The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-02-18
CHAPTER X.
I'VE Shall Have 10 Eat Red Meat
Now"

Vt. nutT Its SiRuDOdTu over
~ the threshold a man with q
Grabbed looking face was standing,
seemingly plunged In unpleasant
thought. IL the wrinkles on his fore,
head and the knitting OF his brows
were any Indication.
When ROuletabille and | were close tC
him he deigned to see US and asked lis
In a tone anything but engaging whcth.
or we wanted anything. lie WAS no
doubt the not very amiable landlord Of
this charming dwelling place. As W"
expressed Il hope that he would he
good enough TO furnish us with Il
breakfast. he assured US that he had
10 provisions.
you may take us In" Roulctabillr
said to him. We are not policemen
I'm not afraid Of the police. I'm
not afraid of any one" replied the
man.
I had made my friend understand by
a sign that we should do better not to
Insist; but. being determined to enter
the inn. he slipped hy the man ON the
doorstep and WAS in the common room
"Comc on" he said. 1T Is very com
Portable here"
4 good fire was blazing In the chin.
ney. and we held our hands to the
warmth it sent ont. II was Il morning
In which the approach Of winter was
u~ImiStakahlc. The room was Il toler
ably large me, furnished with two
hnpVH fohIpG Snynn Stnnlc "A an,ypfnr
decorated with rows Of hotties az sirlp
and alcohol.
That's II fine fire for roasting n
chicken" said Roulctabille.
"Wc have no chicken. not even n
wrctclcd rabbit" said the landlord.
Il know" said my friend Slowly-"I
know. We shall have to eat red meat
now
IL confess | did not In the least I'M
derstaud what Rouletabille meant by
what he had said. but the landlord as
Don rs he heard the words uttered an
oath. which he at once stihed. and
placed himself Mt our orders as ODE
dlently as NJ. Robert Darzac had done
when he heard Rouletabillc's mysteri-
Gus sentence. THE presbytcry has lost
nothing Of its charm nor the garden its
brightness"
The man pushed open a little side
door and called to somebody TO bring
him half a dozen eggs and a piece Of
beefsteak. The commission was quick
ly executed by q strongly built young
woman with beautiful blond hair and
large, handsome eyes, who regarded us
with curiosity.
The innkeeper said to her roughly:
Get out. and If the Green Man m
don't let me see him."
She disappeared. R~ouletabille took
the eggs, which had been brought to
him In a bowl, and the meat. which
was on a dish, placed all carefully be-
side him in the chimney, unlocked a
frying pan and a gridirOn and began
to beat up our Omelet before proceed.
Ing to grill our beefsteak. He then or
dered two bottles Of cider and seemed
to take as little notice of our host as
our host did Of him. The landlord let
us do our w cooking and set our
table neal n Of the windows.
Suddenly | heard him mutter:
".Ah. there he Isl"
His face had changed, expressing
fierce hatred. He went and glued him
self to one Of the windows, watching
the road. There was no need for me
to draw Ro%uletabille's attention. He
had already left u omelet and had
Joined the landlord at the window. ]
went with him.
A man dressed entirely in green vel
vet, his head covered with a hunts
mans cap Of the same color, was ad-
vancing leisurely. lighting a pipe as he
walked. He carried a fOwling piece
slung at his back. His movements
displayed an almost aristOcratic ease.
He wore eyeglasses and appeared to
be about five and forty years Of age.
His hair as we'll as his mustache were
salt gray. He was remarkably hand
some. AS he passed near the inn he
hesitated, as II asking himself whether
or no he should enter 1t, gave a glance
toward u.s.. took a few whifs at his
pipe and then resumed his walk at the
same nonchalant pace.
Rouletabille and I looked at our host.
His flashing eyes, his clinched hands.
his trembling lips. told us Of his tu-
multuous feelings.
HE has done well not to come In
here today" he Kissed.
"Who Is that man?' asked Rouleta-
billie, returning to his Omelette.
1.-THE Green Man." growled the inn
keeper. Don't you know him? Then
all the better for you. He Is not an
acquaintance to make. Well. he is NJ.
StangersOn.s forest keeper"
"You don't appear to Hike him very
muchy" asked the reporter. pouring
his omelet into the frying pan.
Nobody likes him. monsieur. He's
an upstart, who must nee have had a
fortune Of his own, and he forgives
nobody because In order to live he
has been compelled to become Z serv.
ant. A keeper IL AZ much Q servant
- any other. isn't hef Upon my
word, one would nay that hs = the
master Of the Chandler and that all
the land and woods belong TO him.