The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-11
CHAPTER XXI.
THE DESERTED HUT.

not tell you should become a Spanish trou-
badour?" Then, reaching out his hand, he
added seriously: Right pleased am I to
meet you. But how came you here?"
II have fled from the keep of the old
castle, where 1 lay charged with heresy.'
answered the jester. returning the hearty
| grip.
The keep!" exclaimed Caillette in sur
prise. You are fortunate not to have been
brought to trial." he added thoughtfully.
Few get through that seine and his Holt
ness, the Pope, / understand, has ordered
| the meshes made yet smaller
They had paused on the brow of a hill,
commanding the view of road and tavern
Dazed, the young girl had listened to the
| greeting between the two men. This ragged,
| beard-begrown troubadour, the graceful,
| elegant Caillette of Francis's court? 1t
seemed incredible. At the same time,
through her mind passed the memory of the
| plaisant's reiterated exclamation in prison:
"Caillette-in Spainv-words she had at
tributed to fever, not imagining they had
any foundation in fact
But now this unexpected encounter alb
ruptly dispelled her first supposition and
opened a new field for speculation. Certain
a
somewhere, but what his GRAND she could
not divine. A diplomat in tatters, serving
fellow-jester. Fools had oft intruded them
selves in great events ere this, but not those
| who wore the motley: heretofore had the
latter been content with the posts Of enter
tainers. leaving to others the more precari-
Gus offices of intrigant.
But If she was surprised at Caillette's un-
expected presence and disguise, that coun-
terfeit troubadour had been no less amazed
to see her, the joculatrix of the princess. in
the mean garb of a wayside minstralissa,
wandering over the country like one born
to the nomadic existence. That she had
nature as free as air and the spirit of
gypsy he well believed, but that she would
forego the security of the royal household
for the dscomforts and dangers of vag-
rant life he could not reconcile to that other
part of the character which he knew must
shrink from the actualities Of the stray
glers lot. He had watched her at the inn;
how she held herself; how she was a part
of, and yet apart from. that migratory
company; and what he had seen had but
added to his curiosity.
Have you left the court, mistress?'' he
now asked abruptly.
EYES," she answered, CURLY.
Caillette gazed at her and her eyes fell.
Then put out with herself and him, she
looked UP boldly.
''why not?" she demanded.
why not, indeed?' he repeated, gently,
although obviously wondering.
The constraint that ensued between them
was broken by a new aspect of the distant
confagration. Famed by the breeze, the
flames had ignited the matched roof of the
hostery and fiery forks shot up into the
sky. casting fierce glow over the surround
ing scene. Through the glare, many birds,
unceremoniously routed from their nests be-
meath the caves, flew distractedly. Before
the tavern, now burning on all sides, could
be distinguished number of figures, fran
tically running hither and thither, while
above the cracking Of the flames and the
clamorous cries of the birds was heard the
voice Of the proprietor. alternately pleading
with the knaves to save the tavern and exc
Grating him who had applied the torch.
Gap de Dieu! the landlord will snare no
more Travellers" said Caillette. my horse
had become road-worn and perforce had
tarried there sufficient while to know the
company and the host. When you walked in
my eyes. Twas nice trap, and the land
lord an unctuous fellow for villain. As
sured that you could not go out as you
came, cen prepared a less conventional
means of exit
He had scarcely finished this explanation
when, with a shower Of sparks and a mighty
crash, the heavy roof fell. A lambert flame
burst from the furnace grew brighter I'M
til the clouds became rose-tinted; a glory
as brilliant as short-lived, for soon the blaze
subsidized. the glow swiftly faded, and the
sky again darkened.
ut is over murmured Caillette; and, as
they touched their horses, leaving the smol-
dering ruins behind them, he added: But
how came the scamp student to serve you?
1 was watching closely, and listening, too;
so caught how twas done.'
81 spared his life once" answered the
jester.
"And he remembered? IT'S passing
strange from such rogue A clever device,
to warn you in Latin that his friends in
tended to kill one or both of you for the
jeweed sword"
why" spoke up the young girl, her at
tention sharply arrested. was it not a mere
discussion of some kind? And-the quarrel?"
"A pretense the rogue's part to avert |
the suspicion of the master of the boar / |
could but marvel''-to the jester-"at your
forbearance."
Il fear me Jacqueline had the right to a |
poor opinion Of her squire" replied the |
dukes fool. Nor do / blame her." he |
laughed. ''in esteeming a stout bolt more |
protection than a craven blade"
Il,,< he cir
brain flashed the recollection of her cold dis |
dain; her scornful words; her abrupt dis |
missal of the jester at her door. Weighing
what she had said and done with what he |
had not said and done, she turned to him |
quickly, impulsively. Through the semi |
darkness she saw the smile around his
mouth and the quizzical look with which /
he was regarding her. Whereupon her cour-
age failed. She bit her lip and remained |
silent They had now passed the brow of /
the hill; on each side of the highway the |
forests parted wider and wider, and the |
thoroughfare was bathed in white light.
AS they rode along on this clearly IL |,
lumined highway, Caillette glanced inter- |
negatively at the PLEASANT. The outcome of |
his journey-should he speak now? Or later
when they were alone? Heretofore neither
haps, because his mind had been SURPRISED
into another train of thought by this unpx-
pected' encounter: the dukes fool because
the result of the journey was no longer mo-
mentous. Since the other had left. condi- |
tons were different The good pa f,,ro<, 1850