Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-25

and he wasStill at 40, after score of years
of roughest service, the Governor of paltry
country town.
Meanwhile, in the darkness of the narrow
streets, the Vcomte was making his way to
his lodgings in state OF despair and un-
happiness most difficult to describe Chilled,
sobered and afrighted he looked back and
saw how ne had thrown for all and lost all,
how he had saved the dregs of his fortune
at the expense of his LOYALTY. how he had
seen a way of escape and lost it foreverl No
wonder that as he trudged alone through the
mud and darkness OF the sleeping town his
breath came quickly and his chest heaved,
aad he looked from side TO side as a hunted
animal might, uttering great sighs. All, if
he could only have retraced the last three
hoursl
Worn out and exhausted he entered his
lodging, and securing the door behind him
stumbled up the stone stairs and entered his
room. The impulse TO coufde his mis-
fortunes to some one was so strong upon him
that he was glad to see dark form half
sitting half lying in a chair before the dying
embers of a wood fire. In those days a
mans natural confdant was his valet, the
follower. half-friend, half-servant, who had
been born on his estate, who lay on a
pallet at the foot of his bed, who carried his
billets dOux and held his cloak at the duello,
who rode near mis- stirrup in fight and nursed
him in illness, who not seldom advised him
IN the choice of 4 wife, and lied in support
OF his suit.
The young vicomte flung his cloak over
chair. "Get up, you rascal!' he cried, i'm
patiently. 'You pig, you dogl" he contin-
ued, with increasing anger. Sleeping
there as though your master were not ruined
By that scoundrel of a Breton! Bah!' he
added, gazing bitterly at his follower, you
are of the canaille, and have neither honor
to lose nor town to betrayP'
The sleeping man moved in his chair and
half turned. The Vicomte, his patience ex-
hsusted, snatched the bonnet from his head,
and threw it on the ground. will you
lIsten?" be said, "Or go, if you choose look
for another master. l am ruinedl Do you
hear? Ruined, Gill I have lost all-money,
land, Lusigny ITSELF at the dice!'
The man, aroused at last, stopped with a
law movement, and picking up his hat
busted it with his hand, and rose with q
yawn TO his feet.
Il am afraid, Vicomte, " he said, his tones
quiet as they were, sounding like thunder
in the VicOmte's astonished and bewildered
ears, 81 am afraid that if you have lost
Lusigny, you have lost something which
was not yours TO lose!"
his loot, and the fire, blazing up, shone on
bis face The Vicomte saw. with nnutter-
able confusion and dismay, that the man
before him was not Gil at all, but the last
person in the world to whom he should have
BETRAYED himself. The astute smiling eyes,
the aquiline nose, the high forehead, and
projecting chin, which the short beard and
moustache scarcely concealed, were only too
well known to him. He stepped back with
q crv of horror. "Sire!'' he said, and then
his tongue failed him. BE stood silent, pale,
convicted, his chin on his breast. The man
TO whom be had confessed his treacherv
was the master whom he had conspired to
betray.
81 had suspected something of this"
Henry OF Navarro continued, after pause,
a tinge of irony in his tone. "Rosny told
me that that old fox, the Captain of Gre
ance, was affecting your company a good
deal, VI. lie Vicomte, and l find that, as
usual, his suspicious were well-founded.
What with a gentleman who shall be name
less, who has bartered ford and castle for
the favor of Mademoiselle de Luynes and
yourself 1 am bleSt with some
faith ul followers! For Shamel" he
continued seating himself with dignity,
"have YOU nothing to say for yourseIf?''
bowed, his face white. This was ruin, in
deed, absolutely, irremediable. "Sire," he
said at last, ''your Majesty has a right to
nv life, not to my honor"
Your nOnor!" quoth Henry, biting con-
tempt in his tone.
The Young mrn started, and for second
his cheek famed under the weil-deserved
reprOach; but he recovered himself my
debt to YOUR Majesty" be said, 81 am will
ing to pay"
"Since pay you must" Henry muttered
softly.
"But claim to pay also my debt to the
CAPTAIN OF Creance."
"Oh," the King answered. $50 you
would have me take your worthless life and
give up Lusigny?"
81 am in your hands, sire.'
"Pish, sr.'' Henry replied in angry as
tonishment you talk like child, Such
an offer, N. de Lanthenon, is folly, and YOU
know it. Now listen 10 me. 1t was lucky
for you that l came in tonight, intending
to question you. Your madness is known to
me only, and 1 am willing to overlook it.
DO you hear? Cheer M, therefore, and be
man. You are young; 1 forgive you.
This shall be between you and me
only" the young Prince continued,
his eyes softening as the others head
dropped, ''and you need think no more of it
until the day when 1 shall say to you,
Now, NJ. de Lanthenon, for France and
for Henry, striker
n rose as the last word passed his lips,
and held out his hand. The Vicomte fell
on one knee, and kissed it reverently, then
snrang to his feet again. "Sire," he said,
standing erect, his eyes shining, "you have
punished me heavily, more heavily than
was needful. There is only one wav in
which l can show my gratitude, and that is
Kidding you of a servant who can never
again look your enemies in the face
what new folly is this?" said Henry.
sternly. "Do you not understand that 1
have forgiven you?"
Therefore 1 cannot give up LuEigny, and
I must acquit myself of nv debt to the Cap
tain of Creance in the only way which re-
mains" replied the young man firmly
"Death is not so hard that 1 would not
meet it twice over rather than again betray
my trust"
This is midsummer madnessw said the
King, hntlv.
Possibly" replied the Vicomte, without
emotion; yet Of ? kind to which Your
Majesty is not altogether a stranger"
The words appealed strongly to that love
of the chivalrous which formed part of the
Kings nature, and was one cause alike of
his weakness and his strength, which in its
more extravagant flights gave opportunity
after opportunity to his enemies, in its
nObler and saner expressions won victories
which all his astuteness and diplomacy
could not have compassed. He stood
looking with halEhiddeu admiration at the
man whom two minutes before be had de-
spised.
81 think you are in jest" he said, pres
emily.