The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-03-27
CHAPTER XIII.
THE REDE OF FIVE RIDING
ROGUES.

Through the silent streets Of Paris
a slender line of. steel moved slowly
the thread Of which Master Francois
Nillon was the needle pricked to sew
the realm Of France together. The
grand constable O at the head with
h lords OF Lau, of Riviere and of
Nantoillet, and somewhere at the tail
rode the five released rascals and
babbled beneath their breaths as they
rode. For the order to keep silence
dld not count until the gates of Paris
were reached and began to turn on their
hinges to let Villon's adventures forth.
Every man Of the rufiians had a stout
sword swinging at his girdle; every
man or them sported a steel cap upon
his head; every man Of them felt his
heart pulslng with rare emotions and
his brain busy with strange thoughts.
Rene de Montigny spoke first the thing
that filed his mind.
1T must be a devil of a business"
he reflected. ito be bullied like that by
a beauty. Blood. but she is beautiful,
and blood, but she can below"
Guy Tabarie chuckled fatty. ct have
been bullied so many times by grey
faced drabs that / would take my
trouncing patiently from such a pair Of
lips. 1t was meat and drink to look at
her and think thoughts"
Jehan lie Loup frowned sourly. "Had
1 been Master Francois and black Louis
ASN pSSA ~ L SIiouio nave lIlGu 10 lleNu
my luck with q cudgel. AT best and
worst she would have had something to
curse for after a lusty humping"
Casin Cholet licked his lips. II shall
think of her." he said, when next T
meet with a sweetheart. With a little
wit your honest rascal can be as happy
as a king. In the dark all fur Is of the
same color"
Colin de CayeulX yawned. What arc
we going a-riding for?" he questioned.
=! would sooner nave stayed in the
kings rose garden and filled my belly
as we did last week when the great
lord in gold tissue pitied us. And to
think that it was no more than Fran
co.'s after all! I could jam my dagger
between his shoulder-blades for making
such 4 ninny of me-"
Il knew him all the time Guy Ia
barrie was beginning when Rene de
MontigEy silenced him with a ringing
clip on the nearest ear which nearly un-
saudled the fat rogue. You lie. Noun
tain, you lie." he whispered. do you
think that II he cheated me your pigs
eyes could read h riddle? No, no, he
fooled US fairly n he fooled us we'll,
but ne treated US kindly n we can
afford to cry quits"
"A strange thing unused Colin, that
a trit1e OF hair less on O mans chin
and a trife of dirt less on a mans
cheek. with some matter of clean linen.
and a smooth jerkin. can make such a
difference"
Not at ALL" said Rene de Montigny.
I'VE are all the same at the core. every
man-jack and woman-till OF us, hum
gertng, thirsting, lusting, just after the
same fashion. TITS only the coat that
counts
ITS you who lie now" Erunted
Tabarie. There's no gold tissue in the
world that would makey you as cunning
as Francois. You would never have
done as he did If the king had made
you h pick of the litter
Rene whistled through his teeth.
May be so, may be not" he said. mo
mar can tell what he may do till he is
given his chance to test his mett1e.
Oh, opportunity. golden opportunity
II I were Francois ViIlon I would shape
an image Of gold in your name and
praise you for a saint"
Il wonder what that girl will say"
unused Tabarie, IF our Francois comes
back with h duke Of Burgundy in
his pocket"
II wonder what she will say" sneered
Jehan lie Loup, If he trundles back feet
foremost with q hole in his body and
half a head"
Whatever happens is sure to vex
her." said Casin Cholet. "Woraen are
Our poor rninionS will be lonely to-
night" said Colin.
Il doubt it," said Rene de Montigny
drily. and then he sighed a little.
Poor Abbess!"
Sudden tears smeared Tabarie's tat
cheeks.
She was a brave wench If ever"
he snivelled. Through welfare or Ill
fare she was always the same. and
would share board and blanket with a
friend though his pouch was as barren
as Sarah's body"
TT was ten thousand pities," said
Rene, that h fell so lovesick for
Francois. Did he give her some philtre.
some elixir, do you think? Francois
is a fine fellow. though. TIL not deny
1T, but he's had the DEVILS own luck.
and by our patron st. Nicholas, there be
others as fine as he"
AS he spoke the great gate Of the city
yawned noiselessly. and stealthy and
silent the hope Of Paris glided into the
darkness and was swallowed up by the
night
CHAPTER XIV.