The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, March 31, 1905, Image 3
* I Under
fejjgl By FRED]
! Author
! Copyright. 1005. by the
i ' '
The Jester, too. was silent, but ills
mtiul dwelt upon the future nud its
hazards. He little liked their meeting
with the false monk. Why was the
Franciscan traveling in their direction?
In the fading light fool and Jestress
drew rein and, moved by the same
purpose, looked about them. On the
one hand was the deserted, desolate
plain, over which lay a sullen, gathering
mist; on the other, the Bombroua
obscurity of the wood. Everywhere on
ominous alienee nud overhead the
cresceut growing In luster.
^ "Do you see any nlgn of house or
inn?" said the girl, peering afar down
the I'oad, which soon lost Itself In the
gcerrl monotony of the landscape.
".Vcne. mistress. The country 6ccm<3
rlthe brrrrti of farmhouse and tavern."
"What shall we do? 1 am full
weary," she eoufessed.
"The forc.it offers the best protectiou,"
he reluctantly suggested. Little
as he favored delay, he realized the
wisdom of sparing their horses. Moreover,
lief appeal was irresistible.
Slie pazeil half dubiously Into that
woody depth. "Why not rest by the
wayside?In the moonlight?"
"I like not the open rend." ho answered.
"But if you fear the darkness"?
For answer she guided her horse to
the verge of the forest and lightly
sprang to the ground. Upon a grassy
knoll but a little way within he spread
bis cloak.
"There, Jacqueline, Is your couch,"
he said.
"But you?" she asked. "To rob you
thus of your cloak seems ill comradeship."
"The clonk Is yours," he returned.
"As It Is, you will find It but a hard
bed."
"It will -seem soft as down." she replied
nnd seated herself on the hillock.
In the gloom lie could just distinguish
the outline of her figure, with her elbow
011 her knee and her hair blacker
thnn the shadows themselves. X long
drawn, moaning sound, coming with.out
warning behind lier, caused the
girl to turn.
"What Is that?" she snld quickly.
"The wind, Jacqueline. It Is rising."
As he spoke, like a monster it entered
the forest. About them branches waved
nnd tossed. A friendly star seen
through the boughs lost itself behind a
cloud. Yet no rain fell and the air
seemed hot nnd dry despite the mists
which clung to the ground. A crash
of thunder or a flash of lightning would
have relieved that sighing dolor which
filled the little patch of timber with Its
melancholy sounds.
Suddenly above the plaint nnd murmur
of wind and forest the low, clear
voice of the girl arose. The melody
was no ballud, arietta or pastoral, such
as he hud before heard from her lips,
but n simple hymn, the setting by Calvin.
$ The Jester started. How came
she to know that forbidden music 1
Not only to know, but to sing it as he
had never heard It sung before. Sweetly
It vibrated, her waywardness sunk
In rts swelling rhythm, Its melody
freighted with the treasure of her
trust. As he listened he felt she was
betraying to him the hidden well of
her faith, the secret of her religion?
that she, his companion, was proclaiming
herself a heretic and therefore doubly
an outcast.
A stanza and the melody died away
on the wings of the tempest. His heart
was beating violently. He looked expectant
toward her. Even more gently,
like a lullaby to the turbulent
night, the full mensured cadence of the
majestic psalm was again heard. Then
another voice, deeper, fuller, blended
with that of the first singer. Unwavering
sho continued the song, as
though It had been the most natural
maUfll he should Join his voice with
Fainter fell the harmony, then
^ffased altogether?a hymn destined to
become interwoven with terrible memories,
the tragic mnssacro of the
Huguenots on the ill fated night of
8t Bartholomew. Again prevailed the
tristful- dirge of the pines.
"You sing well, mistress," said the
Jester softly. "Is It true you are one of
a hated #nt?"
"As tt?? as that you did not deny
the hernBh volume fnnn*l In mn?
replied.
JBRnce ensued between them. "It
was Mnrot placed the horses there for
ns," she snld nt length. "He, too, is a
heretic and would have saved you."
Thereafter the silence remained unbroken
for some moments, and then
"God keep you, mistress," he snld.
" "God keep you," she answered soft5'/
ly.
