The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-01-30
ing him deferentially. He c,,,.a

him: nc called to
Olivier by and by. when nv Lord
o Montcorbier takes the aid in the
sarden, bring this lady to i'm. yo,,
understand? M y
ne turned to Katherine again and
once more tickled her chin with tho
swaying rose. Will Inc
NOW, go. girl, or my wife. and your
dusen VIII De wanting her roses"
a malnerlne again saluted the king and
went slowly up the steps into the nal
ace. Louis watched her as She went
MaLcned her until she was out Of
sisnt, n then turned sharply upon
his servant. Npo
Francois Villon?"
of drugged wine last night
ST. MIN to sleep in q prison. This
nloI.ing ne woke in a palace, Tapped
been washed and barbered, sumntus
ousiy dressed and rarely perfumed. He
Is SO changed that his dearest friend
would not know him again. He does
not seem to know himself. He carries
himself as If he had been a courtier all
his days"
The king chuckled.
have little doubt that when the
Iaekass wore the lions skin he thought
hlmlselI a lion. But Is he not amazed? %
100 much amazed, sire, to betray
amazement. His attendants assure him,
with the gravest faces, that he is the
grand constable Of France. I believe
ne tnlnKs himself in a dream, and, find
ing the dream delicate, accepts it,"
remember" said Louis, to keep to
the tale. This fellow came here from
last night. None must know
VINO he Is save you Inc l and Tristan.
Blow 1t about to all the court that he is
the U of Montcorpier, the favorite
OF our brother Of Provence, and now my
friend and counsellor. I have a liking
Tor you, Olivier, as you know, inc iris
tan and l are very good friends, but
neither of your heads are safe on their
shoulders If this sport Of mine be
spoiled by indiscretions."
Olivier bowed deeply.
Il annot speak for Tristan, sire" he
said. but / can speak for myself. The
god Harpocrates is not more symbolical
than I when it is my business to hold
my tongue"
TT is WE'LL" said Louis. st will an
sWer for Tristan. Have this fellow sent
to me here"
With another reverence Olivier left
the king and assembled the steps into
SHS po'oSS. ~ Ming oLllllSu pGIlSlVG1y
at the rose which Katherine had given
to i'm. The perfume seemed to sooth
him and he unused, summing himself and
feeding his fancy with the entertain
ment which playing with the lives of
others always afforded to htm.
This Jack n Jill shall dance to my
whimsy like dolls upon a wire. 1t would
be rare sport il Mistress Katherine dis
dained Louis to decline upon this beg
pac He Sho1l horu for roocl-inr ,oo
But he carried himself like a king for
all his tatters and patches and he shall
taste Of splendor."
CHANGING up at h terrace he per-
ceived the returning figure of Olivier
lie Dain, and guessed hat his hench-
man was serving as herald to the new
grand constable. Behind Olivier came
a little cluster of pages, and behind
them again the king could see a shining
figure in cloth Of gold.
Here comes my m~ourtebank," he
said to himself. las pompous as If he
We're born to the purple" He moved
swiftly to the door of the tower and
entered it, disappearing as the little
procession descended the steps into the
rose garden. There was a little grating
lin the door Of the tower, a little grating
with a sliding shutter. and through this
grating the king now peered with in
finite entertainment at the progress of
the comedy himself had planned. Oil
vier had spoken truly when he said
that Master Villon had been greatly
changed. The BARRIERS own handiwork
had so cleansed and shaved his coan-
tenance, had SO trimmed and readjust-
ed his locks that his face now shone as
different from the face of the tavern
haunter as the face of the moon shines
from the face of a lantern. He was as
sumptuously attired as if he were a
prince of the blod royal: the monday
sun seemed to take fresh luster from
his suit of gold,, the air to be enriched
by his perfume, h world to be vastly
the better for his furs and jewels.
Though it was plain that the tricked-
out poet was In a desperate dilemma he
managed to bear himself with dignity
that consorted royalty with his pomp.
Olivier bowed low to the figure in
cloth Of gold.
"Will your dignity deign to linger
awhile in this rose arbour?" he asked.
The gentleman in cloth Of gold looked
at him in wonder. In truth, the gem
tleman in cloth Of gold was in a very
bewildered frame of mind. He had seen
but now a clean and smooth-shaven
face in the mirror, with elegantly
trimmed hair, and he tried to associate
the image In the mirror with his own
familiar face, unwashed, unkempt, un-
shaver. He eyed the splendid clothes
that covered him and his memory
fumbled in p%erplexity over the horrors
Of a dingy, tilthy wardrobe. ragged,
wine-stained and ancient. He looked
at the solemn pages who stood about
him with golden cups and golden flag
ons in their hands, and he tried to re-
member how he had escaped from the
society of Master Robin Turgis into
this gilded environment. His head
ached with the endeavor and he aban-
doned it. Olivier repeated his question,
and at last Villon found words, though
his voice sounded strange and hollow
on his ears, and hard to command.
my dignity will deign to do any
thing you suggest, good master Blacka-
moor" he answered, but to his heart
he whispered that it was better to hu-
NOR these strange satellites whose per-
sons he found 1t impossible to reconcile
with any memories of the real world
as he knew it. The barber bowed defer
entially.
II shall have to trouble o presently
with certain small cares of state" he
said.
viuo1 hoamad an him henienly. He