The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-01-02

know the lady's name. He took me for
a mailman, but he told ne"
In a second Huguette was on her legs
again and nesting her eager face close
to that Of Villon as she whispered coax
ingly:
"vNhat was the lady's name. dear
Francois?"
Master Francois looked into her
watchful eyes with a wise smile.
BE secret, sweet" he mummured. "It
roar of laughter from Villon's friends
greeted this sally, and the fury it
brought to Huguette's face. Louis, roy
ally angered, made as if to rise in pro-
( test, but the heavy hand of Tristan fell
on his shoulder and restrained him, and
Villon, noticing his irritation, waved
him down with 4 pacifying gesture.
Now, now, my rum duke" he cried,
your loyalty need not AXE fire. 1t was
not her majesty, but her name I shall
keep to myself, though it is written on
my shoulders in fair large blue and
black bruises"
This statement stirred a murmur of
surprise in h gathering. Did the
pink and gold popinjay beat you?" Mon
tigny asked, interpreting the general
curiosity.
mo, no." villon answered.. "It came
about thus. We thinkers Of verses set a
price on our wares that few find them
worth, yet with the love-fever in my
veins I wrote rhymes to this lady and
sent them to her fairly writ on a piece
of parchment hat cost me a dinner"
Did you hin she would come to
your whistle like a bird to a lure?'
Louis inquired playfully. Villon sighed
again.
I'm this kind Of madness a minstrel
thinks himself q new OrpheuS who
could win a woman out of hell with his
music. But I got my answer-oh, I got
my answer"
He dropped suddenly into a moody
silence, which was not to the taste Of
the fellowship who were interested in
the adventure. Montigny, leaning for
ward, gave Villon a clap on the back
which made him shrink, and shouted
What was the answer?" o.
Villon began to laugh, a loud, mirth-
less laugh that had no human warmth
in it.
"a fellow like a page boarded me
here three days ago. He asked me If 1
had sent certain verses to a certain
quarter. If so I was to follow him at
once. I followed like a sheep, with my
heart drumming, till we came to a quiet
place, and there four hobbies with
cudgels fell upon me. 1 was
takAasp unaWares, I had no weapon but
my jac@S-dagger, the blows were raining
upon meSas fast. as cacorns fly in a high
wind, SO I thought it no shame to take
to my heels. Nhe varlets pursued me,
full cry, till I led hhern to a part of Paris
where their lives Mould not have been
worth a '>minute's purchase and they
had to stay\their chase. But l have been
rarely drubbed and roWndly basted, and
anishly tender. go .Sroad no more
without Excalibur."" He tapped his
sword hilt as he spoke. Iduguette
glared fiercely up at him. ~,
will it teach you not to play tha fool
again?" she asked, with a>vicious SNAP
of her white teeth. -.
TT will teach me not to play the fool
again" Villon answered sadly. The
mark of the beast is upon me and 1 shall
dream no more dreams" He shook him
self as if he were trying to a away
clinging memories and extended his
empty a to Montigny, saying: I'm
thirsty again. More liquor"
AS Montigny filed up for his leader,
Louis commented, You drink more
than is good for your health, sir" VIII
lon rounded on him angrily, with
flushed face n shining eyes. 80
Mind your own business!" he hout-
ed, and the rest shouted with him APP
~plaudingly. What can a man do but
drink when France is going to the
devil, with the ~Burgund1ans encamped
in the free fields where I played in
childhood, and a nincompoop sits IN
the throne and let's them besiege his
city?' The rascaIs laughed. Tristan
whispered to himself, You'll be sorry
you spoke, Master Villon." The king
~propounded a problem. N doubt you
could do better" than the king If you
wore the kings shoes?" y ~
Villon rolled about on his barrel in an
ecstasy of entertainment. IF I could
not do better than Louis Do-Nothing,
Louis Dare-Nothing, having his oeca-
sions n advantages, may Huguette
there never kiss me again."
His boon companions laughed. HUI.
guette whispered sulkily, Perhaps she.
never will"
Isabeau came siding and bridling up
to Louis, wheeling like a cat as she
said: Our Francois has made. a rhyme
of it, sir, how he would carry himself IL
he wore the kings shoes"
Louis was always ready for any kind
the girls slim body and drew her to his
knee. HAS he, indeed, pretty min
ion?" he said. May we not hear it,
Master Poet?" a.
Villon, with mock modesty, had tried
to restrain sabeau from speaking Of
the work, but now he changed his tune.
you may; you shall; for tits a true
song, though it would cost me my neck
If it am to the kings ears, very likely.
But you are not tall, enough to whisper
in them, so here goes"
With q shout Villcn sprang to his
feet, draped his tattered cloak closely
about him, struck a commanding atti-
tude, and began to recite with great
solemnity. Louis scooped his claw-like
fingers behind his cal, that he might
better hear the words that fell from the
wild poets mouth:
tAI French folk, Whereso'er We be,
Who love your country, soil and sand,
From Paris to the Breton
!, And back again to Norman strand,
( ForsoothEy We seem a silly band,
/ Sheep without shepherd, left to
{ chance
Far otherwise our fatherland
If Villon were the king of France!n
III glanced grimly at Tristan; the
-i,.nnianc mi iahod THAR In nd q ~ a, l,oir1aa