The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-21

lier's business had detained me some
what. and the men had begun; but as
had anticipated this. I had begged
my good friend De Vic to have an eye
to my interests. The king. who was
in the gallery, had with him M de
MontpenSier, the Comte de Lude Wit
| ry, Varennes, and the Florentine am
bassador, with Sancy and some others.
Mademoiselle d'Entragues and two
ladies had taken possession of his clos
| ct, and from the easement were pour
| ing forth a perpetual fire of badinage-
and bons mots. The tennis-court, in
a word, presented as different an as
pect as possible from that which it had
worn in the morning. The sharp
track of the ball. as it bounded from
side to side, was almost lost in the
crisp laughter and babel of voices,
which, as 1 entered, rose into a perfect
uproar, mademoiselle having flung a
whole lapful of roses across the court
in return for some witticism. These,
falling short of the gallery, had light
ed on the head of the astonished
Diego, causing a temporary cessation
of play, during which I took my seat.
Madame de Lude's saucy eye picked
me out in a moment. "Oh, the grave
man." she cried. Grown him, too.
with roses.''
''As they crowned the skull ait the
feast, madame?" L answered, saluting
her CALAMITY
NO, but as the man whom the king
delighteth to honor" she answered.
making a face at me. ''Ha! hal L am
not afraid am not afraid 1 am not
afraidr
There was good deal Of laughter
at this. What shall 1 do to her, NJ.
de Rosny?" mademoiselle cried out.
coming to my rescue.
IF you win have the goodness to
kiss her. mademoiselIe 1 answered,
Il Will consider it am advance, and
as one of the council of the kings
finances. my credit should be good for
the re-"
THANK your the king cried. nin1blv
cutting me short. But as my finances
seem to be the security, faith, I will
see to the repayment myself Let
them start again; but L am afraid
that my twenty crowns are yours,
grand master; your man is in fine
play"
1 looked into the court. Diego, 1.-the
and sinewy, with his cropped black
hair high color and quick shallow
eyes, bounded here and there, swift
and active as a panther. Seeing him
thus. with his heart in his returns, I
could not but doubt; more as the game
proceeded, amid the laughter and tests
felt the doubt grow; the riddle became
each minute more abStruse, the man
more mysterious. But that was of no
moment now.
A little after 4 o'clock the match
ended in my favor; on which the king,
tired of inactiOn, sprang up and de
clartng that he would try Diego's
strength himself. entered the court.
followed, with Vitry and others, and
several strokes which had been made
were tested and discussed. Presently,
the king going to talk with madenOi-
selle at her window. I remarked the
Spaniard and Maignan, with the kings
marker, and one or two others waiting
at the further door. Almost at the
same moment observed a sudden
movement among them, and voices
raised higher than was decent, and
called out sharply to know what it
was
IAN accident, my lord" one of the
men answered respectfully.
cit is nothing" another muttered.
"Maignan was playing tricks, your ex-
cellency, and cut Diegos hand a little;
that is ALL"
''Cut his hand nowT' 1 exclaimed an
grily. 'And the king about 10 play
with him. Let me see ftr'
Diego sulkily held up his hand. and L
saw cut ugly but of no Importance.
POOH L said: sit is nothing. Get
some plaster. Here, you" I continued
wrathfully, turning to Nafgnan, "since
you have done the mischief, BOBBY,
you must repair it. Get some plaster,
do you hear? He cannot play in that
state"
Diego muttered something, and Maig-
nan that he had not got any; but before
I could answer that he must get some,
La Trape thrust his way to the front,
and producing a small piece from his
pocket, proceeded with a droll air OF
extreme carefulness to treat the hand.
The other knaves fell into the joke,
and the Spaniard had no option but to
submit; though his scoWling face
showed that he bore Maignan no good
will. and that but for my presence he
might not have been so complaisant.
La Trape was bringing his surgery to
an end by demanding fee, in the