The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-01

he stood to the center of the stand and
| the white bower, inclining from which was
| whose face attracted the attention of the
| multitude and who seemed not unhappy in
being thus scrutinized and admired. Shak,
| ing his head slowly, the court poet dropped
| his eyes and studied the sand at his feet.
| ''She looks not wronged," he said. dryly.
"She appears to enjoy her triumphs.
"And yet. Caillette, tbs all farce" an
I swered the dukes jester.
| $50 have I-thought--on other occasions"
And again his gaze flew upward, not,
however, to the lady whom Francis had
| calamity chosen for queen OF beauty, but,
| despite his alleged cynicism, TO corner of
the Kings own box, where sat she who
had once been laughing maid by his side
| and with whom he had played that divert
! ing pastoral, called First Love-" 1t was
only an instant's return into the farcical
| but joyous past and a moment later he
was sharply recalled into the arid present
by the words of his companion.
| 1.-THE man the Princess Louise is going to
marry is no more Robert the Duke of Fried
| valid, than you are' exclaimed the foreign
fool HE is the bastard of Pfalz-Urfeld,
| the so-caled free baron of Hochfes. His
castle commands the road between the true
duke and Franciss domains. He made
| himself master of all the correspondence.
and intends TO carry off the true lords
| bride. Indeed, in private, he has acknowl-
edged IT all to me. and, failing to corrupt
me to his service, last night set an assassin
| to kill me-"
His listener, with folded arms and attent-
| i've mien, kept his eyes liked steadily upon
the narrator, as IL he doubted the evidence
! of his senses. Without, the marshals had
| taken their places in the lists and another
stentorian dissonance greeted these officers
| Of the field from the good-humored gather
ing, which, basksng in the anticipation OF
| the feast they knew would follow the pa
geantry. clapped their hands and flung up
their caps at the least provocation for re-
| joicing. Upon the two testers this scene
of jubilation was lost, Caillette merely
bending closer to the other. with
to the King?"
Because of my foolhardiness in tacitly
accepting at first this freebooter as my
master"
Caillette shot a keen glance at the other
and smiled. His eyes said: "Foohardness.
Was it not, rather, some other emotion?
graciously toward her betrothed and"
II thought him but some f1imsy adven-
turer." went on the dukes fool. hastily.
played out. holding the key to the situa-
ton, and
/ you underestimate him?"
Exactly. His plans were cunningly laid,
and now-who am l that the King should
listen to me? At best, If l denounce him.
they would probably consider it bit of
pleasantly, or-madness.'
Yes" reluctantly assented Callette,
Triboulets words. "a fool in love with the
princess recurring to him; lit would be
undoubtedly. even as you say"
The dukes jester looked down thought
fully He had only half-expressed to the
French PLEASANT the doubts which had as
sailed him since his interview with Louis
of Hochfels. Who could read the minds OF
monarchs? The motives actuating them?
the deception practiced upon him. was it al
together unlikely that the King might not
be brought to condone the offense for the
sake of an alliance with this bastard of
Pfalz-Urfeld and the other unconauerab BILE
free barons of the Austrian border against
Charles himself? Had not Francis in the
past, albeit openly friendly with the EN-
peror. secretly courted the favor Of the
powerful German mobiles in Charles's own
country? Had not his covenant with the
infdel Solyman been a covert attempt TO
undermine the Emperor's power?
From the day when, as young men, both
had been aspirants for the imperial throne
Of Germany and Francis had suffered de-
feat, the latter had assiduously devoted
himself to the retributory task OF gaining
the ascendancy over his successful rival
And now, although the tempering years
had assuaged their erstwhile passion and
each had professed to eschew war and its
violence might not this temptation prove
at the Emperor's prestige? How easy TO
affect disbelief OF a fool, TO overthrow the
fabric of friendship between Charles and
himself. and at the same time apparently
not violate good faith or conscience.
The voice of Caiilette broke in upon his
thoughts.
You will not then denomce him."
The fool hesitated. ''Alone-out of favor
with the King, like not to risk the out
come-but-if | may depend on you"
Did ever friend refuse such a call?' ex-
: claimed Caillette promptly. A quick glance
of gratitude flashed from the others eyes
There is one flaw in the free ba ron's po-
| sition," resumed the dukes fool, more con-
fdently; "a fatal one twill prove IL IL is
possible to carry out my plans. He thinks
the Emperor is in Austria, and his follow
ers guard the road through the mountains.
He tells himself not only are the Emperor
| and the Duke of Friedwald too far dista Mt
TO hear of the pretender and interfere with
. the nuptials but that he obviates even
matter at all by controlling the way
, through which the messenger must go.
Thus rests he In double security-but an
imaginary one."
what mean your" asked CailIette at
tentively, from his manner giving fuller
credence to the extraordinary news he had
, | Just learned.
THAT Charles the Emperor is not in
Austria but in Aragon at Saragossa where
| he can be reached in time TO prevent the
marriage. Just before my leaving the En-
peror. to my certain knowledge. secretly
I TO the governing of Aragon. Charles PLAYS
a deep game In the affairs OF Europe.
though he works ever silently and unob-
trusively. Is he not always beforehand
| with your King? When Francis was pre-
pairing the gorgeous field Of the cloth Of
: Charles quietly leave for the little isle,
; | and there, without beat of drum arrange
r | his own affairs before Henry was even
seen by your pleasure-loving monarch? Yes;
r TO the imposter and TO Francis. Charles is
, | in Austria: to us-for now you share my
! secret---is ne In Spain. where by swift riding
, he may be found. and yet interdict in this
matter"
"Then why-haven't you ere this fed to
. ! the Emperor with the news?"