The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-01-30

A queer smile wrinkled the kings
malign face.
mot quite" he said. when he
wakes, he is to be assured that he is
the count OF Montcorbier and grand
constable of France. His antics may
amuse me, his lucky star may serve
me, and his winning tongue may help
to avenge me on vssstain froward
maid, who disdained 6ke. Send me
here Olivier"
on his heel. In his he # he was in
clined to a kind of Contempt for the
monarch's humors When there was
a chance of hanging a man, it seemed
to him a waste of time to play the foo!
in this fashion. The cat and mouse
policy was never Tristan's way. He
was ever for the doC's way with the
rat.
Louis resumed his restless walk with
his hands folded behind him and his
head thrust forward as if he were
scanning the ground for some lost OBJ
ject. His mind was busy revolving
many thoughts. He knew very well
how precariouS his position was, how
unpopular he vas with his people, how
strong were the forces that the duke
of Burgundy had arrayed against him,
how little he could count upon the al
legiance of the people of Paris If once
the enemy were able to- put a foot
within the walls of the capital city. He
was very ambitious, he was very con-
fident, he was very brave, and yet he
felt that ambition, confidence n
courage were not enough at that crisis
to give his throne support. The super
stitious side of his nature turned rest
lessly to the unknown and his spirit
;r,@ - ~ I IT, -. 49, -,~.,-
the spinning planets, struggling for
occult enlightenment. To the super
stitious, trit1es are the giants of des-
tiny, and the kings escapade of the
previous evening a taken a firm hold
or his fancy. The picturesque black
guard who had mouthed so CALAMITY
his desire to reign owe France and
save her would in my case have tickled
the kings taste for the eccentric, but
when the encounter with the poet came
upon the heels of the kings strange
dream and was followed by the vague
representations of the star-gazer, the
business doomed majestic in his eyes.
He had always before his mind the
memory of the radiant, sanity maiden
who had come like a messenger from
heaven to help his father when his
fathers fortunes seemed to be in the
very dust, and it was in all seriousness
hat he permitted himself to hope and
almost to believe that some such succor
might be vouchsafed him from the fan
tastic rhynester who had SO lately
hectored him in the Fircone tavern.
AS the king lifted his eyes a fairer form
that that of Villon's vas impressed up
on his consciousness and yet the sight
only served to strengthen the current
of the kings thoughts.
A very beautiful girl, tall, stately,
imperious, was coming down one OF
the roseways with her arms full of the
great crimson blossoms. If the king
had been a scholar in the learning OF
the Greeks he would have compared
the girl to some one of the glorious
goddesses Of the Hellenic Pantheon
AS it was, he was merely aware in q
fierce way that the girl was very beau
tiful, that her beauty appealed to him
very keenly, and stirred in him a keer
sense Of resentment at his sighted
homage. This girl, whom Thibau
d'Aussigny wanted to marry, this cir
whom the king coveted, this girl whom
the mad poet worshipped, what par
would she play In the fantastic coined!
which was gradually shaping itself il
the distorted mind of Louis? Rather,
inc de Vaucelles saw the king, ant
dropped him q stately courtesy.
Where are you going, girl?" Loui'
asked.
She answered quietly, ITO her ma,
jesty, sire, who bade me gather roses.
~Give me one," said the king, ant
then as the girl handed him one of tn
longest and reddest Of her splendi'
cargo, the king lightly swaying tn
flower. brushed the girls flower fac
with it and surveyed her moclingly.
You are a pretty child" he sale
you might nav had a kings love
Well, well, you were a fool. Does no
Thibaut d'Aussigny WOO you?"
"He processes to love me, sire, an
I profess to hate him."
H was sorely wounded last nigh
in a tavern scufI1e."
The girl gave a little cry of disap
poinIment.
"On1y wounded, sire?"
The king laughed heartily.
Your solicitude is adorable. Be {
cheer. He ma recover. And we hav
c1apped hands on his assassin.
shall pay the penalty"
Katherine drew a little nearer to til
king. Her eyes were very eager, an
there was eagerness in the tones {
her voice.
"Sire, I bear this N no malice fe
hurting Thibaut d'Aussigny."
You are c1emency itself. 1t won
never do to have a woman on tt
throne. But to hurt a great lord is
II WSlO4S pCdS 1tOlll1C. ne SID
swing for it."
The girl frcwned slightly.
This maj should not die, sire. TIL
baut "a a traitor, a villain"
Louis mirth deepened, but he KEY
the gravity Of his speech.
care, sweeting. lest you wa
out OF your oepth. But you women al
fountains of compassion. If this knaNe
life interests you. plead for it to n
lord, the grand constable"
The girl made a gesture Of despair.
"Thibaut is %pitiless," she said. HI
mouth hardened as she thought of Il
man she hated and of her own failul
to thrust him from her path, bu
softened on the next words of the kin
Thibaut is no longer in Office. II
your luck with his successor"
n leaned forward beseechingly.
His name, sire
Louis looked at her thoughtfully.
He is the count of Montcorbier," /
said. He is a stranger In our cour
but he has found a lodging in n
heart. He came under safe. condu,
from the south last night, He is re
commended to me highly by our broth'
OF Provence. I believe he will serve n
Well, and I am sure he will always |
lenient to loneliness"
The king smiled affably as the read
Hes slipped smoothly from his lips. Z
was amusing himself immensely wit
She threads of the fairy tale he We