Soon her deep breathing told him she
Xwasg simp log, and as he listened in
fanp* he could hear the faint echoes of
herfjjfolce. accompanied by the sighing
wIemL How intrepid bad she seemed!
How helpless was She now! And as he
k bent over her, divining, yet not seeing,
|[<& he asked himself whence had come
p. ^ this faith in him, that, like a child, she
slumbered amid the unrest of nature.
What had her life been, who her
friends, that she should thus have chosen
a jester as comrade? What bad
driven her forth from the court to
nameless hazards? Had he surmised
correctly? Was It?
"The king," she murmured, with snddeiLmtlsssnssaliUes
sleep.
' the Rose
ERIC S. ISHAM,
of "The Stroller*"
UO WEN-MERRILL COMPANY
"Tlie king," she repealed with nvcrsion.
I In the Jester's breast upleaped n
fierce anger. This was the art loving
monarch who burned the fathers and
brothers of the new faith; this the
righteous ruler who condemned men
to death for psalm singing or for listening
to grave discourse; this the
Christian kUrc, the brilliant patron of
science and Earning.
| The storm bad sighed itself to rest,
the stars had come out, but, leaning
, | with his back against a tree, the fool
still kept vigil.
CHAPTER XIX.
E*" "XPERIENCING no further inconvenience
tliav the ordlna5S35S54
rv vicissitudes of trnvolhur
BP without litter or cavulcade,
several dnys of wanderlug slowly passed.
Few people they met, and those
for the most part various types of vagabonds
and nomads. As It minimized
their risk the young girl was content
to wear the cap of the jestress piquantly
perched upon her dark curls, thereby
suggesting nn indefinable nihility
with vagrancy and the itinerant fraternity.
Not only had she donned the symbol
of her olllee, but she endeavored to act
up to It, accepting the sweet with the
sour, with ever a jest at discomfort
and concealing weariness with a smile.
Often the fool wondered at her endurance
and her calm courage in the face
of peril, for, although they met with
no misadventures, each day seemed
fraught with jeopardy. It appeared a
brave effort to bear up under continued
hardship?insufficient rest and
sharp riding?and the jester reproached
himself for thus taxing her strength.
But often when he suggested a pause
she would shake her head willfully, assert
she wus not tired and ride but the
1 faster.
"No, no!" she would say. "If we
Would escape we must keep on. We
can rest afterward."
"Where do you wish to go?" he asked
lier once.
"Thero Is time enough yet to spcnlc
of that," she returned evasively.
"You have some plan, mistress?"
. "Perhaps."
Half shyly she looked at him beneath
1 her dark lashes as if to read how deeply
he was annoyed and, seeing his face
clear, laughed lightly.
"What are you laughing at, mistress?"
he said.
"If I knew I could tell," she replied.
Toward sundown on the fourth day
they came to a lonely Inn set in a
clearing on the verge of a forest. They
hud ridden late in the moonlight the
night before and all that morning and
afternoon almost without resting, and
the first sight of the solitary hostelry
was not unwelcome to the weary fugitives.
A second inspection of the
1 place, however, awakened misgivings.
The building seemed the better adapt1
ed for n fortress than u tavern, being
ucnviljr t'UUBirUl'll'U, "Willi IllllSSlVe
doors nnd bliuds and loopholes above.
A brightly painted sign, the Hooks'
Ilannt, waved cheerily. It Is true, above
J the door, as though to disarm suspicion,
but the Isolated situation of
the inn and the depressing sense of
the surrounding wilderness might well
cause the wayfarer to hesitate whether
to tarry there or continue his journey.
A glance at the pale face and unnaturally
bright eyes of the girl brought
the Jester, however, to a quick decision.
Springing from his horse, he held
1 out his hand to assist her; but, overcome
by weakness or fatigue, she
' would have fallen had he not sustained
her. Quickly she recovered and,
with a faint flush mantling her white
cheek, withdrew from his grasp, while
at the same tlmo the landlord of titc
tavern came forward to welcome his
guests.
I In appearance mino host was round
, nnd Jovial. His bulk bespoke hearty
living, his rosy face reflected good
I cheer, his stentorian voice free nnd
easy hospitality. Ills eyes constituted
the only setback to this general impression
of friendliness and fellow
feeling. They were small, twinkling,
glassy.
"Good even to you, gentle folk," he
' said. "You tarry for the night, I take
it."
"If you have suitable accommodations,"
answered the Jester, reassured
by the man's aspect and manner.
"The Hooks' Haunt never yet turned
away a weary traveler," answered the
landlord. "You come from the pal
"Yes," briefly, as a lad led away their
horses.
| "And have done well? Reaped n harvest
from the merry lords and ladles?"
"There were many others there for
that pnrpose," returned the Jester, following
the proprietor to the door of
the hostelry.
"True. Still I'll warrant your fair
companion cozened the silver pieces
from the pockets of the gentry." And,
smiling knowingly, he ushered them
into the principal living room of the
tavern.
It was a smoke begrimed apartment,
with tables next to the wall and rough
chairs and benches for the guests.
I Heavy pine rafters spanned the eell'
l UUEt Xtio Aoor .WM_JWrihHed Jrttt
sand. From a chain bang a wrought
Iron frame for candles. Upon a shelf a
row of battered tankards, suggesting
many a bout? shone dully, like a lino
of war worn troopers, while a g*oat
pewter pitcher, the worse fof wear,
commanded the disreputable array. ,
In this room was gathered n nondescript
company?mountebanks and
buffoons; rogues unclassified, drinking
and dicing; a robust vagrant, at whoso
feet slept a performing bonr with a (
riug?badge of servitude?through its j
nose; a black bearded, shaggy haired
Spanish troubadour with attire so
rugged and Worn as to have lost its i
erstwhile picturesque characteristics.
This last far from prepossessing i
worthy half started from his sent upon
the appearance of fool and Jestress.
stared nt them and then resumed his
place and the ballad he had been singing.
Watching the nimble Augers of the
shabby minstrel with pitiably childish
expression of amusement'.- a half Imbecile
morio leaned upon the table. "Hi*
huge form?for he was a giant among
stalwart mou? and his great moon 1
shaped head mudc him at once an ob- i
jccfc&ideous and miserable to contem- <
plute. But the poor creature seemed
unaware of his own deformities and
smiled contentedly and patted the i
table caressingly to the sprightly
rhythm.
(.lazing upon this cholct assemblage, i
the plnisaut was vaguely conscious j
that some of the curious and uncom- i
mon faces seemed familiar, and the i
picture of the Franciscan uiouk whom
they had overtaken on the road recurred
to him. together with the mis- <
givings ho had experienced upon part- I
ing from that canting kunve. lie half i
ovnoctfvl tft Vimnf In In I.??
%v *1 unvi.ivt n; uuui iici I
voice, and was relieved that the gypsy i
011 this occasion did not make one of 1
the unwonted gathering. The landlord,
observing the fool's discriminating
gaze and?reading something of 1
what was passing in his mind, reassuringly
motioned the newcomers to 1
an unoccupied corner and by his manner
sought to allay such mistrust as
the appearance of his guests was calculated
to inspire.
As the darkness gathered without, *'
the merriment increased within. Over
the scene the dim light cast an uncer- 1
tain luster. Indefatigably the dicers
pursued their pastime, with now and
then an audible oatli or muttered iuiprecatlou
which belled that docility
mine host had boasted of. The troubadour
played and the morio yet listened.
Several of a group who had been singing
now sat iu sullen silence. Suddenly
one of them uttered a broken sentence,
and his fellows immediately turned
their eyes toward the corner where
were fool and jestress. This ripple of
interest did not escape the young girl's
attention, who said uneasily:
"Why do those men look at us?"
"One of them spoke to the others,"
replied the jester. "He called utteution
to something."
"What do you suppose it was?" she
asked curiously.
"Gladius gemmatus!" ("The jeweled
sword.")
Whence came the voice? Near the
couple, iu a shadow, sat a woebegone
looking man who had been holding a
book so close to his eyes as to conceal
his face. Now he permitted the volume
to fall, and the jester uttered an exclamation
of surprise as he looked upon
those pinched, worn, but well re- .
mem bored features. ,
"The scamp student!" ho said.
Immediately the reader buried his (
head once more behind the book and
spoke aloud in Latin ns though quot- ,
ing some passage which he followed |
with his finger, "Did you understand?" ,
"Yes," answered the plalsunt, apparently
speaking to the Jestress, whose J
face wore n puzzled expression.
The scamp student laid the volume '(
on the table. "These men are outlaws ,
and intend to kill you for your jeweled -1
sword," he continued' iu the language
( Horace, (
"Why do you tell me this?" asked the
fool iu the same tongue, now nddressiyg
directly the scholar.
"Because you spared my life once I
would serve you now."
"What's all this monk's gibberish
about?" cried an angry voice as the
master of the boar -stepped toward ,
them.
"A discussion between two scholars," |
readily answered the scamp student.
"Why don't you talk in a language
we understand?" grumbled the man. ]
"Latin is the tongue of learning," was
the humble response. ,
"I like not the sound of it," retorted ,
ill A aHiAI* no ho t?ot IHO/1 A
tnnce, however, he continued to cast |
suspicious glances In their direction.
Bewildered, the girl looked from one of ]
the nlleged controverters to the other. ,
Who was this starveling the Jester
seemed to know? Again were they
conversing In the language of the monastery,
and their colloquy led to a conclusion
as unexpected as It was star- (
tling.
"What If we leave the Inn now?" 1
asked the Jester.
"They would prevent you.".
"Who is the lender?" i
"The mas with the boar," answered i
the scamp student. "But it is the
morio who usually kills their victims." i
"Is there no woy of escape?" the Jester
asked. I
"Alas! I can but warn, not advise,"
said the scholar. "Already the leader .;
suspects me."
A half shiver ran through him. In <
the presence of actual and seemingly i
assured death he had appeared calm,
resigned, a Socrates In temperament;
oviore me mere prospect or danger the
apprehensive thief and fugitive ele- i
ments of bis nature uprose.
"Yes; I am sure I have put my own
neck in it," he muttered. "I must devise
a way to save it. I hnve it. We
must seem to quarrel." And, rising, he i
closed bis book deliberately. ]
"Fooir Klft. U*. A UttlB
"Your argument Is ns scurvy as your
Ijitln. Tlion, a philosopher, a book- |
less. shallow dabbler! So I treat you
mid your reasonings!"
Whereupon, with a quick gesture, ho
threw the dregs of his glass In the face
of (lie Jester. So suddenly and unex- i
pcctedly was It done the other sprang !
angrily from Ills seat and half drew i
Ids sword. A moment they stood thus,
the fool with his hand menacingly up- 1
on the hilt, the scamp scholar continu- '
lug to confront him with undiminished
volubility. |
"Make a ring for two uionks, my
musters," cried the man with the boar.
"Then let each state his case with
bludgeon or dagger."
" With bludgeon or dagger!" echoed
Ihe excited voice of the inorlo, whose
appearance had undergone a transformation.
The Indescribable vacancy
with which he had listened to the minstrel
was replaced by au expression of
revolting malignity.
The jea^rcss half arose, her face onco
more white, her dark eyes fastened on
the fool. I But the latter, realizing the
purpose oT the affront and the actual .
Bcrvice'the scamp student liad rendered
him. Unexpectedly thrust back his
blade. * ? ,
"I'll not tight a puny hookworm." be
sn'.d and resumed his scat, although '
his cheek.was Hushed.
x/usupuoiuii'u ju in?s tmue outcome I
of an affair which hail so spirited a be- '
ginning, tlie company, with derisive
tseoflftng niul muttered sarcasm, re- i
suiiied their places; nil save the morlo, |
who stood.glaring upon tlie Jester.
"Stab, sfiili!" lie muttered through his '
dry lips. And nt that moment the trou- j
bad on r placed a few chords on his in- i
strument, . The passion faded from the
creature's face. Quietly lie turned and
Bought the chair nearest to the minBtrcl.
"Sing,'master." lie said.
"DIable,":thou art an insatiable nionBter!"
grunililed the troubadour.
"Insatiable!" smilingly repeated the .
Btrnnge being.
