Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 145: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A CENTAUR OF NAVARRE. So, as the king doubtless will prefer a maid to a wife or a widow, you had best go in the morning and take her. ‘““ Thunders of heaven! I regret that I shall not be there. It were worth while to watch both of you—-and mademoiselle, too, when she learns what business her former cavalier is about.” The vile old pander combed his beard with his fingers, and laughed heartily at the picture which his spite conjured up. “ That is all, Nicolas.” “And I need not return to Rambouillet to-night, master?” asked Nicolas; and he appeared monstrously well satisfied when he was told that he need not. M. the Duke would have had me to sup with him, doubtless foreseeing more enter- tainment to be had from baiting me; but I disappointed him and ate with my men in the kitchen hall of the chateau. While we were eating, I saw to my in- tense surprise that Mark was fraternizing with D’Epernon’s men as though he were one of them. I actually saw him clinking cups boisterously with Nicolas! After I had disposed of my men for the night in the duke’s barracks, where I stayed with them, I felt no call of sleep, but fell a prey to the doubts and apprehensions, which, on the eve of a desperate venture, are prone to seize upon one who has too keen an imagination. To add to my fret- fulness, Mark had disappeared, and none of his fellows knew whither. I knew the capability of my big henchman to cope for himself against either bottle or battle; neverthelesse his absence worried me. It was after midnight before I slept. When I awoke in the early morning, there Jay Mark among the others, slumbering like a win- tered bear. I began to question him as to his doings of the night; but he made me a mysterious sign to desist. Later I heard him bawling loudly that some knave had stolen his bridle; and he ended by purchasing one from D’Epernon’s farrier. M. the Duke gave me thirty men, in- structing them to obey my orders as they would his own, and on no account to re- turn to Epernon within a week. He had intended to send Nicolas along; but that 303 worthy was nowhere to be found; though his master cursed, and the fat lackey shout- ed himself hoarse and purple. While that was going on I chanced to meet Mark’s eye, and he winked at me por- tentously. As we trotted off along the Rambouillet road, he brought his black horse alongside of Fanchon. “Well, master,” he said in a low voice, “one score is settled. Nicolas—may his bed be warm!—will do no more murders.” ‘““ What!” I exclaimed. I had been pre- pared for a revelation of some sort; but this information startled me. Mark twisted himself in his saddle and pointed back the way we had come. ‘““See the tall pine yonder, master—the one which tops all the rest in the wood back of the chdéteau? Well, Nicolas is dan- gling from one of its branches, waiting for the crows to come and pick him.” I thought that Mark-had taken leave of his senses, and so told him. ‘““ Not the least in the world, master,” he answered, wagging his head and grinning. “Nicolas was main glad that he was not sent back to Rambouillet last night, for cause that he had a tryst with a lass of the neighborhood. I overheard his mates jap- ing him about her. Then I was glad, too. ‘“ Having helped coax considerable wine into his skin, I set a watch on Master Nico; las. There is a postern door in the rear wall, to which he had a key, and there is a boat in the moat. I passed through the postern behind him, and with a tap on his sconce from my pistol I persuaded him to allow me to ferry him across. “When he had his wits again, I con- versed with him concerning the evils of his past life. He was a hard rogue, and unre- pentant, master; so I hanged him neatly to the kig pine, for which purpose I had taken with me the bridle off Harry here. He is done for. Returning that way two hours later, I felt of him, and he was as fine and cold a corpse as one could wish to see.” “Returning, say you!” I gasped, as- tounded by this grim midnight tale. “Where had you been?” “Why, to keep his tryst with the maid, master. Having deprived her of her lover’s EOPMICGLOC <S (E@)