The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-04-03
Noel bowed and sped on his errand

A~LSS
Tristan and Olivier withdrew them
selves discreetly apart, under the
shadow Of the gallows, that building Of
all human buildings which was most
dear to their hearts and most sacred
in their eyes.
Louis came very close to the pale
girl and whispered:
Are. you SO hungry for your devo-
tons that you cannot waste some
worldly words on me? Are you still
angry with me for the tricls'I played
On you?"
Katherine's pale face flushed a little
as she answered:
sit is wasted spirit to be angry with
a king"
Louis grinned.
you are as pat with your answers
as "a clerk at mathis. Could you give
me your heart now if I bent my knee?"
Katherine stiaed a great sigh.
IT lost my heart last night; I have
not found it again"
Louis flung up his hands in con-
temptuous amusement.
THE fellow was a fool to blab so
glibly. I would have carried the jest
farther. But he stood on the punctilio
and would not win you without con-
fession."
The girls heart swelled.
II am glad he had so much honor
she said, and The shining figure in the
bright armor seemed more. archangel-
like than ever.
Louis looked at her intently, tickling
his chin with his forefinger.
IF you wait in the church for his
homecoming, o will see how the Jest
ends" he said.
Katherine made the king a profound
reverence and slowly entered tho
church, every pulse Of her body plead
i1r IN -ro 1yarHfo, hnr 1oof 10,>aa. Che
scarcely needed an old, bowed wom-
IN who tottered out, propped on a
crutch stick, and who dropped the
great lady a respectful curtsey as she
passed and went her ways Into the
silent streets. So the two women In
the world whom Villon loved met for
the first time.
Louis, left alone, beckoned to Tristan
and Olivier, who hurried down to him.
There goes a brave lady, gossips,
a fair lady, a chaste lady. She sails
in the high ATTITUDES of love and de-
serves to find the Fortunate islands.
Are there not better things to do with
Master Villon than to hang him?"
Olivier protested:
"This Villon is such a damnable dou-
Bile dealer that the a~ss-headed populace
loves him better than you"
The kings visage soured.
THAT Is enough to hang him.. Yet
I have a kind of liking for the fellow,
and my dream troubles me-the star
that fell from heaven"
Tristan commented bluf1y:
Hang the rascal while you can and
thank heaven you are well rid of him"
Even as he spoke the world seemed
suddenly to be full Of many noises and
many voices. From beyond the gate
on the ways that led to the, city walls
came the clamor of hoarse shouts and
cries and the thudding din OF running
feet. From the other side, from the
street that led to the Louvre, came the
ordered tramp of soldiers.
Olivier interpreting n interruption,
said:
"The people are coming from the
walls"
And Tristan interpreted the other.
THE queen, sire" he announced.
Through the6narrow space that led
into the open square there came a line
of soldiers escorting a number of SPLEEN
didly caparisoned litters-the car
riages of the queen and the queens
chief ladies. Louis advanced to the
first litter, and extending his hand, as
sisted the queen to descend and con-
Quoted her With an elaborate display
Of polite affection to the gorgeous dais
by the side of the church, where they
sat side by side on the small thrones
liz q 9SSAA PASPoiSo NAASAAAsF AIC
ladies and gentlemen Of the court
ranged themselves in their places be-
hind the royal pair and the Scottish
archers formed a solid force in front.
Through the open gateway came the
mass of citizens who were returning
from the walls. Even the heavy sleep
Of Trots Echelles and Petit-Jean was
not proof against all his tumult. They
awose, rubbed their eyes, then climb
ing briskly to their feet, leaned over
the platform on the handrails of the
gallows and surveyed the scene with
interest.
Noel de Jolys pushed his way
through the crowd about the gateway
and advanced to the king.
Sire" he said, "the latest message
from the battle: The day is wholly.
ours. The grand constable returns in
triumph. You can hear his music
now"
Louis nodded.
"It is very WE'LL" he affirmed gravely.
Through the gateway the crowd OF
people was pouring thick and fast,
shouting and cheering and filling the
square in front OF the dais with a
throng of enthusiastic men, women and
children, all waving their arms, fling
ing flowers and yelling welcomes at
the topmost pitch Of their lungs. The
sound Of military music and the tramp
I'll lIi11 CIl1llS lllSl1 COu1Q pS 1lSdTu aD-
preaching louder and louder.
Five girls forced their way to the
very front row Of the throne and We're
applauding and shouting with the rest.
These were the light ladies Of the
Fircone, Isabeau. Jehanneton. Denise,
and Blanche with Guilie1nette, fat
Robin Turgis' fat daughter. They were
all in a state of great excitement, for
their lovers had vanished over night
and their abbess had disappeared like a
dream, and they knew not what had
become of them. They had little fear
for their lovers, for the good gentle
men Of The Fellowship OF the Cookie
shell had a way Of diving into the deep
waters of existence at intervals in or
der to escape the too attentive eye and
the too particular finger of the law,
and the girls had d vague idea Of some
great scheme on hand which might
easily result in trouble for h brother
hood. AS for their abbess, they We're
none too sorry to be free from her
somewhat decisive authority, and they
chartered and babbled like birds es-
capped from a cage.
By this time the advance guard Of
the army began to pour in through the
narrow mouth of the gateway and to