The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-02-18
tensions to being wit, and WHO was
much better equipped with platitudes
than with idooc

much better equipped with platitudes
than with ideas.
In spite of his application. Amalric
could with difficulty keep before him
the vision OF the two profiles. In their
place all his Observation-Disclosures with
out trial. rapine and yiolence-rose
before him like SO many ghosts. The
sibbets which dotted the highways for
leagues around bore witness to his
summary way of dealing with offend
erS.
But, recently, the sorceress of La
! Balme had predicted that he would
himself hang on the last gibbet he had
set up on the Ferrieres road, and he
had summarily hung her to the tree,
without any fear of her supernatural
prowess.
He certainly would not die by hang
ing; he, the brave soldier, whose glance
alone terroriZed the mountaineers OF
the region. But he was not so sure
that, some fine winters night, during
one of his frequent expeditions, al
ways for wicked purpose, an am
buscade of outraged peasants would
not leave his lifeless body by the way
side. And what a sinister night the
present one was, to be sure; how
thOughtlessly he had allowed himself
to be disarmed by a poacher, mere
child at that! A thrill of fear passed
over him. AS he rode around turn
in the road, the Red Gibbet loomed up
before him
An exclamation escaped the reister's
lips as he recognized the vagabOnd OF
LuziereS perched on the ghOstly tree
the moonlight rejecting from the shin
ing metal of the gun he held in his
HANDS. He had not for moment be-
lieveo that the boy would keep his
word; the surprise he felt was mingled
with i0.y at the thought OF not being
alone in the icy waste.
$50 you are here!" he exclaimed.
"A brute of peasant back there took
you for thief; you might shoot him
for practice at big game. 1t is set
tied then. You are to be my page and
the chief arquebusier of my company.
Has my musket been of use to you IN
keeping off the wolves?"
Mot yet, monseigneur," replied the
boy, trembling with cold, doubtless.
Were there no animals on the
road?"
There were many, mOnseigneur,
with eyes like blazing furnaces. They
followed me up, without daring to
touch me; | walked along singing at
the top of my voice, beating the meas
ure with the click OF the musket."
"An excellent way Of keeping the
towards at bay; shot would have
been better. however"
Il saved that for something better"
WHAT"
"YOu shall soon see, monseisneur."
"You must be cold up there On your
perch; you should have warmed your
self up by giving the brutes 'aste
of saltpeter and lead"
The boy clambered down, and waikiki
slowly toward the captain. 81 could
not hit the wolf 1 wanted to kill"
! (Which one was it?" questioned
Amalric, looking about as if expecting
u see SldIlilS eyes.
"a large one that I don't want to
miss"
A gust of wind cut the captains
face SO sharply that he swore a great
oath and exclaimed: Jump on behind
and we will go. l will take you with
forth to. be in my service; if l leave
you here, nothing will be left of you
by tomorrow. II the old wolf you
have in mind comes near us, l give
you permission to kill him at once"
Let him die them" exclaimed the
tain. A sharp report broke the silence
of the night. The reister struck in tie
heart, fell heavily in the snow.
The boy then grasped Argant' s
bride and fastened it securely to a
strong root. With granite firmness, he
climbed upon the gibbet. Leaning out
over the gulf, he uncoiled rope which
was wound around his waist, and tried
to fasten it to the body hanging there,
to draw it toward him. AS he worked
he murmured: you shall be avenged,
grandmother, and you shall be buried
in consecrated ground. 1 told THE
baude this night that you would be
avenged before the dawn"
But even as he spoke, the body of the
woman, so long exposed to cold and
storm, dropped to pieces, and, falling
from rock to rock, at last disappeared
in the tumultuous waters of the Agout.
Just at that moment bell rang out,
not far away; its clear music resound-
ed through the still air like a prayer
winging its flight above. Other,bronze
voices replied in the distance, celebrat-
ing the nativity which promises to the
humble blessings to be realized, and
to the wicked a chastisement for their
iniquities. The vagabond, leaning
over the gulf, made the sign of redemp-
ton; then, descending, he went up to
the body of the soldier, which was al
ready stiff.
Approaching howls warned him to
hasten with his task. He dragged the
corpse to the gibbet, and, by means of
slip knot, drew it up to the beam
lately occupied by the other corpse. 1t
swayed to and fro in the moonlight in
sort of funeral dance; the gibbet
creaked and a pack of wolves rushed