Show IE THE HOUSE HSE OF F THE WOLF BY I s J J. J of or the ICe Hoi Kobe Holle My Th Kong Night A It of f er The uThe inn Ino In n Etc Klc bj ut nC Preceding Chapter The Tho scene of or the tho opening chapters Is IB lal laid In one ono of ot tho French provinces In 1572 when hen peace between Catholics and Huguenots had Just been en declared to lo lobo tobo tobo bo cemented b by tho marriage of Henry Huguenot king kins of Navarre Navarro to Margaret Marga Marga- ret of Valois sister plater of at Francos Franco's Catholic Catho Catho- lic lie king Icing At the tho homo home of the Catholic governor go Mile Mlle de Caylus Calus his hla ward has Just announced her engagement to tc toM M M. do a Huguenot noble whoa when M. M lo Ic Idamc d do a 0 crue cruel Catholic noble appears and threatens de do Pa At this Junction a 0 courier from Crom the latter approaches harried b ba by bya 1 a mob whom the encourages M. M I. I Anne do Caylus a ward of or tho thio governor governor gov gov- ov- ov kills one of tho the pursuers ant and saves flaves this courier ant and tho letter M. M le Ie then lEn leaves ves for Cor Paris with a threat against conveyed convoyed In ft n letter hotter to Mile Mlle do de Caylus Upon re receipt receipt ro- ro of ot this letter tho the three young cousins of at Mile de Caylus leavo leave for tor Paris to warn do her be be- be On their way they stop at atan atan atan an Inn An n Impudent lackey refuses to permit them to stable their hor horses cl M. M r. r Anno Anne de Caylus Calus Is about to fight him hini when Bure Burc a soldier of fortune takes It upon himself to chastise chastise chas chas- tise the ruffian and promptly docs does it Buro asks tho de Caylus cousins whether hether tho they havo hayo heard hoard o of what has happened to Coligny tho the groat Huguenot Hugue- Hugue not loader leader R THREE CO lr UE Such was WIlS tho the outward aspect of things In August 1 1572 but there were not wanting rumors that already Co- Co ColI lI ligny n taking advantage ad of ot tio to footIng footing tootIng foot foot- Ing given him had gained an nn Influence Influence influence ence over tho young king king- which threatened Catharine do Medici herself herselt The admiral therefore to whom tho the Hu Huguenot half haU of ot I France rance had long looked to a as Its leader was now the object of ot the closest Interest to all t tie Guise faction hating him as him as the alleged ed assassin of or tho the Duke Dulco of Guise with with an Intensity which probably was not to be found Cound In tho the affection of his friends popular with the latter as ho was Still man many who were wert not Huguenots had hail a n regard for tor him as a n great Frenchman and a gallant soldier We Ve we were wore of the old faith and tho the other side sIde had had h heard much of ot him and much good Tho had spoken of ot him always alwa's as a a. groat man a man mistaken but bravo honest and capable In his error Therefore It was that when tho the landlord mentioned I forgot oven my hunger lIe He lIeas was as shot m my lords lord as he passed through tho the Ruo flue des l Fosses yesterday yesterday yesterday yes yes- the man declared with bated breath It Is not known whether he will live lIvo or die dlo Paris Is In nn an uproar uproar up up- up- up roar and there thero aro are some who wao fear tear tho the worst But I said doubtfully who has dared to do this Ho He had a safe safo conduct conduct conduct con con- duct from rom tho the king himself Our host dl did not answer shrugging his shoulders rs Instead ho opened the thedoor thedoor thedoor door and ushered us Into tho the eating room loom Some Sonic preparations for tor our meal had already been made at one end of ot t th tua long board At t tho the other was seated ft n. man past age rich richly dressed His Ills gray rny hair cut short about a massive massive mas rues sive head and his grave resolute face faco square Jawed and deeply lined marked him as ono one to whom respect was due duo apart from his clothes we e bowed to him as ns wo 0 took our scats seats He lie acknowledged the salute fixing us a 0 moment with a penetrating glance and then resumed his meal 1 noticed tat his sword and belt bolt were propped against a n. chair at his elbow and a dag apparently loaded 1 lay a close to hi hand by the tha candlestick Two lack lack- nys waited behind chair wearing rl the badge b wo had l dd remarked lIr r In G the tho rl Inn yard Wo Vo 1 begin to talk laHe speaking In low tones that we wo might not disturb him Tho The attack on ColIgny had If It true Its bearing on our own business For If it Ifa Ifa a n Huguenot BO so great and famous and enjoying tao tho kings king's special favor still went wont In Paris in n danger of ot his 11 life e. e what must bo ho the tho risk that such an anono anono anono ono as ran Wo We had hoped to find the eit city quiet If It Instead It should be In a 0 state of ot turmoil Be- Be chances were so flO much the better bet bet- ter and ours ours and and Kits Kit's poor Kits Kit's KIts KIt's so HO much tho the worse Our companion had b by this time finished fin fin- In- In isred his supper But ho he still sat at nt table and seemed to be regarding us with some somo curiosity At length he spoke Are you OU going oln to Paris young his tono tone harsh gentlemen or ho he asked and high pitched Wo We 0 answered In tho the affirmative Tomorrow he questioned Yes WR we answered and and expected him to continue tho the conversation But Instead he lie became silent gazinG ab abstractedly abstractedly nb- nb at tho the table and vat with our meal and our own talk we wo had almost forgotten him again when lookInG lookIng lookIng look- look Ing up I found him at m my elbow holdIng holdIng holding hold- hold Ing out In silence a small piece of or paper I started started his his face tace was so 80 gr grave e 1 But seeing that there wore half a dozen guests of ot a meaner mcane sort at another table close b by I guessed that he merel merely merely mere mere- l ly wished to make a 11 private to cation to UH us and hastened to take tho the paper and read It It contained a n scrawl of ot four words only only only- Va c c No o more I looked at him him puzzled able to make mako nothing out of ot It IL St. St Croix wrinkled his brow over It with tho same result It was no good handing It to Marie therefore You do not understand the stranger strang strang- er continued as ns ho Ito put tho the scrap of paper back In his pouch No Xo I answered shaking my hoad head Wo Ve had nil all risen out of respect to him and were standing a 0 group about him m. m Just so RO It Is all right then he answered looking at nt us aa as It seemed to mo me with grave grave good Rood nature ItIs It ItIs itis Is nothing Go your our way But I But I have havo havea a son Mon yon yonder ol not trot much younger than you OU young youn gentlemen And Anti If you ou had understood I should hould have said Hald to you Do not go gol o There Thero are enough sheep for the tho shearer lIe Ho was turning away way wit with wita this oracular saying when Cr touched his sleeve Pru Pray can you ou tell us If It It be true the lad said eagerly that tho tim Admiral do Coligny ny was vas wounded yesterday It IB is true the tho other answered turning his hla grave eyes on his questioner questioner ques Ques- while for Cor a a. moment Iris his stern look failed tailed him It IB hs true m my boy by ho added with an air of strange e solemnity solem solem- ally Whom tho te Lord loveth Ho Ito th And God forgive torgi me mo for tor saying Haying It whom Ho lIe would destroy Ho lie first mad Ho lIe had gazed with sith peculiar favor at girlish face race I thought MarIe Mavie Ma- Ma vie rIe and I were dark and ugly ugh by the side ld of ot the bo boy But Dut ho he turned from him now no with a n queer excited gesture gee Jea- ture thumping his IH goitI cane caneon caneon caneon on the floor Ho lIe called his hi servants In iii H R. loud lou rasping voice olce and left tire the room In ganger gauger driving them before him the one carrying his dag and the tho other two candles When Then en I came romo down early next mornIng mornIng morning morn- morn Ing the first person I met was Bure Dure Ho lie looked rather fiercer and more moro shabby b by daylight than candle candle- light hut But ho saluted the ike respectfully and this since it was clear that ho did not respect man many people Inclined me to regard him with favor tavor It al always always always al- al ways Is so the more sava o the dog doS tho the more moro highly we wo prize Its atten atten- tiona I 1 asked him him who tho the Huguenot noble was who had 1 supped V us For a Huguenot we vo knew he e must beThe beThe beThe be The Baron Daron do o Hosn he ho answered adding nailIng with a sneer Ineer He lie is a a. careful man aural I If It they were all like him with o eyes es on both sides of ot his head hea a u dag b by his candle well candle well my lord there thore would be one more king In France Francc- or one less But Dut they are a IL blind lot loti as blind as bats Ho Ito muttered d something something something some some- thing farther tarther In which I caught tho the word tonight But I 1 did not hear hoar hearIt It all or understand an any o of it It Your lordships are going to Purls Paris he resumed In a n different tone When hen henI I said that t we wo were ho tie looked at nt mIn mein mw me In a B. shamefaced wa way half hair timid half arrogant I have a small sinai favor to ask of or you OU then he e said I am KOlor going going go KO- ing lor to Paris myself I am nm not afraid of ot od odds s as ns you OU hun have seen But Dut the roads will bo be In a l queer state If thero be anything on foot in the tIre city and and and- well I would rather ride rIlle w with Ith th you gentlemen than alone You are arc welcome to Join us I said But Hut wo we start in half halt an hour Do you ou know Paris well As 3 s well as my sword hilt he ro- ro plied briskly relieved I thought by my acquiescence And I ha p known that tta t from froni m my breeching If It you ou want sant a asame same game at or a pretty girl Irl to kiss I can put you OU In tho the wa way for tor tho tire one or the other The Tue half hair ru rustic tlc shrinking from the great real city which I felt suggested to tomo tono no rue that our buckling wash friend night might help us If It he would Do Do you know M. M I. I de I asked ira ira- Wh Whore re he lives In Paris I mean 7 M Louis do lieI lie ho I know kno know know- ho he replied slowly rubbing rubbing rub rub- bing bins his chin and looking at time the ground In iii thought thought where ho had his lodgings lodging In town a while ago before before- Ah I do know leno I remember he added slapping his thigh when I was wasn Irl n Paris a fortnight a ago o I was told that Iris his stoward had hut taken lodgings for tor him ilm In the Hue St St. Antoine Good I answered red overjoyed o Then we want to dismount there if you can guide us straight to the tho house I can he replied simply And you vou will not be bc tho the worse for or my my company Paris Is a queer place when I thero hero Is trouble to the tho fore tore but your our I lordships havo have got ot the tho rl right ht mart man to I pilot you through It It ItI I did not ask him what trouble he ho meant but ran indoors to bucklo buckle on m my sword and tell Mario Marie and Croisette of oC the tho ally I had secured The They were w.-ra much pleased as was natural so that wo we took the road 1030 In excellent spirits Intending to reach leach tho the elt city In the af at- at but Maries Marie's horse cast casl a shoo shoe shoo and ind It was time some Homo before vo wo could find a smith Then at J whore wo wu stopped to lunch we were kept an unconscionable llano waiting ling for tor or It H. And Arid so we 6 approached Paris for tor the tho first time at sunset A ruddy glow was at the tho moment warming the tho eastern castern heights and Picking out with t flame lame tho the twin towers of or Dame me and tho the one tall tower of ot St. St Jaques la In A dozen roofs hl higher her than their neighbors shone hotl hotly and a great reat bank of cloud which lay north and south and looked ell like a 11 mans man's hand stretched over the city changed gradually from blood r red rd to violet and from violet Iolet to black as evening fell Passing within the tho gates and across first ono bridge and then another we wo were astonished hed and utterly confused by tho the noise and hubbub through h which we rode Hundreds seemed to bo be movInG ing big this way and that In the narrow streets Women omen screamed to ono one an another another nn- nn other from window to window Tho The bUs bolls of ot half halt a dozen churches rang tho the curfew Our country countr ears cars wore were deafened Still our eyes oyes had leisure to take tako In tho tIre tall houses housen with their high high- pitch pitched cd roofs 1005 and here and anti there thero a tower built Into the wall the quaint churches and the groups of ot towns towns- folk sullen folk sullen fellows some somo of ot them thorn with a fierce gleam In their e eves eyes eyes- es who standing In tho the mouths of ot reeking alleys alles watched us go o b by But Dut presently we wo had to top stop A crowd had gathered to watch a n. little cavalcade ca of six gentlemen pass Dass across our path Thc They were re w. w riding two antI and two lounging in their saddles and chattering to one another disdainfully unconscious of tho time people about them 01 or the remarks they excited Their Theil graceful bearing and the tho richness of or their dress CS and ni equipment surpassed anything I had hud ever evor 8 seen en A dozen pages and lackeys attending them on foot and the tho sound o of their Jests and anil lau laughter came caine to us over the heads ot of the crowd While e I was gazing at them some seine movement of ot the throng drove back Buros Buro's horse against again mine Buro Buro himself uttered a savage oath uncalled for tor or so far as I could see Hee But Dut my at at- at was arrested tho the next moment by who tapped my arm arni with with his riding whip Look ho he crl cri d in ln in 6 some e excitement t Is not that ho nn nio lInger lInger-as I or-as or followed aT well the tho l a as direction I could ot of S the for lads ladA the tS h had ot of my Iny horse which Euros Euro's and scrutinized the tho last pair of ot the tho troop The They wore were crossing tho the street In which wo we stood and I had only a a. side view of ot them or rathor rather of the nearer rider He was a a. singularly handsome man In ago age about two twenty or twenty three with long falling on his lace laco collar and anti cloak o of orange silk His face tace was sweet and kindly and gracious to a 11 marvel marvol But Dut ho was a 0 stranger to tom m mo me moI I I I could havo have sworn exclaimed Croisette that that was Louis himself him him- self self self- M. M do de That I answered as wo we began beltan to tomoyo move moyo again the Ute crowd melting before us Oh dear no no No UNo no nol aol The farther man he ex ox- ox But I had not been able to get set a good look at tho farther of the two UC We e turned In our saddles and peer peered d after him His ills back In the dusk certainly reminded me of Louis Loula Buro Bure however who said he knew M. M de by sight laughed at th the Idea Your our friend he said is a a. wider man than that thaU And I thought ho was right there there but but then It might EL be the cut of the cl clothes They have been at t th the tho T 5 2 Louvre Plying playing Ill I'll bo be sworn he went on orr So the tho ad- ad mimi must bo be bettor bOllor Tho The ono one next s us w was Wa M M. M de do the tire admirals admiral's son- son law In w And AmI Ul the UtO other other- whom you yo mean menn was the tho Comte de la Ia Kouche- Kouche foucault We e turned as he spoke Into a narse narrow narrow nar- nar row |