" 'If you went n!so, ma douce miette,
The Joys of heaven I'd foreRo
To have you with mc there below,"
Said Aucasslu to Nicolcttc,"
Boftly sang the troubadour.
Over tho gathering a marked conBtrnint
appeared to fall. More eoberly
? ftj
I
/ > / I
A moment then stood thus.
the men sliook their dice; the scamp
Btiuleut took tip liis book, but eveu
Horace seemed not to absorb liis tmdivided
attention; a mountebank attempted
several tricks, but failed to :
amuse liis spectators. The candles, I
burning low, began to drip, and the
Bervunt silently replaced them. Beneath
lowering brows the master of 1
tlie boar moodily regarded tlie young
girl, whose face seemed cold niul dis- i
dainful in tlie flickering light. The
plaisant addressed a remark to lier,
but she did not answer, and silently
he watched the shadow on the floor
of the chandelier swinging to and fro I
like n wavimr sword.
"Will you have something more, goocl-j
fool?" suid the insinuating and unexpected
voice of the host at the plaisunt's
elbow.
"Nothing."
"You were right not to draw," continued
the bonlfoce, with a sharp look.
"What could a jester do witl^ the
blade? I'll warrant you do not know
how to use It?"
"Nay," answered the fool, "I kuow
how to use it not?and save my neck."
Mine host nodded approvingly. "Ha,
a merry fellow!" he said. "Come, drink
ngnln. 'Twill make you sleep."
"I have better medicine than thnt,"
retorted the Jester and yawned.
"Ah, weariness. I'll warrant you'll
rest like a log," he added as he moved
away.
At that some one who had been listening
laughed, but the fool did not
look up. A great clock began to strike
with harsh clangor, and Jacqueline
suddenly arose. At the same time the
minstrel, stretching his arms, strolled
to the door and out into the open air.
"(lood night, mistress," said the
harsh voice of the master of the boar,
as his glittering eyes dwelt upon her
grnceful figure.
The girl responded coldly nnd, amid
a hush from the company, made her
way to the stairs, which she slowly
mounted, preceded by the lad who had
waited upon them and followed by tbe
jester.
At the end of tiie passage the guide
of Jestress and fool paused before n
door. "Your room, mistress," be said.
"And yonder Is yours. Master Jester."
Then, placing the candle on a stand
and vouchsafing no further words, he
Bhufficd off li^the darkness, leaving the
two standing there.
"Lock your door this night, Jacqueline,"
whispered the fool.
"You submit overenslly to an affront,"
was her scornful retort, turning
upon the Jester.
pfclegmattcallj. ,
"Yet forget not the bolt."
"It were more protection than you
are apt to prove," she answered, and
quickly entering the rootu closed hard
the door.
A moment he stood In indecision,
then rapped lightly.
"Jacqueline," lie said in a low voice.
There was 110 answer.
"J aequelino!"
The bolt shot sharply into place, fastening
the door. No other response
would she make, and the jester, after
waiting In vain for ljor to speak, turned
and made his way to his own chamber,
adjoining hers.
Weary as the young girl was, she
did not retire at once, but, going to the
window, threw wide open the blinds.
Itrlght shone the moon, and, leaning
forth, she gazed upon clearing and forest
sleeping beneath the soft glamour.
A beautiful, yet desolate scene, with
not a living object visible?yes, one,
and she suddenly drew back, for there,
motionless In the full light and gazing
steadfastly toward her room, stood a
figure in whom she recognized the
Spanish troubadour.
CHAPTER XX.
SURVEYING his room carefully
in the dim light of a caukRLvj-jn
die, the fool discovered ho
stood in a small apartment
with a single window, whose barren
furnishings consisted of a narrow
couch, a chair and a massive war<t.
robe. Unlike the chamber assigned to
Jacqueline, the door was without key
or bolt, a significant fact to the jester,
in view of the warning he had received.
Nor was it possible to move wardrobe
or bed, the first being too ^icavy
and the last being screwed to the
floor, had the occupant desired to barricade
himself from the anticipated
danger without. A number of suspicious
stains enhanced the grewsome
character of the room, and as these appeared
to lead to the wardrobe, the
jester carried his investigation to a
more careful survey of that imposing
piece of furniture. Opening the door,
although lie could not find the secret
of the mechanism, the fool concluded
that the floor of this ponderous wooden
receptacle was a trap through
which the body of the victim could be
secretly lowered.
