Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-27

Continued from Saturdays Issue.)
CHAPTER VI.

Continued from Saturdays Issue)
y CHAPTER VI.
Widowed.
On the morning after her arrival at
| Laval Glllonne told her mistress that
| Monsieur de Retz craved permission
to speak with her.
Jeanne had already sent her woman
to make inquiry for the Count, but the
answer was that the Count must not
be disturbed. Jeanne now sent Gill
Tonne TO inquire whether the Countess
could not be allowed to watch beside
him. but the Seneschal, 10 whom the
question was put, referred her TO Mon
sieur de Retz. The girl hoped that
this announced visit of tn young no.
bic might be the herald of better news;
at least she determined to free herslf
from this wearisOme imprisonment, for
Gillonne had advised her to leap to her
own rooms, as there was so much stir
and movement in the Castle.
While the young Countess waited for
De Retz she walked round the room
and maryeled at the beauty of the tap
estry. On one wall it represented the
exploits of Achilles at the siege Of
Troy; on another was depicted the visit
CT Ulysses to the Court of Lycomedes
| and his discovery of the young hero
disguised as one of the attendants Of
Deidamia, Jeanne was still occupied
in studying these figures when De Retz
was shown in.
He bowed; then. advancing nearer
he took her hand and touched it with
his lips.
II grieve to bring you very grievous
tidings, madame Your noble husband
my honored cousin, has passed away
Jeanne grew white under the sudden
shock She said, after few moments:
81 pray you. sir, lead me to where
he lies. 1 will see him once more"
| De Retz sighed.
Il fear me. madame, that is no lon
ger possible"
There was horror in her eyes. She
| exclaimed:
81 do not understand you, monsieur;
you have deceived me. The Count, my
| husband, must have been near death
when you quilted Laval; why did you
not warn me? Why did you hurry me
away from Longuedec? l am mistress
here, monsieur and | demand entrance
to my husbands chamber.
While she spoke, Jeanne had drawn
herself to her full height. De Retz
was as much charmed by her deter
mined spirit as he was by her beauty,
for she had become flushed with eX
element.
BE seatetd madame, l pray you;
grant me your patience. for what | have
to tell you may at first anger you; but
if you will graciously hear me to the
end you will. | know. acquit me from
blame. But | must speak with you
alone"
Jeanne locked around her.
"There is but Gillonne, monsieur, and
she does not count; she never leaves
me-"
She spoke brusquely, yet with dig
nifty: her determined look made De
Retz aware that he must submit to the
confdant's presence. He had resolved
not to offend Jeanne, and he was aware
that if she chose to assert her imme-
date independence it would be diff
cult to influence or guide her move
ments, unless he resorted to force, and
that would annul the hopes he cher
ished about her.
She became impatient while he hes
itated, but as she met his beseeching
glance she felt ashamed to suspect him.
She seated herself; then pointing to
chair at some distance from her own,
she said gravely:
BE seated, monsieur. l am ready to
hear why you declined to agree to my
wish: it is but right and natural that
wife should wish to see her hus-
band"
De Retz could hardly help smiling at
the girls ready assumption of her po-
sition: it seemed to fit her as though
she had been always mistress of
Laval.
Jeanne noted the grace Of his move
ments and the sadness of his dark
eyes; they were somewhat narrow, but
she thought they were handsome.
Madame" he began, lin order that
you may fully understand this SEEM
ing deception, l must, with your leave,
speak of myself, and revert to the time
when my lamented Godfather first
took me into his esteem"
Jeannes keen glance seemed to
search his soul; but his face remained
sad and impenetrable.
did he bring you up from child
hood?" she asked.
"Alas, no, madame. I wish my lot
had been thus happily ordered. | be-
lieye my cousin and Godfather-for he
was both-had been interested, long
before we met, in my welfare; l was,
however, only summoned to Laval a
few weeks before | accompanied him
to Longuedec" He hurried on; he did
not wish her to remember the past too
wildly. ION that occasion my cousin
told me that he meant to provide for
nv future. to compensate for what
might prove to be a disappointment to
my hopes. You are perhaps aware.
madame, that new alone represent
the elder branch of the house CT La
val?" The young Countess bent her