Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-03-12
learn some day, Sir Noel If you groy

learn some day, Sir Noel If you grow
to be q man."
Noel retorted:
1T is no great blazon to be the favor
lite of king. Gentlemen who brag
little may do much. The old love may
outlast the new"
Katherine frowned at his mystery.
You speak like a scented Sphinx, but
am too idle for enigmas. FAREWELL"
and she vanished into the palace.
Noel looked after her fretfully:
"Why are the women all sunflowers
to this scaramouch?" he asked himself
ENORMOUSLY. well, there are other
women, and q wise man gathers the
nearest grapes
a fagon and cup stood on the table
by the marble seat. Noel poured him
self out some wine and drank 1T, seek
ing consolation. His duty called him
shortly to the service of the king, but
he fingered in the garden on the chance
OF a hoped-for meeting.
Il shall be revenged, he said to him
self, If my astrologar plays his part
and tells the weak king that this Lord
of Montcorbier is his evil spirit
His thoughts We're busy with the
events of the past week; if Katherine
had been disdainful, the girl Huguette
had found the dainty soldier frequent
visitor. 1t was Huguette who, after
listening to Noel's complaints of the
grand constable, had suggested to him,
in apparent artlessness of heart, that
he could play upon the kings supersti-
lions through new astrologer and had
promised to find him a star-gazer who
would say anything and everything
that Messire Noel wished to have said.
The scheme ha1 npDaalad tn Noel and
this Very evening he expected Huguette
to bring the astrologer to him, to which
end he had entrusted her with a pass
word which would admit strangers into
the royal garden.
AS he mused figure in Pilgrims
gown came cautiously out of the
shadows into the moonlight behind him
and stood for a moment watching him.
The god Pan could see the face that
smiled under the pilgrims hood-a
girls face, with bright eyes framed in
golden hair, but when the girl saw
Noel, she slipped mask over her face,
drew her Pilgrims gown closely about
her slim body, and tip-toed lightly
across the grass to touch Noel on the
shoulder.
Noel turned with start, and faced,
as he believed, a masquerading palmer.
May | vend you a benevolence, gen.
tleman?" Huguette asked, Disgusting
her voice in an unfamiliar gruffness.
Noel waved aside importunacy.
Pass your ways, pilgrim. am in no
mood for motley"
He turned away, but the persistent
pilgrim followed him.
Are you in maids mood, or a
mood for q maid?"
Noel stopped impatiently.
Are you pander as we'll as pilgrim?
| wait for q woman"
The pilgrims pertinacity was not to
be baflied.
rs she tall or short, young or old,
dark or fair sweet or souri,"
Noel answered whimsically:
SHE is of the color of the chameleon,
height of any mans heart, and as Bit
ter-sweet as a crushed ounce
The girl pulled off her mask and
threw back her hood.
rs she of my feet, favor, years and
.savor?"
gave cry of delight.
You are welcome, witch, he shouted,
for you bring the best love in the
world!'
He sprang to catch the girl in his
arms, but she repulsed him gently.
Hush! / am no love monger now,
no gallantry girl, but most polite
plotter. The world spins like potters
wheel to shape the vessel of our enter
prise. We have a wizard ready for
your king. Will Louis Gomez"
Noel nodded decisively.
AS linnet to looking glass. He is
/. greedy of star wisdom. Does your
astrologer know his lesson?"
lie is parrot-perfect When all is
4 quiet. give an owls cry thrice, and a
/ friend will bring him. He will warn
the king against his grand constable;
he will praise Tristan, applaud Olivier
and commend Messire Noel lie Jolys.
Noel chuckled.
Then / shall be king of the castle
and you shall have a great gold chain
and pearls as big as q virgins tears
Noel did not detect the scorn in HUI
guette's voice, as she answered with
| apparent amiability:
You know the way to win wom-
an
II am no juggling rhyme broker, ]
thank heaven!" Noel cried. II pay my
way"
He caught Huguette in his arms as
he spoke and sought to kiss her, but
she avoided him dexterously.
II will kiss you when you VIM" she
cried.
Noel would have pushed his suit fur
Their, but at that moment the great
clock of the palace chimed the half
hour and struck upon his memory rs
we'll as upon his ear. lie knew that
| the king expected him and he aban-
doned his love making reluctantly.
You are indeed politician" he
sighed Il must wait on the king"
He opened the door of the tower
and stood for a moment looking re-
gretfully at the girl, who smiled at him
temptingly, then he passed in and drew
| the door behind him
The moment he had disappeared, the
| girls bearing changed. Her face and
| gesture blazoned u world of contempt
for her courtier lover.
Fool Ounce, dolt, ass, peacock, buz-
Zard, OWL" she stormed. Then her rage
faded and she turned sadly on her
| heel as another MANS name came into
her heart and fluttered to her lips,
THE world is as sour as rotten
orange since Francois went into exile
Her glance fell on the lutte which
lay on the marble seat where Villon
had left it, She took it up and began
to threm it pensively. whispering to
herself the words of Villon's song:
Daughters of Pleasure, one and all
| or form and features delicate,'
she murmured to herself. AS she did
so, Villon, weary of wandering in the
rose alleys, came into the moonlit
space anu saw tHe ClOakeQ ana nOOde0
figure where 1T sat. In moment his
mind recalled the strange greetings
he had overheard between the two pill
grins.
There is another of those pilgrims,
he said to himself, determined now to
solve the mystery. He crossed the
grass quickly to the figures side and
saluted 1t.
Hail, little brother'
Huguette leaped to her feet and an
swered lightly: