The Washington times., 1903-02-01
DIeases. the Comte Guiuavne is asleep,

"Ha ha, ha- DO not be frightened
out of your wits, Madame MethuseIah;
I am no dragon to eat you up. But in
return for-fOr nip of the Oldest vint-
age in the doujon viii leave this letter
to he delivered to your master when he
chooses to rouse himself"
Impossible, monsieur, impossible!
There hasn't been a drop in the house
these five years, except what comes with
the master from the tavern"
"Hey-deyl But no matter. Be sure
and give this letter to the master when
he wakes. And, mind you, double post
age has been paid on it to insure haste
and a safe delivery" After depositing
the letter in her hand the courier re
mounted TO his seat with instructions to
the position to drive on, and the coach
was soon disappearing around a bend in
the road.
Dame Nargot turned the envelope over
in her hand and glanced at the address.
wondering vaguely who could be writing
to the Comte GuiIlaume It was the
first letter she had seen since her Julie
had run away with Noel Jolys and had
dutifuIIy written her Of the fact from
Paris still turning the document in her
hand. the old woman made her way into
the dismantIed dining room. where Sac
AVN was comfortably stretched upon a
table.
Her entrance was rewarded this time
by the young lord and master drowsiIy
iuquiring the time Of DAY.
Nearly noon, was her answer
so Iate?'' returned Guillaume, with
prodtgious yawn.
Indeed. yes. And here is a letter for
you"
"A what2" he demanded. now fully
awake
"a letter which monsieur lie courier
has just left"
Guillaume vouchsafed no response
other than OF gradually assuming an up
right posture. reaching out hand and
taking the missire from her Hastily
breaking the seal. he noted at a glance
that the communication was from his
brother in Paris.
Curiosity bade Margot remain. She
watched GuiUaume keenIy as he read the
letter with sundry accompanying eiae-
uIatious. BY the time he had reached
/ the signature the prodigal was mentally
dancing a gavotte.
"Margot good Margot." he ordered,
my coat and hat What! No hat"
You came home without it last
ntght-or this morning" she added cor
recting herself.
Dame. I must have forgotten it.
/ Tonnerre. A million curses. The Sieur
Antoine wore that hat all his life and
gave It TO me with his blessing. But my
coat-my coat"
so early in the day must you be go
/ ing back to the tavern? One would think
( you had no home. mumbIed the old wo-
man regretfuliy.
There. there, It is business OF state
and I must gather the lads. Ere
nIghtfaH we start for Paris
( Grand Dieu. For Parlse"
Where fame and fortune are as cheap
as grapes. The finest bonnet in the cap
IitaI will soon be yours-if there is room
/ for a bonnet on the palfreys-
The paIfreys. Lord save u.s. ejacu-
lated the poor soul more convinced than
ever that the master was losing his
senses.
Aye; thank the Blessed Virgin that
you live long enough to see the castle
of Levignac rebuilt DiabIe, A reg.-
ment Of cavalry could ride into your
mouth and not find a tooth. Ha. ha
Age will have its way But when We
return from Paris at the head Of troop
"a whole troop Of paIfreys staggering
under golden louis. you viii have rea-
son a plenty to cape and stare"
Her mumbIed response was lost to
GuiIlaume as. with parting injunction
TO her to admit no one in his absence.
he was of for the Seven DfaIs.
On entering the tavern GuiIlaume
found a coterie of worthless covertIy
specializing upon the contents Of the let /
ter which had arrived for him from
Paris. Such 4 thing as receiving a let /
ter was an event in Leyignac The /
courier had conhded to mine host. over /
goblet of his best muIIed wine. that
he had brought the communication. and I
furthermore, that in his opinion it must
contain. important news; else Why The
double postage.
The entire village was in the tavern /
sixteen souls In all.
Their whispered speculations we're oc-
oasioned by the presence of a stranger (
"a young man of some seven aud twenty /
years-who had arrived almost stimuli ]
taneousIy with the royal mail coach. .