This brief exploration of his surroundings
occupied but a few moments,
and then, aSter blowing out the candle
and heaping the clothes together on
the bod into some resemblance of a
human figure lying there, the jester
drew his sword and softly crept down
the passage toward the stairs, at the
head of which he paused and listened.
He could hear the voices and see
the shadows of the men below and,
with beating heart, descended a few
steps that he might catch what they
were saying. Crouching against the
wall, with bated breath, he heard first
the landlord's tones.
"Well, rogues, what say you to
another sack of wine?" asked the host
cheerily.
"Haven't we waited long enough?"
said an impatient voice.
"Tut, tut, young blood!" growled
another reprovingly. "Would you disturb
him at his prayers?"
"The landlord is right," spoke up the
leader. "We have the night before us.
Bring the wine."
In stentorian tones the host called
the serving man, and soon from the
clinking of cups, the clearing of
throats and the exclamations of satisfaction
foully expressed the listening
jester knew that the skin had been
circulated and the tankards filled.
"Where, think you, he got the
swordV" asked one of the gathering,
reverting to the enterprise in hand.
"Stole it, most likely," replied the
leader. "It Is booty from the palace."
"And therefore Is doubly fair spoils,"
laughed another.
"ltemeuiber, rogues," Interrupted the
host, "one-third is my allotted portion.
Else we fall out."
"Art so solicitous, thou corpulent
scrimp!" grumbled he of the boar.
-"Have you not always had the hulking
share? Pass the wine!"
"Foul napies break no bones," laughed
the host. "You were always a
churlish, ungentle knave. There's the
wine. An it's not better than your
temper, beshrew me for the enemy of
true hospitality. But to show I am
none such, here's something to sup
withal?prime head of culf. Bolt and
swig os ye will."
The rattle of dishes and the play of
forks succeeded this good natured suggestion.
It was truly evident mine
host commanded the good will and the
services of the band by uppeuling to
their uppetites.
A wave of anger against this unwieldy
hypocrite and well fed mulefactor
swept over the Jester. The
man's assumed henrtiness, his manner
of Joviality and good fellowship were
only the mask of moral turpitude and
blackest purpose. But for the lawless
scholar the fool would probnbly have
retired to his bed with full confidence
of the probity and honesty of the
greatest delinquent of them all.
iv uui hmi11 ww uu who me girrr'
asked one of the outlaws.
"Serve her the same as the fool," answered
the landlord carelessly.
"But she's a handsome wench," retorted
the leader thoughtfully. "Straight
as a poplar; eyes like a sloe. With
the boar and the Jade I should do well
when I become tired resting here."
"Give her to the scamp student," remarked
the fellow who bad first spoken.
"Nay, since Nanette ran off with a
street singer and left me spouseless I
have made a vow of celibacy," hastily
answered the piping voice of the lunk
scholar.
A series of loud guffaws greeted tho
scamp student's declaration, while the
subsequent rough humor of the knaves
made the listener's cheek burn with
indignation.
"fcRSPgh^ roguVi9
* ????i9 *
[ with the Jester first. Afterward It will
. be time enough to ileal with the muld.
Hast done feeding and tippling yet,
inorio?"
i "Yes, master." said the suspiciously
muffled voice of the Imbecile.
"Here's the knife then. You shall
have another tankard when you come
back."
At these significant words, knowing
that the crucial moment had come, the
1 Jester retreated rapidly and, making
his way down the passage, stood In a
dark corner near his room. As of one
accord the voices oeased below, a
heavy creaking announced- the approach
of the inorio; nearer and nearer.
first on the stairs, then in the upper
corridor. From where he remained concealed
the fool dltnly discerned the figure
of the would he assassin.
At the door of the jestress' room It
paused. The fool lifted his blade;
the form passed on. Before the chamber
of the plaisant Its movement became
mire stealthy; It bent and listened.
