The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-07-18
he :! HEART Of DENISE
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S. LEVETT YEATS
COPYRIGHT. 1905 By s. LEVETT YEATS.


haps ought not to know"
LET me be the judge of that, and
will show you, monsieur, that it is use
Jess, even in kindness, to hide your or
ders from me-"
Then L told him briefly of my mar
riage and of the circumstances attend
ing 1t, while he leaned back in his
chair and listened without word and
with so little sympathy in his look that
he might have been cut out of a block
of wood. The result was that as
spoke l grew somewhat excited, and
nv tongue was bitter against De Lor-
gnac, whom, to my sorrow, upbraided
with the infamy of this enterprise, and
then / spoke of De Clermont, of his
bravery and kindness, forgetting other
things that had happened and how he
had warned me of my danger, and es-
pecially about Norreys himself, finish
ing with rapid "And, monsieur sure
ly you will let me go. put myself on
your chivalry."
He stopped me with a movement of
his hand and, rising from his seat,
faced me. "Mme. de Lorgnac, / tell
you again that you are utterly mis-.
taken. l have nothing to do with your
movements. Yet l am glad you have
spoken, for De Eorgnac is my friend.
and | now see what the other man is.
1t is not my habit to NEEDLE with other
peoples affairs, but because De Lor-
gnac is my friend | will tell you some
thing that will give you pain, but will
open your eyes, and you must forgive
the plain speech of my country, for we
have no mincing turns of the tongue.
On the authority of the Marquis de
Clermont you have accused me of play
ing catchpole. That is not a matter
that troubles me-my honor is in safe
keeping; but you have also accused
your husband and my friend and be-
lieve Blaise de Lorgnac to be an as
sassin and of forcing a marriage on
you for the sake of your wealth. For
your own sake, for the sake of De Lor-
gnac, you shall know the truth"
81 listen, monsieur"
"I'l tell you. At a supper party given
by that croquemitaine of king of
yours a certain matter was discussed,
but the execution of it had to be drop
ped, as no one of those present who
was offered the enterprise would ac-
cept it. Later on the wine passed, and
fool, after the fashion of your court,
began to boast openly of his conquests
and spoke openly of your favor"
Monsieur, how dare your
MADAME, it is the fashion among
your fine gentlemen to lie like this. /
will do De Clermont the justice to say
that it was not he, for he was not
there, and the man who spoke is dead,
so let his name pass. But Tavannes
was there and had to be reckoned with.
The king offered to have you married,
and the marshal burst out that he
would give you to the first man who
asked"
"Ohw
"Blaise de Lorgnac was on guard at
the door. He had heard every word,
and now stepped forward and claimed
your hand, Offering at the same time to
undertake the affair for which an agent
could not be found. His offer was ac-
cepted, and in the early morning, ma
dame, in the yard of La Boucherie,
where had the honor to be your hus-
bands second, your traducer met with
his death, and with his last breath con-
fessed that he had lied. That was the
very day, madame, that you foolishly
rode out with De Clermont. Stay; there
is yet little more, and that concerns
the dispatch. My business at Peri
| - n
Termes to receive at st. Priest-Taurion
a prisoner of state. who was to be
handed over to him by myself and De
! Clermont. l am here to receive that
prisoner, and it Is Blaise de Lorgnac
who is intrusted with the duty of tax.
ing him alive. The duplicate dispatch,
if there is such one-and you say you
| you, and De Clermont has lied. / will
settle with him for using my name;
| but, madame, you are as free as air,
and may go where you like. and for
Blaise de Lorgnac's sake l will help
| you all can-and this is ALL"
"Ohl don't know what to think"
"You are free to go, l say, and, as De
|
alone, would advise an immediate de-
parture. 1 will detach brace of lances
to act as further escort, and let me give
the order now. will be back in mo-
ment."
He did not wait for my reply, but
turning on his heel, stepped out of the
room, and l sat with my brain burn
ing and my head between my hands.
could not doubt this story, and if ever
woman passed through a furnace OF
shame and anger I did so in those few
minutes. / now knew what De Lor.
gnac was. I now for the first time saw
De Clermont in his true colors, with his
mask off, and yet-and yet-perhaps
Norreys was mistaken about him.
had proved myself to be so utterly
wrong, to have jumped to conclusions
so rashly, that l dared not sit in judg
ment any more on a soul, and while