The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1899-06-08

a silence of half minute st de Gie's
speech, and the king reddened to his
forehead.
'lf it is as you say, NJ. lie Nicompte,
know tie marshal too well not to feel
sure that there are two persons whom
he would see were he dying-which God
! forbid-and one of the two is his king.
Grand master, we viii go, but"-and his
voice took a tone of sharp command,
and his eye rested first on de Gle and
then on the figure of tall cavalier, at
whose throat flashed the jewel of the st.
Esprit-''but l must first ask NJ. de Wit
ry to do his duty"
As for me, was dumb with astonish-
ment, and half the faces around me
were filled with amaze. Then de Wit
/ rvs voice broke the stiffness.
"My lord of Epernon, your sword
and you, too, NJ. lie Nicompte.'
The duke slipped off his rapier with
sarcastic smile and handed the
weapon to the captain OF the guard,
but we could hear the clicking of the
buckles as de Gie's trembling fingers
tried in vain to unclasp his belt. So
agitated was he that de Nitry had to
assist him in his task before it was ac-
complished.
The king spoke again in the same
grating tones:
"M. dc Bassompierre and you, de Luy-
ues, ] leave the prisoners in your
charge. In the meantime, messieurs,
we will slightly change our plans. I
shall not go myself to the marshnPs
house; but depute you, grand master
and these gentlemen here, all except
de Nitry, who comes with me, to repair
there in my name. Shall NJ. de Biron
not be able to see you, you will come
to me--the grand master knows where y
"Gou will be careful, sire" said Sully.
"Mordieu! Ees-go, gentlemen
was about TO follow the others, but
Belin caught me by the arm he
passed out. Stay where you are" he
whispered, and then he waited until the
footsteps died away along the corridor
the king standing with his brows benz
and muttering to himself:
IF it were not true-if II were not
true"
Suddenly he reused himself. "CoIGe
de Nitry--my fnasl; and cloak-lnd you
too, sir" he said, turning on me with /
harsh glance. He put on his mask, drew
the collar of his roquelaure up to hi
ears, and in moment l recognized th'
silent stranger who had ridden off 81
, abruptly from under the portico Of st
Merri. | could not repress my start o
surprise, and I thought / caught {
strange glance in de Vitry's eyes, bu
the kings face was impassive as stone
1--WE go out by the private stair, sire
= d'Aubusson is there with the horses.
} with these words he lifted the tapestr!
of the wall and touched a door. ]
swung back of its own accord, and th
king stepped forward, the captain of tn
) guard and myself on his heels. Whel
,, we gained the little street at the bacI
j of More's we saw there three mounte'
men with three led horses.
= De Vitry adjusted the kings stirruT
. who sprang into the saddle in silence
: and then motioning me TO do likewise
= mounted himself.
Monsieur" said the king to me, rein
ing in his restive horse, ''you will lea
t us straight to your lodging, next, TO tn
Toison dor"
"Yes, sire" I made answer; "but
win be necessary to leave the horse
, by St. Martins, as their presence nea
the Toison dor might arouse curtosit
: and suspicion"
II understand, monsieur, have tn
:, goodness to lead on"
AtSt Martins we dismounted. Their
. was whispered word between the lieu
tenant and de Nitry, and then the king
: de Vitry and myself pressed forward o
foot, leaving d'Aubosson and the troop
ers with the horses. 1t would take TO
=. long, If indeed / have the power, to dC
scribe the tumult in my mind as W
wound in and out of the cross street
u aud by lanes toward the Toison do
At last we came to the jaws of the bin
!. passage, and / whispered to de Vitr
that we were there. The king turned
de Nitry and asked:
"Are you sure the signals are undel
!. stood, de Vitry?"
Ives, sire"
: There was no other word spoken, an
: keeping on the off side of the road,
. dFOlu passing llIutuldutlJ DclOTe VI
y door of the Toison dor, where it Wa
u possible a guard might be set, we wer
i onward toward my lodging. Favore
{ by the mist which still hung over ii
T passage, we got through without acc
d dent; hut perceived that not a ligi
I glimmered from the face of Babette
e house, though could hear the bolts
/ the entrance door being drawn, as
e some one had entered n moment or :
before we had come up. My own lodi
e ing was, however, different, an
> through the glaze of the window "
! could see the sickly glare of the lam
q in the shop where monsieur and ma
IS anne were no doubt discussing the bus
o ness of the day.
I'VE must quiet my landlord and h
It wife, whispered to Vitry as we can
e up to the door.
n "Very WELL" he said, and then
knocked.
q The fence, who was alone, bimse
e. opened the door. "Ah, captain"
e exclaimed, eve thought you were los
but 1 see you have friends" He sa
d no more, for / seized his throat with
d grip OF iron, whilst de Vitry laced hi
" up with his own belt. An improvis:
n gag put a stop to all outcry, and in
81 trice he was living like a log among