The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-26
The Cat and the King.
PRIZE DETECTIVE STORIES, No. 22

I tween ST. Innocent's churcn and the no
| tsry's-there is a notary's there?''
Eyes, sire" l said, somewhat sur
| prised.
81 heard great roar, and something
struck me down, and l found myself
pinned TO the ground, in darkness, with
my mouth full of dust, and an immense
beam on my chest lay for a time in
agony, fighting for breath, and then my
brain seemed TO burst in my head, and
awoke."
~ have had such dream, SIRE" i
said, dryly.
"Last night?"
"No," said "not last night"
He saw what / meant, and laughed;
and being by this time quite himself. left
that and passed TO discussing the strange
affair of La Trape and the milk. "Have
you found, as yet, who was good enough
TO supply it?'' he asked.
"No, sire, y L answered. "But i will
see La Trape, and as soon as / have
learned anything, your majesty shall
know il.
81 suppose he is not far off now," he
suggested. "Send for him. Ten TO one
he will have made inquiries, and it will
amuse us. ~
! ] went to the door and, opening it a
trifie, bade the page who waited send La
Trape. He passed on n message TO a
crowd OF sleepy attendants, and quickly,
but not before / had gone back to the
Kings bedside, La Trape entered.
Having my eyes turned the other way,
/ did not at once remark anything. But
the King did; and hss look of astonish-
ment, no less than the exclamation which
accompanied II, arrested my attention.
'St. Girls, mani he cried. "What is the
matter? speak,"
La Trape, who bad stopped just within
the door, made an effort to do 80, but no
SQUAD passed his lips; while his pallor
and the fixed glare of his eyes filled me
with the worst apprehensions. Ii was
impossible TO look at him and not share
his fright, and stepped forward and
cried out to him to speak. Answer the
King, man" j said. "What is it?''
He made an effort, and with a ghastly
grlmace, 1.-The cat is deadi" he said.
For mQment we were all silent. Then
looked at the King, and he at me, with
gloomy meaning in our eyes. He was the
first TO speak. "The cat to whom you
gave the milk?" he said.
"Yes, sire, La Trape answered, in a
voice that seemed to come from his heart.
but still, couragel'' the King cried.
Courage, mani A dose that would kill
cat may not kill a man DO you feel
ill?p
"Oh, yes, sire, :" IaTrape moaned.
"What do you feel?'
81 have a trembling in all my limbs,
and ah-ah, my God, am dead man!
have burning here-a pain like hot Goals
in my vitalsl" And, leaning against the
wall, the unfortunate man clasped his
arms round his body and bent himself
up and down in a paroxysm of suffering.
"a doctor a doctorl" Henry cried.
thrusting one leg out of bed. 'Send for
Du Laurensl" Then, as i went to the
door TO do so, Scan you be sick, man?"
he asked. "Try!'
"No, no; 1t is impossible!v
m try INV l.,,, Ia Igngf
"lt Is outside" La Trape grosned. lie
| could say no more
had opened the door by this time, and
found the attendants, whom the mans
cries had alarmed, in a cluster round IL.
Silencing them sternly, | bade one go
for NJ. Du taurens, the Kings physician,
while another brought me the cat that
was dead.
The page, who had spent the night in
the Kings chamber, fetched 1t. ] told
him to bring IL In, and ordering the 9TH
ers TO let the doctor pass when he ar
rived, i closed the door upon their Curl
csity, and went back to the King He
had left h.s bed and was standing near
La Trape, endeavorIng TO hearten him;
now telling him to tickle his throat with
a feather, and now watching his suffer
lngs in silence, with face of gloom and
dependency that sufficiently betrayed
his reflection. At sight of the page, how
ever, carrying the dead cat, he turned
briskly, and we both examined the beast
which, already rigid, with staring eyes
and uncovered teeth, was not sight to
cheer anyone, much less the stricken
man. La Trape, however, seemed TO be
scarcely aware of its presence. He had
sunk upon a chest which stood against
the wall, and, with his body strangely
twisted, was muttering prayers, while he
rocked himself to and fro INCREASINGLY.
'It's stiff, the King said In low
voice. ut has been dead some hours"
'Since midnight" I muttered.
pardon, siren the page, who was hold