Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-04-08
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SpslESl' BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN.
CHAPTER VII.-CoNTINUED.


and I turned to the soldiers standing
round.
Bring here, my friends said, M.
de Pavannes' sword!''
One ran up to the guard-house and
brought it at once. They were towns
folk, burgher guards or such like, and
for some reason betrayed so evidentre
spect for me, that soberly believe they
would have turned on their temporary
leader at my bidding. Pavannes took
lis sword, and placed it under his arm.
We both bowed tremendously to Pal
lavicini, who scowled in response; and
slowly, for I was afraid to show any
signs of haste, we walked across the
moonlit space to the bottom of the
street by which I had come.
There the gloom swallowed us up at
once. Pavannes touched my sleeve
and stopped in the darkness.
81 beg to be allowed to thank you for
your aid,'' he said. with emotion, turn
ing and facing me. Whom have the
honor of addressing?"
an. Anne de Caylus, friend of your
cousin I replied.
"Indeed?' he said. ''Well, I thank
you most heartily" and we embraced
with warmth.
''But could have done little,'' an
swered, modestly, ION your behalf, if
it had not been for this ring"
sand the virtue of the ring lies in"
chi am sure I cannot say in
what!'' I confessed. And then, in the
sympathy which the scene had natural
ly created between us. L forgot one
portion of my lady's commands, and
added, impulsively: "Al l know is
that Nine. do gave it to me; and that
it has done all and more than all she
said it would
'Who gave it to you?" he asked,
grasping my arm so tightly as to hurt
me.
Mime. d'O,' I repeated. Tt was too
late to draw back now.
THAT woman!" he calculated, in a
strange, low whisper. SIS it possible?
That woman gave it to you?"
I wondered what on earth he meant,
surprise, scorn and dislike were so
blended in his tone. 1t even seemed to
me that he drew off from me some
what. Eyes, NJ. de Payannes," 1 re-
piled. offended and indignant at is
so far possible that it is the truth; and
more, I think you would not so speak
of this lady if you knew all; and that
it was through her your wife was to-
day freed from those who were detain-
ing her, and taken safely home!"
HAL he cried, eagerly. "Then
where has my wife been?"
cat the house of MirepoiX. the
glover" answered, coldly, lin the Rue
Platriere. Do you know him? You
do. Well, she was kept there a pris-
oner, until we helped her to escape an
hour or so ago."
He did not seem to comprehend even
then. I could see little of his face, but
there was doubt and wonder in his tone
when he spoke. 'Aiirepoix, the glover
he murmured He is an honest man
enough, though a Catholic. She was
kept therel Who kept her there?"
seThe abbess of the Ursulines seems
to have been at the bottom of it,
explained, fretting with impatience.
This wonder was misplaced, I thought;
and time was passing. 'Mme. do
found out where she was" continued,
sand took her home, and then sent me
to fetch you, hearing, you had crossed
the river. That is the story in brief. .
THAT woman sent you to fetch me? %
he repeated again.
eyes, I answered, angrily. "She did,
NJ. de Pavannes."
"Then," he said, slowly, and with an
air of solemn conviction which could
not but impress me, there is a trap
laid for me! She is the worst. the
most wicked, the vilest of woment'
If she sent you, this is a trap! And my