The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-02-19

an Dy HAssis Dickson
after q while. and began to think o.
getting back to the inn Preside. / re.
traced my steps perfectly, I thought
and II my calculations were RICH,
should have stood where the broad. vel
lighted street I had traversed rne
on Rue st. Denis. But the locality wa
entirely strange. and I had lost Sigh
of the great tower which I had thought
would guide me home, when q SQUAD o1
the watch halted me and uuestioned
my errand.
II am a gentleman. and oficer OF the
king" I replied with such an air they
passed on.
I pray you. gentlemen. direct me ia
the Rue St Denis. thence I can md
my way"
Tho mar gave me directions which
simply confused me. and. ashamed to
confess my ignorance. / blundered on
to where dve or six narrow, crooked
streets ran together. branching out IKE
the fingers from my palm I paused
now uncertain which way to go amid
go many devious courses. and deciding
almost at hazard. turned down the best
paved of all those dingy streets. I had
hardly gone past more Than two cross
streets. when there stood at a corner.
looking ttmidly this way and that. a
slight girl. with blonde hair AMI eyes
OF Breton blue. She seemed so brave.
yet SO out of place and helpless at that
hour of h night, on such an unfre-
quented road. ! almost made SO bold
as to address her. thinking I might be
of service to a lady in Distress, But
my tongue was not formed for such
well chosen words and polite phrases.
so l merely held to side, she stand
Ing to the outer edge to admit Of my
passage.
At the moment I got opposite her. It
seems she had miejudged the width of
the pavement, for I heard her give a
slight ejaculation. and one foot slipped
on the paved way as II she would fall
into the muddy street. I passed my
arm quickly about her. and raised her
to a place Of safety, but even then could
bring no word of courtly elegance to
my assistance.
She thanked me prettily and daintily,
and as pursued my course, 1
could but turn and give vet an
other glance in her direction. She
caught my eye and again looking
each way. bent her steps down q by
way leading of to the left, which we
We're that instant nearest. There was
that In her manner, I could not say
exactly what, which led me to follow
her at "a respectful distance, seeing
which she turned her head, and I
fancied I could observe a thankful lit
tie smile playing about her lips. At
n a she qutckened her pace and
walked with more assurance, no longer
In doubt about her movements.
Fol many rods at times she would be
lost to view in the dark, and her tread
was so light 1t scarcely made q. sound
or the great, clumsy Gathering I
created drowned 1t entirely. lust at
the time I thought I had lost her, I
could catch q glimpse of a fitting skirt
beneath n OF the flambeaux, which,
stuck in inches Of the wall here and
there. lighted old Paris.
In a very pleasant frame of mind, I
strobe along behind her. 1t was won
derful. I thought. how readily a wo-
mans intuition recognizes a protector.
And for I must admit I was young
then; in the ways of women. far young
er than my years. amused myself
with many conjectures concerning what
manner OF errand had taken this young
woman abroad alone on such a night.
A lady h plainly seemed. Disguised
g little, that might be. for her quiet
dignity did not fully comport with the
style of her dress.
A thousand airy castles I built for
my fair heroine to live in, n I. like
the knightly heroes of the Crusades.
was ever her defender, yer her cham
pion In the lists.
Busted with these fancies and ro-
mantle thoughts, / lost count Of streets
and passages, turning this way. that
and the other, through many narrow
n %tortuous byways and alleys. until
I realized I was hopelessly lost. With
my fair guide in front and my good
sword by my side, lightly I recked OF
streets or houses. Yet ! dared not for
get I was on an errand for the gov
ernor and must not expose myself to
bootless peril.
At last, and somewhat to my relief.
she stopped before a great oaken iron
studded gate. possibly Of five good
PAGES width, In one corner Of which
was cut a smaller door SO low a man
must stoop to pass. Upon this smaller
door she raped and stood in the at
titude OF waiting.
I had a moment now to look about
me. 1t was in a quarter OF the town
that was f~orbidding. Here were two
huge, dismal, gray-stone mansions.
separated by a court yard of probably
forty PAGES across, a high wall fronted
the street. flanked by a tower on either
side the gate. On top, this wall was
defended by bits of broken glass and
spikes of steel, stuck into the mason
ry while it was yet soft. More than
lHLl1S the UlCkeElnS DFaZleF WOulO HOl
permit me to see. All of this / took
in a glance; across the street the
murkiness Of the night shut out my
view. She raped again. impatiently.
but in the same manner as before. A
tritiing space thereafter h smaller
door al opened. whoever was inside
first having peeped out through a
round hole. which closed Itself with a
shutter no bigger than his eye.
The lady looked first to me. then
stepped Inside and stood back - If she
babe me enter.
This was an adventure I had not bar
gained for. Thinking only to see that
the lady reached her destination In
safety, here was q complication OF
which I had never dreamed. What
her singular errand was. or wherein
SHE desired my assistance, I could not
even hazard a guess. Yet there she
stood and beckoned me to enter, and
I moved forward a pace or two so
could see within the door.
The concierge held the door ajar
and a more repulsive. deformed wretch
I eve laid eyes upon. His left arm
hung withered at his side; at his
gtrdle he swung a bunch of keys. with
any n Of which a strong man might
have Drained an OK. Every evil pas
Il sion which curses the face Of men had