Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-10-14
That he Is a good sword"

True enough. NJ. lie Compile. We were
amusing ourselves with pass or two
below, and he touched me twice to nv
one, and as your lordship answers for
him, am content"
THAT is we'll, most excellent Bison!
Ravaillac, you understand? Here is the
Cheyalier d'Auriac, your new master,
who will remain such until he sends
you back to me-"
Ravaillac bowed without reply. He
was quite young, barely 20, and very tall
and thin; yet there was great breadth
of shoulder, and noticed that he had
the framework of a powerful man; his
appearance was much beyond that Of
his class; but there was sullen fe-
rocity in his pale face-the eyes were
set too close together, and the mouth
too large and straightly cut to please
me. Nevertheless, 1 was practically
bound to accept Belin's recommends
ton, and after a few orders were given,
the men were dismissed.
What was about to say before
these men came in?" asked Be1in.
I'm afraid cannot help"
"of course not-O, yes! 1 recollect. I
was about to tell you how got RAJ
vaillac's service. 1 lay you five crowns
to tester you would never guess"
"You have already told me with your
wager. You must have won him."
Exactly. You've hit it, and it was in
this way. About three months ago
was returning to Paris, attended but by
WALTON, and with only small sum with
me. At an inn at Neuilly, met an ac-
quaintance, a Baron d'Ayen, one Of the
last of the mignons and confirmed
gambler"
II know him." said, my heart begin
ming to beat faster at the very thought
of d'Ayen.
Then, it makes the story more in
teresting. We dined together, and then
had turn at the dice, with the result
that dAyen won every ecu that 1 had.
T" 1T would be pity to stop now he
said, as rose declaring myself broken.
Suppose we play for your horse,
compte?'
"'No, thanks replied; luck is
against me, and have no mind to foot
1t to my hotel. But I'll tell you what,
I have rather taken fancy to your
man, since l once saw him handle a
rapier. I'll lay WALTON against him;
what do you call him?'
"'Ravaillac. He is of Angouleme and
has been Flagellant. Will he suit
you?
~ shall have to find that out. Do
you accept the stalses?'
Mon ami, would play for my soul
In this cursed inn.'
Very well, then, throw
1.-THE upshot of it was that won, and
from that moment the blind goddess
smiled on me, and after another hours
play left d'Ayen with nothing but the
clothes he stood in. What he regretted
most was the loss of his valise, in which
lay some cosmetiques he valued beyond
price; he got them from Golfer. l
earned his undying friendship by Civ
ing him back his valise, lent him his
horse, which had won, and came off
with so pistoles and new man. OF
course, you know that 'Ayen has fallen
on his feet?"
II do not"
"I'll tell you. Where the devil
have you been burying yourself all
these months? You must know that
the king is looking forward for another
Liancourt for lady whom he destines
for very high place, and d'Ayen is to
be the happy man. It is an honor he
fully appreciates and he has been kind
enough to ask me to stand as one of his
sponsors at the wedding, which, by the
kings orders, comes off In q fortnight"
"And you have promised?"
"Yes, it was little amusement.
They say, however, that madame is
furious, and that her temper is worse
than that of Mile. d'Entragues, who, by
the way, literally flung herself at the
king without avail. Her time will come
soon enough. no doubtful, good gra-
cious, man! What is the matter? You
are white as a sheet"
ut is nothing, Belin-Yes, it is more
than can bear. Belin, old friend, is
there nothing that can save this lady?"
He looked at me and whistled low to
himself. "Sets the wind that way2 l
did not know you had even heard IF the
lily Of Bidache. Are you hard hit,
d'Auriac?" And he rose from his seat
and put kind hand on my shoulders.
I jumped up furiously. "Belin, I tell
you l will stop this infamy if die for
1t. swear before God that I will kill
that man, king though he be, like mad
dog"
"Be STILL" he said. "What bee has
stung you? You and I, d'Auriac, come
of houses too old to play the assassin.
Criox Dieu, man! Will you sully your
shield with murder? There, drink that
wine and sit down again. That's right.
You do not know what you say. have
fought against the king, and 1 serve him
now, and tell you, d'Auriac, he is the
greatest of Frenchmen. And there is
yet hope-remember, fortnight is q
fortnight"
ground my teeth in silent agony.
"Wait moment" he continued, "a
chamberlain of the court knows most of
its secrets, and l can tell you that it is
not such plain sailing as you think for
d'Ayen. The death of that unhappy Ga
brielle has affected the king much. he
Is but now beginning to recover, and
Biron, who was hurrying to his govern
ment of Burgundy, has been ordered to
remain in close attendance on the king.
whether Biron knew of the kings in
tentions or not, do not know; but he
has strongly urged the suit Of one of his
gentlemen for the hand of madame-it
Is that croque-mort de Gomeron, with