Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-25

qulckened interest. News that on.
great Prince the Constable of Bourbon
has broken his allegiance to King
FRANCIS, and takes part with the Empe-
ror Cnarles-a murrain on him!-who
mas never loved our noble King"
Matthew looked unbelieving "'Tis a
foul slander." he said defiantly. my
lord of Bourbon is the best friend ever
Knew. I'll list to no tales about him."
Old Jehan looked grave; he was ac-
customed to be listened to as an oracle
in Longuedec.
had forgotten you were an alien"
ne said loftily. you have been reck-
oned among us ten years or so, Ma
thieu, but for all that you are not of
us; mind me you came from the Bour-
| bonnais. | grant you Duke Charles
has been great and noble man, and
was slow to doubt him; yet, mark me"
he shook his open hand in Matthews
| race, and his voice rose to a shrill note
Duke though he be, if he is the trail
tor men say, he is of no more account
than a horse that throws his rider, a
cur that bites the hand that feeds it.
We must look to ourselves, lads; as
soon as this news gets noised abroad
| the country will swarm with cutthroat
plunderers; till now they have been
kept somewhat in check by tie very
| name of Bourbon, for was he not of kin
| TO our late lord? l heard, too, that the
army Was on its way to Italy; our brave
Baron of Coetfrec belize is on his way
there, or he would have been here TO-
! day. 1t was bad for Longuedec. when
he came into his inheritance of Orbec
! so many leagues away. We can count
on no one but ourselves. What have
| you to say, Lao?"
! Lao had been chewing bit of straw
| while he listened; ne answered logged
ly:
Seeing is believing When my lord
| of Bourbon is proclaimed a TRAITOR at
| the Market Cross of Guingamp, ard a
| price is set on his head, will believe
! not before, so help me God Good faith!
| can but wonder at you Father Jehan,
| earger to swallow the trash of some
| bodybuilding, and next to belch 1t out,
| forsooth, for our bewilderment! But
| for your white hair, | would say It's a
| crying shame thus to befoul the nobiest
| lord in the kingdom! My lord Constable
| has been a pattern to all, gentle and
simple; pattern husband and father
too; and now, forso5th, he being left
widowman and childless, a certain
royal harpy-for she is no better-seeks
! to beggar him, and you seek TO spread
| the lies she has coined for his ruin!
Peace, peace, Lao; the regent may
not be DETAINED
Look you, Father Jehan," Matthew
said; it's but a month ago that L was
in Autun my uncle is seneschal to the
| lord bishop Well, I was at the palace,
| and nv uncle said: Be wary OF your
/ words till need comes to speak them,
! then say boldly that the lord bishop
| will answer for the constable as he
would for his own SOUL
Lao struck his hand hard into Ma
! thieus palm.
1T is a bargain, comrade, - he said
cordially. "Sainte CroiX. we will stand
| shoulder to shoulder for the good faith
| Of my lord the constable!
| Jehan cruched down on his staff, shak-
! ing his head in vehement disapproyal
as the younger man touched him. Look
you here, Father Jehan; you should Of
! fer proof; you cry treason, but you
| say not where 1t lies.
Matthew and Lao had both served in
| battle under the constable; they mad
been beyond the frontiers OF France,
| and their outlook was wider than that
of a stay at home like Jehan; they had
| come home badly wounded, and for a
while had been exempted for active ser
vice; but they no longer bowed impli-
city to the dictates of the village oracle.
| Jchan was too angry to answer the last
iibe; white with mortified pride, he
shook his head and made for the door
of his cottage.
Jeanne had gone to her own chamber
without word to either Of her COM
panions. She had greatly changed in
outward appearance; she looked even
taller than her mother had been as she
stood by the window gazing out on the
hills. Her bright dark eyes showed
traces of sorrow, but as she threw OF
her cloak and hood. her face and figure
DISPLAYED all the beauty they had prom
ised four years ago. Her hair, free
from a Golf, had golden threads amid
its auburn as the light touched it. She
was paler than usual to-day, but her
skin was exquistely clear and delicate;
her lips were redder and fuller, and
had the same whimsical twist when she
laughed: but her rounded chin looked
firmer and more thoughtful, for Jeanne
had known a full year of sorrow and
anxiety beside her mothers sick bed.
The responsibility thus forced on her
for she had been virtually chatelaine
since the beginning of her mothers i'll
ness-had rapidly developed the girls
| character, and now, at seventeen, she
was as old as she might be five years
later her natural sauciness had not
fed. but it was for the time hidden
under this cloud of sorrow.
Her life now seemed to her empty;
| every moment for so many weeks had
been devoted TO her suffering mother,
she had almost forgotten her marriage;
| for the Count de Laval at the end OF the
three years had been sent on distant
embassy, and when at last he wrote to
say he was coming to claim his bride
| Madame Kergrist was so near her end
that delay had been asked for, so that
| Jeanne might close her mothers eyes.
Madame Kergrist caused the count to
| be informed of her approaching death
when she felt that it was near; she
i thought it would comfort her child to
be under husbands protection. But
! fate willed that this should not be, and
that the girl must stand alone, the sole
mourner. at her mothers grave. Roll
land de Ia Touche had not revisited
Ilonguedec. Jeanne had sent to Orbec
to inform him of her loss. She was
| Ill 4