The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-20

rigorous. relentless persistence
- Sometimes the wind made :
sally and scattered it in flying vortices
sometimes there was Il lull. and flake
after fake descended out of the blacl
night air, silent. circuitous. intermina
BILE.
The cemetery of st. John had takei
its own share of the snow. The CLOCK
was hard on 10 when the patrol wen,
by with halberds and Il lantern. beat
ing their hands. and they saw nothing
suspicious about the cemetery of st
John.
Yet there was a small house. backed
up against the cemetery wall. which
was still awake. and awake to evil
purpose in that snoring district. There
was not much to betray it from with
out. only "a stream of warm vapor from
the chimney top. patch where the
snow melted on the roof and a few
half obliterated footprints at the door
But within. behind the suffered win
dows, Master Francis villon, the poet
and some of the thievish crew with
whom he consorted. We're keeping the
night alive and passing round the bot
tie.
A great pile of living embers diffused
a strong and ruddy glow from the
arched chimney Before this straddled
Dom Nicolas. the Picardy monk. with
his skirts picked up and his fat legs
barred to the comfortable warmth. His
face had the beery. bruised appearance
of the continual drinkers.
On the right Villon and Guy Tabary
were huddled together over a scrap of
parchment. Villon making ballad
which he was to call the Ballad Of
Roast Fish, and Tabary spluttering
admiration at his shoulder. The poet
was rug of Il man. dark. little and
lean. with hollow cheeks and thin,
black locks. He carried his four and
twenty years with feverish animation.
Greed had made folds about his eyes
Evil smiles had puckered his mouth.
The wolf and pig struggled together in
his face 1t was an eloquent. sharp.
ugly. earthly countenance. His hands
were small and prehenSile with fingers
knotted like cord. and they were con-
tinually pickering in front of him in
violent and expressive pantomime.
As for Tabary. a broad. compliment.
admiring imbecility breathed from his
squash nose and soldering dips. He
had become a thief just as he might
have become the most decent Of bur
gesses by the imperious chance that
rules the lives of human geese and hui
man donkeys.
At the monks other hand Montigny
and Thevenin PenSete played Il game
of chance. About the first there chung
some flavor of good birth and training.
as about Il fallen angel. Something
long. 1.-the and courtly in the person:
something aquiine and darkling in the
face. Thevcnin. poor soul. was in
great feather. He had done II good
stroke of knavery that afternoon in
the Fauhour% st. jacques. and all
night he had been gaining from Mon
tigny.
Doubles or quits:" said rhevenin
Montigny nodded grimly.
Some may prefer to dine in state"
wrote Villon. ION bread and cheese on
silver plate. Or or-help me out.
Guido
1'abary giggled.
''Or parsley on a golden dish" scrib
bled the poet
Tie wind was freshening without
Il
was growing sharper.
Cant You hear it rattle in the glib
bet?' said Nillun. They are all dane
ing the devils jig on nothing up there
You may dance. my gallantS You'll
be none the warmer. Whew, what I;
gust. Down went Somebudy just now,
A medlar the fewer on the three leg
ged medlaT tree. | say. Dom Nicolas.
it'll Ee cold tonight on the ST. Denis
road:" he asked
Tabnry laughed immo6erately over
the uiPdlarS. H.. had never heard amy
thing more liyhthenrte(l- and he held
his sides ana crowed Nillon fetched
him Il Clip on the nose which turned
his nirth into an attack of coughing
''Oh. stop that row. said Villun
land think of rimes To fish. Look
at Montigny!
All three peered covertly at the
gameSter. He did not seem to be EN-
joying his luck. His mouth WAS Al lii
tie to side. one nuStril nearly shut
and the other much Inflated. Th.
black dog WIS on his back. as people
say. in terrifying nursery metaphor.
and he brea thed hard under the grew
some burden.
There WAS Il brief and fatal move
ment among the galneSters. The round
was completed. and T'heven:n was just