Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-03-21

cheeks were hollow, his lips and chin
were thin and heshless. He seemed to
have only one expression = fixed grin.
" While stood looking At this for
midable creature he made q quick mo-
ton to shut the door again, smiling
more widely. I had the presence of
mind to thurst in my foot, and, before
he could resent the act, voice in the
background cried: For shame. Clon:
Stand back. Stand back, do you hear?
am afraid, Monsieur, that you are
hurt ,*.:s3 ..
The last words were: my welcome to
that house; and, spoken at an hour
and in circumstances 80 gloomy, they
made lasting impression. ! Round the
hall ran gallery, and this; the height
of the apartment and the dark PANEL
ling seemed to swallow up the light.
/ stood within the entrance Gas 1t
seemed to mel. OLA huge cave; tho
skull-headed porter had tho air Of an
OGRE Only the voice which greetsd me
dispelled the illusion. turned trem-
bling towards tho quarter whence It
came, and, shading my eyes, made out
q woman's form standing In doorway
under tho gallery. A second figure.
which I took to be that Of the servant
had seen at the inn, doomed uncer-
tainly beside her.
"One Of our people has told me about
you,' she continued, speaking out Of
the darkness. II am sorry that this
has happened to you here, but I am
afraid that you were indiscreet.'
II take all the blame, Madam" I
answered humbly. II ask only shelter
for the night"
'The time has not yet come when we
cannot give our friends that" she an
swered, with noble courtesy. when
it does, Monsieur, we shall be homeless
ourselves"
I shivered, looking anywhere but at
her; for had not sufficiently pictured
this scene of my ARRIVAL had not
roreseen its details; ard now took
part in it felt q miserable meanness
weigh mo down.: I had never from the
first liked the work! But, I had had
no choice. And had no choice now.
Luckily, the guise in which I came,
my fatigue and wound were sufficient
mark, or should have incurred sus-
picion at once. For am sure that II
ever in this world a brave man wore
a hang-dog air, or Gil de Berault fell
below himself, it was then and there
on Madam de Cocheforet's threshold.
with her welcome sounding in my ears.
One, I think, did not suspect me.
Clon, the porter, continued to hold tho
door obstinately ajar and to eye ms
with grinning spite, until his mistress,
with some sharpness. bade him drop
the bars: and conduct to a'room.
do you 10 also, Louis" she con-
tinued, speaking to the man beside her,
"and see this gentleman comfortably
disposed. am sorry" she added. adj
dressing me in tho graceful tone che
had before used, and I thought could
see her head bent in the darkness,
that our present circumstances do not
permit us to welcome you more fltly.
Monsieur. But the troubles OF tho
times-however, you will excuse what
is lacking. Until tomorrow. L have
the honor. to bid you. goodnight"
Goodnight Madam 1 starnmered;
trembling. had not been able to dis
tinguish her face: in the gloom Of tina
doorway, but her voice. her greeting,
her presence, unnamed me. was
troubled and preplexed;< had not
spirit to kick dog. followed the two
servants from the hall without needing
how we went; nor was it until VIZ
came to a full step at a door in a
whitewashed corridor, and it was
forced upon me that something was in
question between my two conductors
that began to take notice
Then I saw that one Of them, Louis,
wished to lodge me here where we
stood. The porter, on the other hand,
who held tho keys. would not He did
not speak a word, nor did the other
and this gave queer ominous charac-
ter to the debate; but he continued to
jerk his head towards the farther end
of the corridor, and, at last, he carried
his point. Louis shrugged his shout:
ders, and moved on.
We reached the END Of the corridor.
and there. for an instant, the monster
with the keys paused and grinned at
me. Then he turned into q narrow pas
sage on the left and after following
it for some PAGES. halted before small,
strong door, His key Jared in tho
lock, but he forced it shrieking round,
and with savage flourish threw tho
door open.
walked in and saw a mean, bare
chamber with barred windows. The
floor was indifferently clean, there was
no furniture. The yellow light Of the
lanthorn falling on the stained walls
gave the place the look of dungeon.
turned 10 the two men. This is no.
a very good room," said. "And II
feels damp. Have you no other?"
Louis looked doubtfully at his COM
panion. But the porter shook his head
stubbornly.
why does he not speak," 1 asked
with impotence.
HE is dumb Louis answered.
Dumb" exclaimed But he
hears"
HE has ears" the servant answered
ppnA In 1,n~ Inn