Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-02-12

The two men leered al each other
across Nlllon, hoping that their praises
of each other might have due effect
upon the great lord who seemed so con-
descending to them. villon smiled.
You are the Castor and Pollux OF
purity? DO YOU remember the night OF
last Shrove Tuesday and the girl you
carried off TO Fat Margot's and held
to ransomn"
The effect of his words upon the two
men was startling. The ugly episode
doomed up in their memories and they
shivered to find 1T known. In "a second
the simulated friendship of bandit for
bandit vanished and the two men
glared at each other with the ferocity
of fighting dogs as they hurled accusa-
ton and denial at each other:
That was Collins adventure,'
That was Casin's enterprise."
Il deplored it
II had no hand in ~
Forgetting their respect for author
ity III the fury of their antagonism,
they struck angriiy at each other
across their questioner and We're Crap
ping in close combat when Nillon made
a signal and they. in their turn. We're
dragged back raging into the ranks of
their fellow prisoners.
There WAS only one left now-Jehan
lie Ioup-who stood with folded arms
and lowering hrows. surveying the eff
forts of his comrades. Nillon made a
sign. and the man was dragged into
his presence. Nillon clapped him on the
shoulder
You seem Il brisk, assured fellow
for a man in duress.''
The friendly demeanor of the great
man cheered the prisoner and he am
swered blufily:
My good conscience sustains me-
Nillon's demeamor was still amicable
as he put his next question in voice
that came only to Jchans ears.
II am glad to hear it. How did The
vcnln Pensete cone to his death?'
The muscles of Jehan lie Loup's face
tWltched for a moment. but he clinched
ms fingers tightly to restrain himself
ana answered With a surly impassabil-
ity:
How should ! know, my lord?"
Nillon drew him nearer and spoke
lower still.
Who better? That nasty quarrel
over the cards. the high words and a
snatch for the Winnings, a tilted table,
AN eXtinSuished taper, Il stab in the
dark and Il ;sroan. Exit Thevenn PEN
sete Your dagger doesn't grow rusty!"
Jehan's face grew grayer and uglier,
but he kept his countenance.
Monseigneur," he answered, II loved
him like Il brother."
AS Cain loved Abel" Villon said. He
made a sign, and Jehan lie Loup was
taken back to his fellows.
So far Villon had been sufficiently di
verified. He had played upon the terrors
of his friends. he had bewidered them
to the top If his desire. He now fore
saw the possibility of sport more deli
cate as his glance fell upon the group
of girls who clustered together like
frightened birds at the foot of the
statue of Pan. He made sign to Mes
sire Noel, and the gilded exquisite drew
near
Bring me hither those four gentle
women, he commanded.
The fops face heightened with
amazed disapprobation.
"Gentlewomen. messire? Those four
doXies?"
Nillon reproved him.
They are women, good captain, and
You and are gentlemen or should be,
and must use them gently.
Messire Noel frowned and his hand
made gesture in the direction of his
wofd-hilt, then he remembered the
folly of iuarreing with so great man,
and contented himself with Struggling
his shoulders as he questioned:
And the dcmirep in the doublet and
hose?'
Let her stay for the present" Villon
answered, and in obedience to a sign
from Noel the four girls came timidly
forward With downcast eyes, while HUI
guette remained apart, leaning COM
posedly against the image of Pan and
surveying the scene with good
humored Indifference.
When the girls We're close to him, Viii
Ion spoke:
We'll, young ladies. what is this
trade of yours that has brought you
into trouble.
Jehanneton dropped a curtesy.
Il make the caps that line helmets
lsabeau followed quickly:
II am a lace weaver. Enne, an hon.
est trade"
Blanche came next.
Il ann slipper maker"
Denise ended the catalogue.
And il glover
Mischief danced in Nillon's eyes.
No worse and no better. A word in
your ear" He Whispered something i'm
to each girls ear in turn, and as he did
so, each girl started, drew back, looked
confused, laughed and blushed
1t is ever TO be deplored that the
worthy Dom Gregory, whose ecclesias-
teal history of Poitou is the source OF
so much curious information concern
ing Nilion, should have omitted, from
mistaken sense of delicacy, to chroni-
Gle precisely what 1t was that the poet
Whispered in the ears of each of the
girls. All he condescends to record In
his Grabbed. canine Latin, is that Will
Ion showed so much intimate acquaint
ance with certain physical peculiarities
or whimsical adventures private to
each damsel that she believed the
speakers knowledge to be little less
than supernatural. Literature of the
skittish sort must deplore the monaste
reticence, but history can do no more
than accept it and leave Imagination to
fill in the blank as best it pleases.
All mslofy IS certain of is that the