The Washington times., 1903-02-08

heavy curtain pushed aside by a jeweied
hand which motioncd to the watcher
and then let the curtain fall back TO its
place
The watcher sti8ed a prodfgious yaw1
and resumed his position in the shadow.
Once or twice he Withdrew deeper into
the gloom as a solitary sentinel came in
sight hundred PAGES or so away But
as the guardsmen faced about each time
and disappeared round a corner toward
the main entrance Of the palace. he
emerged and resumed his watch on each
occasion.
Presently a small door opening on the
courtyard turned on its hinges with a
ghostly creak, and a heavily yelled
woman appeared. This door was CON
nected by a secret passage with the for
mer apartments Of the royal princess.
The woman cast a furtfve glance about
her without at first discovering the fig
ur2 lurking in the shadow. But the man
Ecw advanced from his place Of con
cealment with noiseless tread and
greeted the new arrival.
"Mordt"' he exclaimed. with wry
face. 7 have been waiting since he
dawn Of creation What has kept you
so long,"
Really, o'clock was the time we
were to leave here. and we viii be ex-
pected for another hour at least
We cannot cover the distance to
Paris in less than an hour and half
and our Tartuffe will either be drowning
his impatience in wine or insulting every
passing pedestrian in hope Of Willing
away the interval with the tipstaves-"
"A very promising picture you draw
Of him.
Alas"
But he will surely be there?"
AT five"
Promptly"
LAS a creditor"
Are you sure you have been dis
creet2
Mum as an oyster, upon my word"
Suppose we should be discovered, -
she said. glanciDg around
Have no fear on that score"
But if we should"
My will is made"
And signed?" smiled she under her
veil.
with my left hand"
mo doubt"
Ny right s.ready to assist you to the
carriage standing in the avenue yonder.
But. sh-''
This warning exclamation was coca
stoned by the guardsman again appear
ing at the corner Of the palace on his
monotonous patrol. When the coast had
again become clear the couple made
their way to the adjacent thoroughfare
and the fiacre, into which the man fol-
lowed the woman, and they were soon
driving rapidly toward Paris.
As for the actors in this scene. Since
early dawn the Comte Jean du Barry
had been awaiting jeanette in order to
accompany her to the Church of Saint
Laurent. While the public conveyance
was traversing the five leagues between
Versailles and the capital. only the
faithful Norm was astir in the apart
ments where Jean du Barry had seen
the jeweIed fingers draw aside the cur
tain. It was only during The previous
week that the new favorite had been in
stalled in the apartments OF the rovaI
princess, who had removed TO the room
made vacant by the death of the Dau-
phiness.
His majesty had not Installed her
there without keenly studying before
hand the effect which this piece Of
domeafic policy would produce on the
court Il was the first definite move
he had made in signifying his de+armf
nation TO maintain the position of the
new mistress in the royal household.
and since the installation The one alb
sorbing topic at Versailles had been
when or whether MademoiseTe Vau-
bernier would be presented.
Any presentation at all was bitterly
opposed by the ChojseuI party-and so
long as she remained unmarried there
was every likelihood that tae opposition
would triumph Thus far the advent of
q new mistress had caused the prime
~ N@tA''it4NA e1J-G Ul4EdS4EtS5s De
cause she was neither married nor had
she been presented al court De Choi-
seul was far too busy with his own
affairs to war with Phantonls.
Arrayed against hfm-and with the
Comte du BarTy-were the MarechaI de
Richelieu; The lord chancellor; the min
lister OF finance, and a few other power
full enemies, who had everything to
gain and nothing to lose from new
fav0Tite
Until mademoiseIIe was presented she
was OF course denied the privilege of
dining with his majesty. riding in the
royal carriages, Or even appearing be
fore the royal family Finally among
her most bitter enemies were the three
princesses who were hand in glove
with the ChoiseuIs.
BY day it was apparent from the
never ending stream Of visitors ascend
ing and descending the magnificent stair
case and erowding the antechamber TO
her apartments that the idol had made
many friends. in seeming il not in re
atty. Some she attracted to her bv
her merry WhiT0s and har iovor7. r---.