Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-07-16
CHAPTER XXI,
The Stairway Of silver.


The stiffness OF the moment that
followed was tense; then thickly the
young man answered something IT.
relevant about a clown, bottle and a
loaf; with cap drawn down and half
ayerted face, he lurched a little for.
ward in the darkness. and the senti-
neI's weapon fell "Oh, that's you. is
it. Henri?" he said in different tone,
stepping back. How did you leave
the fellow"
Eating the bread and calling for
more" AS he spoke, the other
stopped. swaylng uncertainty; above
the arch. the wick. ill-trimmed. bright.
ened and darkened to the drafts Of air
through break and slit of the old
lamp: and briefly he awaited favor
able moment, when the fame blew out
until almost extinguished; then with
hand near sword.hilt, somewhat over.
.Diissly. but in keeping with the part,
he stepped toward the arch; through
III. and quickly past the sentinel.
You seem to have been feastlng
and drinking little yourself, tonight,
,comrade" called out the latter after
him. Il noticed 1t when you went In.
land But aren't you taking the
wrong way2" As the other. after start.
lirg toward the barracks. Strengthened,
land then abruptly wheeled into the
road. running up the Mount.
"Bah!" A moment the young man
passed. Cant a soldier" artieulating
with difficulty. go TO see his sweet
heart without"
Eth bien!" The sentinel shrugged
his shoulders. II isn't my business. /
think, though. | know where they'll
put you tomorrow. when they find out
Through the guard at the barracks"
To this ominous threat the other
,deigned no response. only, after the
fashion Of a man headstrong in inso-
briefly. as well as In affairs OF gal-
'lantry, continued his upward way. at
FIRST. speedily; afterward, when be.
lyond hearing Of the man below, with
moro stealth and as little noise as pos
Isibie. until the read. taking a sudden
langie. brought him abruptly to an
open space at The foot of a great flight
Iof stone stairs
broad. wide broken by occasional
platforms. these steps, reaching up,
ward In gradual ascent, had designed.
~, In days gone by, been made easy
for broken-down monarchs or corpu-
lent ahbots. Also they had been
planned to satisfy the discerning eye,
jealous OF every addition or alteration
at the Mount. My lord, the ancient
potentate. leisurely ascending in &c.
clesiastical gown, while conscious OF
an earthly power reaching even into
England. could still fancy he was go
ing up Jacobs ladder into realms su.
pernal Saint Louis. with gaze be-
mighty Hent toward the aerial cscalier
de deatelle of the chapel 10 the left.
migh' vel exclaiT "a royal road could
compare with tnis inspiring and holy
way, nor Is II difficult 10 understand
a sudden enchantment here, or be.
yond. that drew to the rock on three
pilgrimages that other Louis. more sin
ner than saint. the eleventh of his
name TO mount the throne OF France.
But those stones, worn in the past
by the footsteps of the illustrious aud
the iowly. were deserted now. and for
the moment, only the moon. which had
escaped from the cloud. exercised
there the right of way: looking square.
by down to efTace times marks and
pave with silver from top to bottom