Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-04-08
wife has fallen into it already! Heaven
help her-and ne-if it be sol"
CHAPTER VIII.
TIE pAR1s1AN MATHIS.


There are some statements for which
it is impossible to be prepared; state
ments so strong and so startling that
it is impossible to answer them except
by action-bys blow. And this of NJ.
de Pavannes was one of these. If there
had been anyone present. I think I
should have given him the lie and drawn
upon him. But alone with him at mid
night in the shadow near the bottom
of the Rue des Fosses, with no wit
nesses, with every reason to feel friend
ly towards him, what was to do?
AS a fact, did nothing. I stood,
silent and stupefied, waiting to hear
more. He did not keep me long.
''She is my wife's sister," he contin-
ued, grimly. "But I have no reason to
shield her on that account! Shield her?
Had you lived at court only month
I might shield her all I could, NJ. de
Caylus, it would avail nothing. Not
Nine. de Saves is better known. And
I would not if could! I know well,
though my wife will not believe it, that
there is nothing SO near Nine. DOS
heart as to get rid of her sister and
me-of both of us-that she may sue
coed to Medicines Inheritance! Oh,
yes, I had good grounds for being nerv-
GUS yesterday, when my wife did not
return he added, excitedly.
But there at least you wrong Nine.
dol" I cried, shocked and Mortified
by an accusation which seemed to me
much more dreadful in the silence and
gloOm-and withal so much less pre-
posterous than it might have seemed
in the daylight. 'There you certainly
wrong her! For shame! NJ. de Pavan-
Ees."e
He came step nearer, and laying
hand on my sleeve peered into my face.
did you see priest with her?'' he
asked, slowly. ga man called the CO.
adjutOr-a down-looking dog?'
said-with a SILVER of dread, sud-
den revulsion of feeling, born of his
manner-that I had. And I explained
the part the priest had taken.
''Then," Pavannes rejoined, ST am
right. There is a trap laid for me-
The abbess of the Ursulines! She abb
duct my wife? Why, she is her dearest
friend, believe me. It is impossible
She would be more likely to save her
from danger than to-Humph! wait
minute I did; 1 waited, dreading
what he might discover, until he NUT
tered, checking himself: "Can that be
it? Can it be that the abbess did
know of some danger threatening us,
and would have put Madeline in a safe
retreat? I wonder!"
And I wondered; and then ~ we'll,
thoughts are like gunpowder. The
least spark will fire train. His words
were few, but they formed spar],
a, -,
as for moment blinded me and shook
me so that I trembled. The shock
over, I was left face to face with pos
sibility of wickedness such as could
never have suspected of myself. I re-
membered MirepoiX' distress and the
priests eagerness. I recalled the gruf
warning Bezers-eyen Beers, and
there was something very odd in Beers
giving warning!-had given Nine. de
Payannes when he told her that she
would be better where she was.
thought of the wakefulness which I
had marked in the streets, the signs of
coming strife, and contrasted these
with the Quietude and seeming safety
of NfirepoiX' house; and I hastily
asked Pavannes at what time he had
been arrested.
ABOUT an hOur before ml0n1Snt, he
answered.
''Then you know nothing of what is
happening?" 1 replied quickly. ''Why,
even while we are lettering here-but
listen!"
And with all speed, stammering in
deed in my haste and anxiety, told
him what had noticed in the streets,
and the hints I had heard, and showed
him the badges with which madame
had furnished me.
His manner when he had heard me
out frightened me still more. He drew
me on in 4 kind of fury to a house in the
windows of which some lighted candles
had appeared not minute before.
''The ring!" he cried, ''let me see the
ring! Whose is it?''
He held up my hand to this chance
light and we looked at the ring. 1t
was a heavy gold signet, with one curl
Gus characteristics: it had two faces. On
one of these was engraved the letter
''H,'' and above it a crown. On the
| other was an eagle with outstretched
| wings.
Pavannes let my hand drop and leaned
against the wall in sudden despair. cit
is the duke of Guise's," he muttered.
''It is the eagle of Lorraine
'Ha!" said l softly, seeing light. The
| duke was the idol then, as later, Of the