Wichita eagle., 1889-11-19
AN HOURS TREASON.

Jacques Laborde was the son of an Arden
pzis peasant, who had drained himself to his
last sou to send him first to the Lyceum Of
Charleville and thence to Saint Cyr, and who
had ended by adoring a child whom he had
begun by hating, costing, as it did, the life of
its mother.
Coming out from school at the head Of his
classes, he was, at 81 years of age, one of the
most promising officers attached to the staff
Of the major general in the Rue Saint Doni-
nioue and one of whom his chiefs predicted
great things.
Physically he presented the singular type
Of the Ardannais peasant by the Belgian from
tier-taIl robustly built with black eyes and
a rosy skin that told of the ardent fire thrown
into his veins by southern sun, perhaps,
also, the intermingling blood of two races de-
velOping in one
Exceedingly limited in resources, for his
father was now dead and had left him moth
ing in the shape Of property but valueless
hut in the depths Of the forest, he lived in q
tiny lodging on the fifth floor Of the Rue de
Verneul, and with sturdy pride and horror
of debt condemned himself to life of rigid
austerity. He thought of nothing but work
and study and never dreamed of indulging
in pleasure, though at the bottom of his soul
there was a fund Of passion and tenderness
that more than once drew sigh from his
lips as be recalled with dreamy eyes those
visions of beautiful women and young girls
encountered three or four times year at the
balls of the ministry.
But it was not till the close Of December,
S5, that Jacques Laborde's peace of mind re-
ceived mortal shock. A woman, of course,
who had made upon him an impression from
which, in spite of his efforts, he was unable to
free himself.
She was called the Comtesse Jeanne dAn-
trague, and was Of captivating and danger
Gus beauty, slender, yet admirably made,
with dazzling teeth, plump and rosy lips,
dark eyes of a singular splendor and a smile
as sweet and guileless as an infants Scarce
ly 25 years of age, they said she was widow,
and in truth she did 1--we alone in a marvel
ously furnished dwelling In the Rue Male
sherbes and under the protection Of de-
crepit old man whom she declared her father.
Whence did shs come? Who was she and
what was her object? A problem as yet I'M
solved, and above her mirror in her sleeping
chamber, as if il answer to every sl1rnlise,
appeared the curt and mysterious device:
"Rien moi"
From her-nothing; yes, but from the po-
lice, had they thought to ask it, a ''srirveil-
lance report" that closed with a phrase no
less clear and decisive than the one above the
lady's mirror, to wit: ''The Comtesse dan
trague, an exotic wasp. for the time being
buzzing on foreign soil"
Briefy-a spy!
And it was for this foreign spy that Jacques
Laborde was seized with his mad passion,
and with fever rioting in his brain wandered
like one disOrdered through the streets Of
Paris, seeking to fly from his own heart. The
danger of his love he neither knew nor di-
vined, but life had suddenly grown heavy to
him and his days and work odious.
Seeking always to see her, and at last sue
ceeding, he avowed his love for her. She re-
ceived his avowal with frank smile and the
gayety Of child who hears language which
it does not comprehend He grew eloquent,
and the fervor of bis passion animated and
made his black eyes burn hike flame
This went ON some months, perhaps; and
then-she refused him. No matter, he still
loved her, and at times TO his whirling brain
came wild ideas of suicide or murder.
Murder because she was always calm and
smiling; seemed to find pleasure In this tor
ture of a soul, and to await, with the craft
and slyness Of q woman-ahl she had not yet
told him for what she did wait!
Some weeks more passed thus. and Jacques
Laborde stunned his comrades; they saw
him nowhere, and he was thin and pale and
stopped in the shoulders, as if bent under a
heavy weight and taken with a horror Of
even his friends repused every effort at dis
traction to live in the thought of Jeanne
Why had she refused hint For what did
she watch him-and watt
1t was thus he asked her one evening, knael-
ing at her feet in her boudoir hung with a
dull velvet drawn like jewel case and light
ed by a single taper, that gave 1t the aspect
of a mortuary chamber.
Tell ME, Jeanne" he cried, tell me, what
is it that you wish me to DOR
Wish him to dol She turned upon him a
long, long gaze, her lashes trembled slightly,
and Jacques whose ardent eyes were fixed
upon her own, saw with establishment that
she had suddenly grown very pale.
Listen TO me-" said she, presently, and she
bent her lips to his ear and began to speak in
tone so low you would have thought her
afraid that some one would hear her words
Ten words, not more, but sil sufficient TO
bring him to his feet with face of horror
and brow moistened suddenly with sweat.
1T is infamous.n he cried. 1T is infa-
nous. infamous"
And without another word or backward
glance he turned and fed from the room, re-
pearing only from time to time. as if facing
haunting thought
YES, infamous. that which she exacts.1
As for tine comtesse, she remained where he
had left her, seated in her chair, calm, I'M
rufied, and with slight, scoraful smile on
her red lips as she caught tie sound OF the
heavily closing door.
He will return" she said aloud. rising
languidly to ring for her maid, he viii re-
turn, and soon"
And she awaited him for many DAYS but
be did not return, though he wrote her daily
burning letters-mad, ilsensate appeals She
Gid not answer, and with every letter the
same strange smile returned 10 her lips. aud
every morning and evening Jacques L. bosds
watched ana waited for d word or message
that cid net come.
"She means it, theu!- he cried, despairing-
". his fingers ehnching in his palms till the
nails were buried in the flesh she means il.
TO betray my country. 70 give to her the
secrets of its defense; never. ne-erl Il is too
horribleir
All the same, the very next day ssw him
at the Cor,uesse's door and saw him refused
aimittance He insisted. esltreated, pushed
the lackeys ASIDE, and forcihly sought TO
euter They forced him back, they hunted
him away; Jeanne WAS still pitiless
Three times he renewed the attempt, three
times was peremptorily checked. and then
she wrote him:
Remember" said she. "what I have asked