Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-11

passed over me, and the great anguish
of my wound increased until there was no
rest. However, the next man who visited
me stood forth at the side of the stretch
err as Bellenger. thought dreamed
him, being light-headed with fever. He
was unaccountably weakened, robbed of
juices, and powdering to dust on the sur
face. His mustache had. grown again.
and he carried it over his ears in the
ridiculous manner affected when saw
him in the fog.
where's your potter's wheel?Y in
quired.
I'm the woods by Lake George. sire
do you still find clay that suits your"
Yes. sire"
Have you made that vase YETI"
mo, sire. succeed in nothing"
''You succeeded in tracking me-"
He swan before my eyes. and pointed
to the surgeons canp-chair.
Not in your presence, sire"
Have you lost your real dauphin?"
inquired.
II have the honor of standing before
the real dauphin."
so you swore at Mittau."
ST perjured myself"
wen, what are you doing now?"
'ssire, I am man in failing health.
Before the end have come to tell you the
truth.
do you think you can do it?"
'Sire"-said Bellenger.
your king is Louis XVIII reminded
him.
He Is not my king"
Taken your pension away. has her
IT no longer receive anything from that
court.
And your dauphin?''
''He was left In Europe"
Look here. Bellenger! Why did you
treat me so? Dauphin or no dauphin.
what harm was doing you"
81 thought a strong party was behind
you. And knew there had been double
dealing with me- You represented some
invisible power trucking me. / was beside
myself. and faced it out in Mittau. have
been used shamefulIy, and thrown aside
when 1 am failing. Hiding out I'm the
hills ruined my health
Let us get to facts. If you have facts.
DO you know anything about me, Bellen-
ger?''
yes, SIRE
who am. ~"
Louis XVII Of France"
What proof can you give?"
First, sire. permit man who has been
made a wretched tool. to implore forgive
ness of his rightful sovereign. and a little
help to reach a warmer climate before
the rigors of a northern winter begin.
''BeIlenger. you are enhancing, said.
why did 1 ever take you seriously? Ste.
PeIagie was a grim joke. and tipping in
the river merely your playfulness. You
had better take yourself off now. and
keep on walking until you come to
warmer climate"
He wrung his hands with gesture that
touched my natural ssoftness to my enc
my.
you to say?"
''rhis. first, sire. That was splendid
dash you made into France?
And what a splendid dash made out
of Il again, with gendarme at my coat
tails, and you behind the gendarmeP'
But II was tie wrong time. If you
were there now-the French people are so
changeable-"
IT shall never be there again. His
majesty the eighteenth Louis as welcome.
What the blood stirs in me to know IS,
have / a right 10 the throne?"
'.Sire. the truth as I know it. will
tell you You were the boy taken from
the Temple prison
who did it?"
Agents of the royalist party whose
names would mean nothing to you if
gave them"
Il was placed in your hands"
You were placed in my hands to be
taken TO America
81 was with you in London, where two
royalists who knew me. recognized me?'
1.-The two De Ferriers.
did a woman named Madame Tank
see me?''
Bellenger was startled.
You were noticed on the ship by
court-Iady Of Holland; very clever cour-
tier I had trouble in evading her. She
suspected too much. and asked too many
questions: and would have you to play
with her baby on the deck. though at that
time. you noticed nothing"
But where does the idiot come into
my story?''
Sire, you have been unfortunate, but 1
have been victim. When we landed in
New York 1 went directly and maue my
self known to the man who was to act
as purveyor of your majesty's pension.
He astonished me by declaring that the
dauphin was already there, and had
claimed the pension for that year. The
country and the language were unknown
to me. The agent spoke French, it IS