The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-01-09

Il 'So1lS " .yod " SiiS
to sleep with. I went to churc the
other day. oh, on my honor, I did,
this was in reply to a startled look of
surprise that flooded the old Woman's
face-"and a prayer came into my
head-a prayer for you to say to our
lady"
The old woman kissed him fondly on
the forehead.
MY love bird" she said, and as h
spoke;a boyish look hat had long been
absent from Villon's face came back
to it for a moment.
Here it is" he said. Listen" And
he whispered to her the verses he a
made, while the old woman crossed
herself lre~verentially.
Lady of heaven, queen of earth,
Empress of hell, I kneel and plead
You pity, by the holy birth,
The humblest Christian of the creed;
I cannot write; 1 cannot read;
I am a woman poor and old,
BEt.in the church, where I behold
The gates of paradise, I cry
Woman to woman, make me bold
In thy belief to live and die"
There, nanny, there is a pretty
prayer for you"
Mother Villon was dissolved in tears
and sobbed on his shoulder.
vi SllOulu l1dN0 UCCll Il BOOO IIiaIl,
she said.
Villon stroked her hair very gently.
I'VE are as heaven pleases, dear"
He paused for a moment, then sudden
ly remembering the silver coin which
he had conflscated from the king, he
dipped his fingers into his pouch and
produced it. ,
Here is something for you, NAM
my he said, and as the old
with a faint flush on her worn cheeks,
seemed o to protest, he insisted.
"Oh, yes. Take it, take it. 1t was
honestly come by, and you will spend
it more honestly than I 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, I 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 and 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
g1ng Isabeau WI him, and barred his
passage.
kiss a young mouth for a change"
he said, and thrus the girl against the
poet. Villon brushed them both aside.
G. to the devil" he said angrily,
and passed them. Once again Jehan's
hand sought his weapon and once
again he was restrained.
H is in one Of his bad moods" said
lsabeau. Leave him to himself" and
h 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 m 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!" h shrieked, at the ton
of his voice, there's a fight at Fat
Marquis between two wenches. They
are stripped to the waist and at it
hammer and tongs. Come and see for
the love Of Cod"
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 he promised sport.
I'll crown the victor!" cried Mon
tigny as he ran-and TIL 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 instinctiye-
ly to Villon when he crouched over the
dying fire.
"Will you come, Francois?" she
whispered softly. Villon lifted his head
for a moment from his hands to sig
nifty a refusal. 80.
NAY, I am reading"
Huguette blazed out at him a fierce
"You lie!" which failed to move the
poet from his melancholy resolve.
"A man may read without book" he
said. Ct your ways, girl, and skelp
both the hussies!" He dropped into a
detected heap again, oblivious Of. the
girl, who looked at him half sadly, half
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 a 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 wen as he spoke his mirth fad.
ed. for a turn Of fortune gave Tristan
. an opportunity.
my game, sire!" he said, and swept
I the stakes into his pocket.
The king fell into a frowning silence
) as Tristan dealt the cards again, and
I scrutinized his new nand with a SOM
"a bres care, as if the fate Of empire de.
pended upon it. Scarcely assound dis
turbed the heavy quite of the room
Master Francois Villon glooming Ii
his settle corner, sucked a long noise
, less draught from his stolen jug anc
meditated drearily. Between wine and
&, WEAKNESS his hea was beginning t.
{ swim. His head felt as heavy as lead
n his brain as light and foolish as 2
, Wind-tuLnbled feather. Two Women's
~ faces danced hefora his ayes one nrouf