Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-10-14
cePYRioH7. 1872. ~ LoNoMANs, GREEN & Col


only this, that my husband will ap.
pear to have been at the same time at
the Quarter du Marais as we'll as the
Faubourg St. GERMAN. 1 would add
that monsieur would be wise to keep
indoors as he is doing. We have found
out that the house is being watched,
Goodnight, monsieur" and with g
ned of her wrinkled face this strange
woman vanished.
Iappeared in truth to be the sport Of
mystery, and it seemed as if one Of
these sudden gusts Of anger to which
was subject was coming on me. con.
trolled myself with an effort, and with
turn of my fingers tore open the pack
ct, and in it lay my lost knot of ribbon.
For moment the room swan round
me and became as cold as ice. Then
came the revulsion, and with trembling
fingers raised the token to my lips and
kissed it 100 times. There were no
written words with it; there was moth
ing but this little worn bow; but II
told whole story to me, that ribbon
that Marescot said was hung too high
for De Breuil of Auriac; and God alone
knows how ! swore to guard it, and
how my heart thanked him for His
goodness to me. For ten long minutes
I saw myself as was, prescribed and
poor, almost in the hands of powerful
enemies, striving to fight an almost
hopeless cause with nothing on my side
and everything against me.
When my dinner, very simple one,
was finished, took my way to the Rue
de Bourdonnais, this time mounted on
Couronne, with Jacques well armed on
the sorrel.
The hotel of the Complies de Belin lay
at the west end of the Rue de Bourbon
nais, close to the small house wherein
lived Madame de Montpensier of dread
full memory; and on reaching it found
that it more than justified the descrip-
ton Belin had given Of it to me, one
day whilst we were idling in the
trenches before Dourlens. It stood
some way back from the road, and the
entrance to the courtyard was through
wonderfully worked iron gateway, a
counterpart, though on smaller scale,
of the one at Anet. At each corner of
the square building was hanging tur-
ret, and from the look of one of these
l guessed that my friend had taken up
his quarters there.
was met by Vallon, who said he had
Informed his master of my coming, and
telling servant to hold my horse he
ushered me in, talking of hundred
things at once. l had not gone ten
steps up the great stairway when Belin
himself appeared, running down to
meet me. "Croix Deu!" he burst out,
as we embraced. ~ thought you were
with the saints, and that De Rome, you
and hundred others were free from
all earthly troubles"
Not yet, De Beiih. trust that time
will be far distant"
"Amen! But you as good as buried
yourself alive at any rate"
"How sop
"Vallon tells me you have been a
month in Paris, and you have never
once been to the Rue de Bourdonnais
until now. You might have known,
man, that this house is as much yours
as mine."
II know that" l interrupted, "and ]
want your help"
"How much is it? Or is it second ~
Neither, thanks. Though in either
case would come to you without hest.
tation. The fact is''-and 1 explained
to him my difficulty in regard to pro.
viding for Marie, without, however, go.
ing into other matters, or giving him
any account of my troubles.
When ended, Belin said: 'What you
want, then, is trustworthy fellow"
"At least, that is what Jacques wants
can get on well enough"
'Morbleu! 1t is more than could;
but, as it happens, have the very
thing for you. Pull that bell rope be.
hind you, will you? and oblige lazy
| man."
did so, and In minute or so WALTON
appeared, wiping his mouth suspicious.
| ly with the back of his hand.
"Vallon," said De Belin, docs Ravail.
lac continue to work satisfactorily?
AS ever, monsieur lie COMPETE"
well, I am going to lend him to the
chevalier, who has need of his services
Monsieur"
Send him up here, and Bison, too
WALTON bowed and vanished as said:
II do not know how to thank you
Belin."
"Poufl A mere bagatelle. I though,
we were going to have little amuse
ment in the gardens of the Tuileries.
know of perfect spot for meeting
cal cal" and he lunged twice in quartz
at an imaginary adversary. AS he came
back from the second thrust, he said
by the way, must tell you-but here
they are" and Ravaillac came in, fol
lowed by Jacques, vallon bringing W
the rear.
AS they entered recognized the mar
who was with Jacques and WALTON on the
Malaquais, and Belin, turning tc
Jacques, said quietly: "Bisson, I am go
| ing to lend Ravaillac here to your mas
ter, to take your place whilst you &c
away to Ely. / pledge YOU nv WORD
|