The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1904-02-19

turned dercely upon the speaker; he
was youth, almost q child, whose
large, dark eyes shone out from his
pale face with an expression Of perfect
fearlessness. Here's whelp OF a dan
gerous sort" cried the captain. docs
he come here often, Mistress THE
baude?"
mo, monseigneur."
"Who is his master? Does any one
here know him."
eve took him in tonight for the
first time," stammered Thiebaude, I'M
der the compelling influence Of the
boys magnetic glance. 1--WE never
saw him before"
"Come here, my bold fellow. Where
do you come from?"
From the forest of Montagnole."
But before that?"
From the caves of Angles"
"Where did you get that hang-dog
look? Have you been poaching on our
lands?"
II have no other trade, captain"
"Ventre-Mahon!" he growled, half
laughing and half angry: "you shall
enter my service. My war page let
himself get hung at La Salvetat. Do
you want his place? But, braggart,
are you truly willing to go to the Red
Gibbet tonight"
Il am"
"Alone?"
"AlOne."
"How shall know it?'
Il will wait for you there, since you
are to pass that way in an hour"
"The wolves viii leave nothing OF
you except your carcass"
You might lend me your gum"
80 you know how to handle that
plaything, do you? Let me see you
load it, you rascal"
The boy smiled confidently; he
grasped the heavy weapon with the
dexterity of an old soldier; to the
officers surprise he unloaded it, then
reloaded it, all the maneuvers being
so manifestly familiar to him that
Amalric could not help showing ad-
miration.
IF you can shoot the gun as we'll
as you load it," he cried, lit would not
be pleasant to be your target! At 40
PAGES you must be able to blow the
kernel out of nut, or the brains out
of trespasser."
Easily, mOnseigneur."
"And at the first shot you could bring
down the most nimble game, I'll wa
ger"
~
witness to that, monseigneur," replied
the young poacher, strangely bent on
proyocation as bold as it was uncalled
for. This was the master-stroke. The
drinkers exchanged glances OF con-
sternation and terror at the furious
expression on the face of the Seigneur
de Vabre.
"Viper!!" he shouted, tyou shall join
the old woman on the Red Gibbet
with cravat of hemp, just like hers!"
He rose as he spoke, and stood threat
eningly over the boy, who made no eff
fort to avoid the soldiers raised fist.
Amalric paused in establishment at this
defiance. ''Why do you confess all
this to me, you robber?" he asked at
length, inwardly pleased at such a
display of courage II like brave
hearts, you suit me perfectly. Here's
the gun; wait for me out there. If
the wolves press you too hard climb
up on the arm of the gallows; the old
witch will keep you company. I'll
warrant she'll not be talkative, but
if her presence annoys you, send her
into the Agout with kick!"
The boy became livid: his lips trem-
bled and his eyes fairly blazed. He
grasped the gun offered him, and with
out a word went out into the clear,
frosty night.
"By Hercules!" cried Amalric;
there's man for you, you towards!
That's what l call having a heart i'll
ones breast and blood in ones veins
One of the peasants now ventured to
offer reply, which somewhat dis
turbed the adventurous cavalier. ITO
he sure, monseigneur! But there's a
Spanish musket, too, which you will
probably never see on your rack again. :"
what do you mean? Do you think
that that young rascal"
1T was a clever way for him to get
firearms. At any rate, the gun is in
skillful hands, as your wild boars will
know to their cost"
Amalric, half credulous, now swore
like a pagan. But where could he go
to search for the robber? He drank
his hot wine, and no one dared risk
exasperating him further. When he
was we'll warmed, he wrapped his cloak
about him, leaped into his saddle, and
rode away in the moonlight.
Amalric rode along at a brisk pace
over the snow already hardened by the
intense cold. The moon shone brightly
in the pale sky. The roaring and rush
ing Agout flowed rapidly along. The
continuous, mournful bowling Of
wolves, repeated by the echoes of the
mountain, sounded like lament over
the buried landscape. The horse, not
yet recovered from the fright received
from the Therondel wolf, SHE'D at
evorv iso1atod hush and everv dark