The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-02
copyright. 1897. by Max Pemberton.l
PART /.

hOOfS upon the dusty rOau oeillhu hihh
and instantly stopped his long-suffer
ing white pony. He was a man OF
alarms, was this good Able; and his
TWO servants, being dutiful servants,
were for the occasion men OF alarms
also. All three had heard strange
stories of the perils of those travellers
rash enough 10 venture after sunset
on the great western highway to Paris;
all three had begun to regret the ne
cessity which had carried them from
the peaceful presbytery neT Rambouil.
let TO the woods upon the outskirts OF
The great city. Yet here they were at
eight o'clock of summers evening still
three leagues from the capital, With
dark already threatening them ano
all the tales of bogies and of robbers
ringing in their ears Like a passing
bell in the ears of men about to be
hanged.
ut is my opinion" said the Able,
addressing Francois, his valet, 1T is
my opinion that we are followed by
the three young men who delayed MS
at the Maison Rouge. can see a cloud
of dust upon the horizon, and L count
three horses"
Francois, the valet, and Jean, the
groom, hastened in their turn to check
the asses which they rode and to in.
spect the winding highway which they
had pursued with SO many misgivings.
Being ready men. their tongues pres
only wagged together, and they de-
clared themselves willing to submit to
untold tortures If they also did not
see cloud Of dust upon the horizon and
count three horses.
"Sapristi," cried Francois, the valet,
ssI suspected those fellows from the be-
ginning. What says the proverb, my
snaster-he who makes friends in an
inn has the devil for his oomrade. Body
OF ST. John! i was for going on, as
your reverence is well aware"
Jean, the groom. who watched the
approaching horsemen with fearful
eyes, yet was unwilling to betray him.
self, remembered now that he had
been for going on, too.
"Sacre bieu, your reverencel' cried
he, "if yon rogues are not footpads, put
me in the pillory. Did you mark how
they kept their faces masked even when
they sat at meat? May be fogged
IL ever heard of an honest man who
was afraid to show his nose to his
neighbor. We shall all be dead men
presently, rely upon it,"
The Able, who nursed a secret sus
picion that the groom spoke The truth,
told him, nevertheless, to hold his
tongue. He consoled himself with the
thought that his personal property was
not worth louis to any rogue; he
knew that he had but ten crowns in his
pouch; and those he would surrender
readily. Indeed, he began to frame
little speech in which he determined
both to rebuke the robbers and to con-
ciliate them. And this was still
troubling his mind when the three men
,ode up at gallop and began TO par
ley with him. They were a strange
trio--au dressed elegantly, all mount
ed upon horses which might we'll have
como from the kings stables. The
aAbbe, stealing glances at them when he
lifted bis eyes moment from his
breyiary, did not fail to observe the
shining embroidery upon their vests
nor the rich rrflies falling delicateiy
upon their wrists, nor the diamonds
gIiStening upon their fingers. These
things had been hidden from him in
the dark room OF the tavern at Sevres,
where the merry fellows had kept him
dallying long over bowl OF claret.
Now he saw plainly that his pursuers
were men of quality, and that two of
them we're singularly finely built, while
the third possessed n figure so slim and
delicately proportioned that IL might
well have been the figure of young
girl. But all three were masked as they
had been at the tavern-and this fact
alone kept the Abbe's suspicious alive
''Sirs," said he. closing his breviary
with sudden snap, II observe thatyo
wish to speak with me-"
Ny Lord, the Bishop Of Blois," be-
gan the tallest OF the men, while he
dotted his plumed hat with gesture of
profound respect, 1t is evident to us
that you are stranger upon the road
10 Paris
The Able interrupted him with a mo-
Autiiull olSlidN va
My son." said he, 81 pray you nd
dress me by my own name and not by
that 10 which j have no title. IL Is
true that the Bishop OF Blois is unhap-
PLY dead. but under no circumstances
js IL possible that 10 unworthy n sue
ccssor should be found for the See as
the humble priest who has lately en-
soyed your hospitality. ]. gentlemen,
orn the Able Morellet, cure OF the VIII
1uge OF Yvetie. Il man with whom the
princes OF the Church may well con-
cern themselves but little. 40 10 Paris
,.ow 20 carry my ward Corinne-you
may know her ns Mdlle. de Monies
sop. gentlemeD--to "A convent OF Bene-
dictine nuns az Charenton. And heaven
forbid that | should aspire 10 such a
distinction nx YOU have named"
RE spoke with great dignity. being a
man accustomed 30 command in his
o,yn LITTLE world. His manner was that
81 ore who has made an end or the