Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-10-28

aronnd her she turned to the door.
seTake my advice my good girl, place the
stand nearer the window. and be not
much over them, their purfume Is to
strong for so small and close room.
There was something about. these
words, carelessly spoken though they
,vere that deepened the underlined sus-
picions in the young girls heart, ana
following her suggestions, she placed
the stand of flowers directly opposite
tbe open window. Then, by a close ex-
animation of the bouquet designed for
the King. she detected the presence OF
fine. white powder, so impalpable as
TO be imperceptible to the eye upon the
white petals of the rose, but clearly Wis
lille upon the lilies, whose peculiar
shape, by exposing its leaves to the full
rays of the sun, as well as their colorlng,
threw it into strong relief. As she bent
over them, the faint but penetrating
odor that arose, made her so giddy that
she would have fallen had it not been
for a tall, shapely youth who had Just
entered, and whose livery showed that
he was In the service of the King.
1t was her lover, Francois, King Phi
lips body servant, and who, passing by
the house, stepped in to have little
chat with his bethroted.
"How now, Marie r. ne said, looking
into her pale face. "What has fright
ened The roses from your cheek ma pettte,
and given you such strange look Z?
The honest fellow was sincerely at
tached to his royal master. and he lis
tened graveIy to Marie's account of the
strange conduct of her visitor, and the
suspicious to which it gave rise.
1T has bad look, he said, thought
fully Though belize there's nothing
| in it. By good luck, 1 have orders to
attend his Majesty in his private apart
ments an hour hence. i will put him
on his guard then surely, no harm can
come of 1t.
Somewhat to the surprise of
Francois, the King manifested
no disquietude at this disclosure,
though with a grave look and the at
tentiye manner with which he listened
showed that lac considered it of no light
import. He babe him charge Marie
s'to tell no one what she had discovered,
but come to the palace with her flowers
an hour earlier than was her wont, by
no means forgetting the golden lilies
King Philip sat in his audience han,
surrounded by his usual retinue. A
number of the royal family stood near
him, among them the Count DNevilles,
mis- wife, and their little son. a sweet
boy of three, whose winning and
sprightly ways made him great favor
ite with the King.
''And please your Majesty, Marie,
the flower-girl is waiting without, T" said
one of the guard, opening the door.
s'Admit her." said the King.
Marie had never seen Philip IL his
robes of state, and the royal pomp that
surrounded him impressed her with q
feeling OF awe as she entered. But this
was quickly dissipated by the Kings
gracious manner as he babe her APP
proach.
'I see you have not forgotten my IA
vorite flower" he said, taking the bas-
ket from her hands. "Just admire these
queenly lilies, fair Countess, and in
hale the fragrance of the rose"
''But Why should you start and turn
so pale?" he added, as with an involun-
tary shudder she drew back from the
flowers he would have placed in her
hands.
IL crave your Majesty's pardon, -
she stammered, ''but the odor of the
rose always affects me thus"
The Kings eyes followed the Coun-
tess as she retreated TO a window at the
further end of the hall, under the pre-
text of obtaining air; he then fixed
them searchingly upon her husbands
face, whose mind seemed to be entirely
occupied by the rosy, laughing boy he
held in his arms.
Attracted by the bright color of the
lilies, the child stretched out his hands
for them. A sudden thought struck the
King, as he observed this.
"See how eagerly little Louis is re-
garding theml' he said turning to the
Count. "Give them to him."
With fond smile the proud father
took the flowers and held them up be-
fore the boy, who, clutching them with
both of his dimpled hands, raised them,
with gleeful shout to his lips.
Instantly deathly pallor overspread
the face, and with faint gasp he fell
back dead In his fathers arms.
The Countess had kept a furtive
watch upon the Kings movements from
her retreat, and forgetting everything
in her terror, sprang forward to arrest
her husbands arm. But she was too
late.
Monster !" she exclaimed, glaring
upon him like a tigress robbed of her
young, ''you have destroyed your childI'
"And you," said Philip, pointing sig
nifcantly to the flowers, still clasped in
the child's rigid fingers "You would
have murdered your King p
SIS this the woman who called at your
cottage this morning ?" he inquired,
turning to Marie.
''The same, your Majesty"
As soon as the Count comprehended
the full import of these words, he cast q
look of horror and detestation upon his
wife; then taking his dead boy, he laid
him upon the pile of cushions at the
Kings feet.
81 can lay before you no stronger
proof, SIRE" he faltered, ''that was ig-
nOrant of even the existence of this base
plot against your life u
As Philip looked upon the still, sweet
features of the child, and then upon the
wretched father, his eyes softened.
''You are right. God knows that
would fain have spared your loyalty such
a terrible test -
81 wish you all to bear Witness" he
said, addressing those around him,
''that fully exonerate Count de Ne
villes from all completely with his wife
in this attemDt uDon the life of yOur