The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-25

Port. Perhaps you have one, though,
from my Lord Mayenne?"
Would our kind be carrying a pass
port from the Duke of Mayenne?" quotb
Giles
1T seems improbable, ." the ofIiced smil-
ca, pleased with his wit. Sorry to dis
commode you, my dear But perhaps.
lacking passport, you can vet obIige
me with the countersign. which does az
Well. Just one little word, now. and
III let you through
IF monsieur will tell me the little
word, she asked innocently.
He burst into laughter.
No, no; L am not to be caught so
easy as that, my girl"
''Oh, come, monsieur cantain - C.uIas
urged, many and many a fellow goes in
ana out of Paris without passport. The
rules are net to stop a fish and LET the
small fry go. What harm will if do
TO my Lord Mayenne, or you. or any,
BODY, If you have the gentleness to let
three poor servants through to their
dying mother?''
1t desolates me to hear of her extfem-
lty," the captain answered, with a fine
IRONY, but 1 am here to do my duty. +
ain thinking, my dear, that you are some
great lady's maid?'
He was eying her sharply, suspiciousIy:
she made haste to protest.
On. no, monsieur; 1 am servant to
Nine Mesnier the grocers wife"
AND perhaps you serve in the shop2'
No, monsieur" she said, not seeing
his drift, but on guard against a tran
NO, monsieur; 1 am never in the shop.
L am lar too busy with my work Mon
Sleur does not seem to understand what
seryant-lass has to do
For answer, he took her hand and Hft-
cd it to the light, revealing all it's smooth
Wh1teness, its dainty. polished nails.
L think mademoiselIe does not UNDER
stand it, either"
with little cry, she snatched her hand
from him, hiding it in the folds OF her
kirtle regarding him with open terror
He softened somewhat at the sight of her
distress.
We'll, it's none of my business if a
lady chooses to be masquerading round
the streets at night with a porter and q
lackey L don't know what your pur-
pose isl don't ask to know. But I'm
here to keep my gate, and I'll keep it.
Go try to weedle the officer at the Porte
Neuve."
In helpless obedience, glad of even SO
much leniency. we turned away-to face
a tall, grizzled veteran in a coloners
shoulder straps With a dragon at his
back he had come so softly out of a
side alley that not even the captain had
marked him.
What's this Guilbert?' he demanded.
Some folks seeking to get through the
gates, sir. I've Just turned them away"
What were you saying about the Porte
Newer"
81 said they could go see how that
gate is kept. 1 showed them how this
is"
''Why must you pass through at this
tine of night?" said the commanding of
ficer, civilly. Giles once again be-
moaned the dying mother The young
captain, eager to prove his fidelity, IN
terrupted him.
Il believe that's a fairy tale. sir
There's something queer about these
people. The girl says she is a grocerS
servant, and has hands like duch-
ess'''
The colonel looked at us sharply, neitn-
or friendly nor unfriendly. He said in
perfectly neutral manner:
1T is of no consequence whether she
De a servant or a duchess-has a mother
or not. The point is whether these peo-
pie have the countersign If they have
IL they can pass, whoever they are
Ihey have not the captain answered
at once. Il think you would do well,
sir, to demand the lady's name"
Mademoiselle started forward Cor bold
stroke just as the superior officer de-
manded of her 1.-THE countersign?" AS
he said the word. she pronounced dis
tinctly her name:
Torrance!
Enough the colonel said instantly.
Pass them through, Guilbert''
The young captain stood in a NULL
but no more bewildered than We
Mighty queer!' he muttered. "Why
didn't she give it to me?"
Stir yourself, sir!" his superior gave
sharp command. "They have the coun-
tersign; pass them through"