The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-03

81 understand perfectly, monsieur"
There is yet another thing. Hasten
to Maitre Palm and bid him await me
now outside the Porte ST. Denis with
two spare horses, he will understand
what 1 mean. And now, my friend,
adieu This will pay what [ owe you"
and 1 thrust a half dozen pistoles
into his hand
But he reSolutely refused. "No-no-
Monsieur le Chevalier."
But Dame Annette?' interposed Be
lin.
"Umr' said the notary scratching his
chin-"that is another matter. 1 had
for the moment forgotten L was mar
ried man. Very well, monsieur, 1 will
take the money, not that l need it, but
for the sake of peace; and now ther,
,, is little time to lose. 1 go to do all you
have asked me to, and rest assured,
messieurs, it will be faithfully done" !"
II have no doubt of that, Pantin."
1--WE had better make a start, too"
said, and Belin shouted for the horses
We stayed for moment or so after the
notary's departure, during which time
Belin urged me to take Vallon and a
couple of men with me to my tryst;
but fearing no complications, l refused,
saying that this was a matter that
were best done with one hand. Belin
would have come himself, but that his
friendship with me being known, it
was necessary for him to avoid all sus-
picion of his being in the affair.
II shall go to the Louvre" he said,
"and engage d'Ayen at play. Pi1nental
and others will be there and, if l mis-
take not NJ. le Baron will have a sore
head for his wedding" and he chuckled
here.
Then I settled the score with mine
host, and mounting our horses We rode
back the way we came. 1t was at the
Magasins that we wished each other
goodbye, and with last grip of the
hand, and a last warning to hasten to
Mourmeton, Belin turned towards the
Louvre, whilst / went on towards the
Tuileries, keeping the northern road
and not the more frequented street
along the river face. / chose this way,
because, although it was little longer,
yet there was still half hour for my
appointment, and it would not do Tor
me to arrive too early, as by hanging
about at the trysting place l might at
tract attention, and perhaps ruin the
game. AS 1 rode on 1 caught myself
wondering if 1 could play the same
hand that Sully, Villeroi and de Belin
were throwing to- / knew they were
honest men-their positions removed
them from such temptations as might
assail even a great nobie-and that
they were lOyally trying TO serve tleI
country and their king If such ser
vice, however good it's object, meant,
as it clearly did, that one must be up
to the elbows in intrigue, then I thank
ed God that 1 belonged to no party,
and inwardly resolved that, whether I
won or lost my hazard, the court would
see me no more, and as for the king
pardieul 1t is not good to know hero
too well.
There was strong moon, and the
night was as clear as crystal. One side
of the street was in shadow, illumined
here and there by the dim light of a
few lanterns set high up in inches in
the old and moss-grown walls of the
buildings. The houses here were old
even for this part of Paris, and with
their sloping roofs and many gables
rose in irregular outlines on either side
outlines, however, so softened by the
moonlight, in which they seemed to
culver, that it was as if some fantas-
tic creation of fairyland had been set
down here-a phantom city that would
melt into nothingness with the warm
rays of the morning sun.
Away in the distance it still seemed
as if l could hear the hum of the city
behind me, but here all was quiet and
still, and the iron-shod hoofs of Cou-
rome rang out with strange clear
ness into the night Occasionally ! met