opened
little door, and passed into the
The summer sun was diving
a splendid riot of color among the
ose trees. Its last rays. falling on the
ace OF the god Pan, Illuminated his
a features and seemed to lend
hem the life Of an ironic Ieer. THE
warm air was rich with the blended
doris OF a thousand blossoms, and
rom the palace. faint and far off
ans the sound of joyous voices. II
vas almost the moment when the rose
arden was to be thrown open to the
oval guests. ~
Villon pulled a rose from a bush by
lis hand and gazed into its crimson
cart as II he sought to read there the
HTH