The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-07

.aIiu K VIII TAKE 1t OIl lily HS4Q W "a
plain. III half an hour we could be
back with sully and villeroi, and then
the game Ii ours. Do you not agree,
monseigneurf9' land he turned to the
stranger. All the answer was another
grave inclination of the head.
Come" went on De Belin, slipping
his arm into taino, put yourself In my
cesa. Ny God!'-he broke OFF suddenly
Ito think we should win 60 complete
~"
There was so much In what he said
that 1 agreed without demur, and Belin
hurried me EDWARDS, the stranger and
Pantin following a few steps behind.
AS we went on Belin whispered, ASK
no questions, d'Auriac-say nothing I'M
til you see Suliy, and ten minutes
after 1 promise you twenty swords"
"If I do not get them in an hour" l
said grinlly, Il will so back myself and
see what my own sword can CO."
And 1 will go back with you, too
there, is not that CROUCH? Come, man."
and we hurried along through the mist
the left side of the road. As we came
up to ST. Merri De Belin stopped and
blew sharply On whistle. There was
an answering call, and from under the
flamboyant portico Of Re church the
figure of a man with q led horse Slip
p6Cl Out lIllO Tie 1OS, ROW SellON Will
the light of the street lamps. Without
a word the stranger mounted, and the
two passed US at trot.
What the devil does that mean?" l
eXclaimed-''your monSeigneur has left
US"
ITO return again. answered the
comte dryly, and then added: 1T will
be gay party at More's tonight, and
l. is time we We're there"
I made no answer blIt we went on
could not help feeling uneasy in my
mind at the thought of being recogniz-
ed at Mores. For after what De Balin
had said of the kings temper toward
me, [ made sure that l would have
scant mercy We're I once arrested. And
again. / would say that it was not for
I myself | was in dread, but for the
probable consequence to madame did
any harm happen to me at this june
ture.
But l had put my foot in the stirrup
and was bound to ride noW-and then
there was De Belins word. At last We
reached More's, and as we entered the
hall / could not help wondering if the
good Parisians knew that their king
was playing at primero in an ordinary
of the city, and would be later on, per-
haps, pursued by the watch. More,
whom [ had not seen since my affair
with d'Ayen, was in the hail. and at a
word from De Belin conducted us him
self up the stairway, though looking
askance at me. We at length gained
long corridor at the beginning of which
Pantin was left. Through the closed
doors of a private dining room at the
end of this we could hear shouts Of
laughter. His majesty and NJ. de Vitry
| arrived scarce q half-hOUr ago. WhiS-
pered More as we approached the door.
1--WE will not trouble you further"
panIiaH ''Tt ic tha r11la al
| these little parties to enter unan
nOunced." With these words he put his
hand to the door and went in, l follow
ing at his heels. There We're at least
ten or dozen men in the room stand
ing round a table, at which sat the
king engaged at play with NJ. de Bas-
sompierre Neither the king nor Bas-
sompierre Who seemed absorbed in the
game, took the lesst notice of our en-
trance, nor did they seem in the least
disturbed by the constant laughter
ard converse that went on. The 9TH
ers however, stopped, and then burst
out in joyous greetings of De BSlin,
and very naughty glances at me. NJ.
lie Grand, indeed, bent forward from
his great height, and whispered au-
dibly to the comte: What scarecrow
have you brought here, De Belin?"
Our captain for tonight, duc-see,
there is the grand master looking as if
each crown the king loses was the last
drop of blood in the veins of Bethupe."
AS he said this Sully and he glanced at
each other, and a light, like that in an
| opal, famed in the great minister's
eye.
NJ. lie Grand however, seemed to be
inclined for converse with me, and.
stepping up, asked: And where do you
lead US tonight, MONSIEUR" ,...
1 was about to make some answer
II
due, there is plenty of time to ask
| that. L wager you so pistoles that
d'Ayen there throws higher than you
five times out Of six"
Done" replied Bellegarde, and then
those who We're not around the king
and Bassompierre gathered to watch
Bellegarde and d'Ayen, whose cheeks
were flushed with excitement, as he
threw with his left hand, the right be-
| ing still in sling.
In the meantime the king played on,
taking no notice of any one. his beaked
nose dropping lower toward his chin as
he lost one rouleau after another 10
BaSsompierre.
"Ventre st. Girls" he exclaimed at
last, was ever such luck. At this rate
L shall not have a shirt to my back in
| half an hour"
IF the marshal were only here" said
Sully, 1--WE could start off at once, sire.
instead of risking any more. l see de
Belin has brought our guide"
Yes; where is ,Biron? 1 am sick OF
this" And the king who was a bad
loser, rose from his seat impatiently at
the same time forgetting to hand over
the last roueau of pistoles he had lost
to Bassompierre, and thrusting them
back into his pocket with an absent
gesture.
AS if in answer to his question, the
door opened, admitting the slight fig
ure and handsome face of De Gle.
Where is the marshall Where is
Biron?" asked ten voices in breath.
Yes, NJ de Gle" put in the king,
where is Biron?"
Sire, the marshal is indisposed. He
has begged me to present his excuses
and TO say he is too i'll to come to-
night" and as he spoke 1 saw de Giles
jeweled finger trembling, and his cheek
had lost all color.
This is sorry news to spoil a gay
evening"" said the king; and the mas
ter general, pulling a comfit box from
his vest pocket, toyed with it in his
! hand as he followed. "Biron must be
| i'll indeed to stay away, sire. What
begin our rambles by calling on mon
seigneur?"
1.-The very thing, grand master; we
will start at once"
But, sire, the marshal is too Ill to
see any one, even your majesty" said
De Gle desperately and with whiten-
Ing lips.
1 thought 1 heard De Vitry mutter,
Traitor" under his thick mustache,
but the guardsman parted my glance
with an unconcerned look. There was
I,o1 NJ i1te