Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-10-28

TOO much taken up with the pursuit to
notice them before. THAT is certain.
so | have the less time to lose" he con-
tinued. But / would-yes, nv dear
coadjutor, ! certainly would like TO
know before l go what you are doing
here. irepoix-Afirepoix is an honest
man. did not expect to find you in
his house. And two ladies? Two! re,
coadjutor. Ha, Mime. 40, is it: NV
dear lady" he continued, addressing
her in whimsical tone, do not start
at the sound of your own name! 1t
would take a hundred hoods to hide
your eyes or bleach your lips to the
common color; | should have known
you at once, had looked at you. And
your companion? Pheughi"
He broke off, whistling softly. 1t
was clear that he recognized Nine. de
Pavannes, and recognized her with as
tonishment. The bed creaked as |
craned my neck to see what would fol-
low. Even the priest seemed TO think
that some explanation was necessary,
for he did not wait TO be questioned.
MING. de Pavanncs." b. said, in dry,
husky voice, and without looking up.
was spirited hither yesterday. and de-
tanned against her will by this good
man, who viii have to answer for IL.
Nine. DO discovered her whereabouts,
and asked me to escort her here with
out loss OF time to enforce her sisters
release "
And her restoration to her dis
tracted husband?"
Just So the priest assented, ac-
curing confidence, | thought
And madame desires to go?"
Surely! Why not?"
] well" the vidame drawled, his man
ner such as 10 bring the blood to Nine.
de Pavannes' cheek, sit depends on the
person who-to use your phrase, NJ. lie
spirited her hither."
/ And that" madame herself retorted,
raising her head, while her voice quiv-
cred with indignation and anger, was
the abbess of the UrsuIines. Your
suspicious are base, worthy of you and
unworthy of me, M. lie Vidame! Dianei"
she continued, sharply, taking her sis
ter's arm, and casting a disdainful
glance at Beers, "let us go. want to
be with my husband. l am stifed in
this room"
1--WE are going, little one" Diane
murmured, reassuringly. But l no.
ticed that the speakers animation,
which had been as a soul to her beauty
when she entered the room, was gone.
A strange stiffness was it fear of tie
vidame ?-had taken it's place
"The abbess of the Ursulines?" Be-
zers continued, thoughtfulIy. "She
brought you here, did she?" There
was surprise, genuine surprise, in his
voice. "a good soul, and, 1 think 1
have heard, friend of yours. Umphl"
"a very dear FRIEND" madame an
swered, stiffiy. "Now, DianeI"
"a lear friend! And she spirited
you hither yesterday" commented the
vidame, with the air of one solving an
anagram. "And Mirepoix detained
you; respectable Nlirepoix, who is said
to have a well-flled stocking under his
pallet, end stands we'll with the bour-
geoisie. He is in the plot. Then at a
very late hour, your afTectionate sister,
and my good friend the coadiutor, en-
ter to save you. From what?"
No one spoke. The priest looked
down, his cheek livid with anger.
From what?" Beers continued.
with grim playful ness. There is the
mystery. From the Churches of this
profigate Mirepoix, ! suppose From
the dangerous Mirepoix Upon my
honor" with a sudden ring of resoiu-
ton in his tone, q think you are safer
l.
you are, madame, until morningl And
risk Mirepoix!"
"Oh, no! no!" madame cried,
vehemently.
"Oh, yes! yes!" he replied. What do
you say, coadjuter? Do you not think
SOP"
The priest looked down sullenly. His
voice shook as he murmured, in an
swer: Madame will please herself. She
has character, NJ. lie Vidame, But if
she prefer to stay here-welli"
| ooh, she has a character, has she?'
rejoined the giant, his eyes twinkling
with evil mirth, "and she should go
home with you, and my old friend, Nine.
DO, to save it, That is it, is it? No,
no. he continued, when he had had his
silent laugh out, mime. de Pavannes
will do very very well here-very well
here until morning. We have work to
do. Come. Let us go and do it."
DO you mean ito" said the priest,
starting and looking up with a subtle
nge-almosta threat-in his tone.
YES, l do
Their eyes met; and seeing their
looks, l chuckled, nudging Croisette.
No fear Of them discovering us now. [
recalled the old proverb which says that
when thieves fall ont. honest men come
Icy their own, and speculated on the
chance of the priest freeing us once for
all from NJ. de Beers
But the two were Unmatched The
vidame could have taken up the other
with one hand and dashed his head on
the floor. And it did not end there.
l doubt if in craft the priest was his