Should the jester spring upon It
; now? A strange loathing made him
hesitate, and, before he had time to
carry his purpose Into execution, the
creature, throwing aside further pretense
of caution, swung back the door
i and launched himself across the npartl
ment. A heavy blow, swiftly followed
by another; afterward, the stillness of
death.
Every moment the jestec expected an
outcry, the announcement of the fruitlessness
of the attack, but the inorio
i made no sound. The silence beenme
i oppressive. The plaisant felt almost
j irresistibly impelled toward that ter:
rlble chamber, when with heavy, luin|
boring steps the creature reappeared,
traversed the hall like a huge automa.
ton and mechanically descended the
stairs.
"Well, Is it done?" asked the harsh
voice of the master of the boar.
"Yes, done!" was the submissive answer.
"Good! Now to get the sword."
"Not so fast," broke in the landlord.
"Do you kill, morio, without drawing
blood? Look at his dagger."
The lender took the blade, examined
it and then began to call down curses
on the head of the imbecile monster.
"Clean, save for a thread of cotton,"
he cried angrily. "You never went near
him."
"Yes, yes, master," replied the creature
eagerly.
"Bah! You stabbed the bed, fool, not
the man," roughly returned the other.
"The rogue has guessed our purpose
and left the room," he continued, addressing
the others. "But he's skulking
somewhere. Well, knaves, here's a
little coursing for us all. T'p with you,
morio, and tind him. 1'erhaps, though,
he may prefer to come down." And
the leader called out, "(live yourself
up, rascal, or it will bo the worse for
you."
To this paradoxical throat no answer
was returned.
"You won't answer?" cried the lender,
after a short interval. "Smell him
out then, rogues"
Knife in hand, the others at his heels,
the morio slowly made ills way up the
stairs, (loaded by the taunts of the
outlaws, his face was distorted with
ferocity; through his lips cnme u
tterce, sibilant breathing; in the dim
light his colossal figure and enormous
head seemed in nowise human, but
rather a murderous phantasm.
"Oh, oh!" murmured a voice behind
the jester, and, turning, he saw Jacqueline.
Disturbed by the tumult and
the loud voices, the jestress had left
her room to learn the cause of the unusual
din, and now, with her dark hair
a cloud around her, stood gazing fearfully
over the fool's shoulder.
At the sound of the young girl's
voice so near, the plaisant's hand.
?nicu ior ino moment Hart been unsteady,
became suddenly steel. Almost
impatiently lie awaited tbe coming
of the morio. At last he drew near,
but, as If instinctively realizing the
ifcrosenec of danger, paused, his arm
ceasing to strike, but remaining stationary
In the air.
"Go on!" Impatiently shouted thoso
behind him.
(to be continued.]
The Knrllent Mummer*.
Mumming is derived from the Danish
lnuiumr, a mask, disguise, and
took its origin from the ancient Itoman
Saturnalia. In early English times It
was the custom to indulge in burlesqjio
sports after dinner on Christmas day.
when masked performers, called mummers,
would disport before the assembled
guests. This custom Is still kept
up in some parts of England, specially
in Northamptonshire, where the villagers
go about during the Christmas
holidays from house to house, personating
several ridiculous characters In
their mock play.
Belief* About Wave*.
The Persians believe that the waves
of the Persian gulf are caused by air
entering caves which have subterranean
outlets under the ocean. One of
the most curious beliefs of all?one
closely akin to a certain ancient oriental
hell belief?Is that of the south sea
islanders. According to their notion,
the rolling of the sea Is caused by a
"thunder trod." In old tlmoo !?!
"thunder Rod" killed the chief deity of
the islands and was confined under the
ocean as a punishment. Ills rolling
with rage causes the waves.
Ma*lr?l Flali of Ceylon.
Every hay and inlet on the coast of
Ceylon abounds with musical fish.
Their song, if It can he called a song. Is
not one sustained note like a bird's, but
a multitude of tiny, soft, sweet sounds,
each clear and distinct In Itself, something
like the vlbrat'ons of a wineglass
when Its rim is rubbed with the moistened
finger. In the harbor at BomKna*
?** -
uuj, imiia, uicre is a nsu wun a song
like the sound produced by an aeolian
, ban?. - . . r . \
i.
- \.i. , i .