The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-07-08
CHAPTER l.
NJ. DE LoRGNAc's PRICE.

A
w. queen mothers cabinet. In
front of me was an open door.
The curtains of violet velvet, spangled |
with golden lilies, were half drawn,
and beyond extended a long, narrow |
and gloomy corridor leading into the |
main salon of the Hotel de scissors, |
from which the sound of music and |
occasional laughter came to me. My |
sister maids of honor were there, doubt
less making merry as was their wont |
with the cavaliers of the court, and /
longed to be with them instead of
watching away the hours in the little
prison. can call it no less-that led to
the queens closet.
In the corridor were two sentries
standing motionless as statues. They
were In shadow, except where here and
there struggling CLEAN of light caught
their armor with dazzling effect, and
M. de Lorgnac, the lieutenant of the
guard, paced slowly up and down the
full length of the passage, twisting his
dark mustache and turning abruptly
when he came within few feet of the
entrance to the anteroom,
I was so dull and wearied that it
would have been something even to
talk to M. de Lorgnac, bear though he
was but he took no more notice of me
than if / were a stick or a stone, and
yet there were | do not know how
many who would have given their ears
for tete-a-tete with Denise de Mieux.
ought not to have been surprised,
for the lieutenant showed no more fa-
yor to any one else than he did to me,
and during the year or more / have
been here, enjoying for the first time
in my life the gayeties of the court,
after my days in apron strings at Les
paille, my Uncle de Tavannes' seat, |
had not, nor had a soul as far as !
knew, seen M. de Lorgnac exchange
more than a formal bow and a half
dozen words with any woman. He was
poor as a homeless cat, his patrimony,
as we heard being but his sword and
ruined tower somewhere in the Correze.
So, as he had nothing to recommend
him except tall, straight figure and a
reputation for bravery-qualities that
were shared by hundred others with
more agreeable manners-we left M.
POurs, as we nicknamed him, to him.
self, and, to say the truth, he did not
seem discomposed by our neglect.
AS for me, hardly noticed his exist
ence, sometimes barely returning his
bow, but often have l caught him OBJ
serving me gravely with troubled look
in his gray eyes, and as i'll luck would
have it this was ever when I was en-
gagged in some foolish diversion, and
had to feel furious, as l thought he
was playing the spy on me, and press
on to other folly, over which in the sol
itude of my room | would stamp my
foot with vexation and sometimes shed
tears of anger.
This afternoon, when | thought of
the long hours | had to spend waiting
the queens pleasure. of the mellow sun
light which | could see through the
glazing of the dormer window that lit
the room, of the gayety and brightness
outside, felt dull and wearied beyond
description. | had foolishly neglected
to bring a book or my embroidery, SC
that even my fingers had to be still, and
in my utter boredom | believe should
have actually welcomed the company
of GATHERINGS hideous dwarf, Majosky
1t had come to me that perhaps M
de Lorgnac, who had no doubt weary
enough watch in the corridor, might
feel disposed to beguile a little of his
tedium and to amuse me for few min
utes, and | had purposely drawn the
curtains and opened the door or thu
anteroom so that he might see l was
there and alone and that the door Of
the queen mothers cabinet was shut
I then, confess it, put myself in thu
most becoming attitude | could thinl
of, but, as / have said before, he tool
not the slightest notice of me and walk
ed up and down, tramp, tramp, back
ward and forward, as if he were piec'
of clockwork-l that which -Messe
Cosmo, the Italian, made for monsieur
the kings brother.
began to feel furious at the slight
it was no less, considered-that h'
was putting on me and wished hat
the tongue and the spirit of Mile. d
Chateauneu, SO that | could make m.
gentleman smart as she did M. de Lux
embourg. For moment or SO pulled
at the silken fringe OF my tourette-de
nee and then made up my mind t
show M. de Lorgnac that the very sigh
of him was unpleasant to me. So
waited until in his march he came to
yard or SO from the spot where he reg
ularly turned on his heel and then
springing up, attempted to draw tn
curtains across the door. Somehow o
other they would not move. and d
Lorgnac stepped forward quietly an
pulled them together. AS he did thi
our eyes met. and there was the twin
kle of smile in his glance, as il b
had seen through my articles and wa
laughing at them. felt my face gros
warm and was grateful that the ligh
was behind me, but thanked him lie
~, and with his usual stiff bow b
turned off without word.