The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-12-16

"Your king is Louis XVIII.," TO-
minded him.
'He is not my king"
Taken your pension away. has her.
"I no longer receive anything from
that court"
"And your dauph'n"
"He was left In Europe"
"Look here, Bellerger. Why did you
treat me so? Daupmn or no dauphin,
what harm was I doing your
II thought q strong party was be-
hind you, and knew there had been
double dealing with me. You repre-
sented some Invisible power tricking
me. I was beside myself and faced it
out in Mittau I have been used
shamefully and thrown aside when I
am failing. Hiding out In the hills
ruined my health"
Let US get to facts, If you have
facts. Do you know anything about
me. Bellenger?"
ayes, sire"
"Who am I?'
''Louis NVII. Of France"
What proof can you give me-"
First, sire, permit man who has
been made q wretched tool to tmplore
forgiveness Of his rightful sovereign
and little help to reach a warmer
climate before the r1gors Of northern
winter begin
"Bellenger, you are entrardng," l
said. "Why did I ever take you seri-
ously? Ste. Pelagie was grim joke,
and tipping In the river merely your
playfulness. You had better take your
self off now, and keep on walking until
you come to a warmer climate"
he wrung his hands with o gesture
that touched my natural softness to
my enemy.
"Talk, then. Talk man What have
you to sayT
'4This, first, sire. That was O splen-
did dash you made into France"
"And what a splendid dash made
out Of it again, with gendarme at my
coat tails and you behind the gen.
darmew
"But 1t was the wrong time. II you
were there now-the French people are
so changeable"-
II shall never be there again. His
majesty the eighteenth Louis Is well
come. What the blood stirs in me to
know is, have 1 right to the throne"
"Sire, the truth as know It will
tell you. You were the boy taken
from the Temple prison"
"Who did it?'
"Agents Of the ryalist party whose
names would mean nothing to you II
gave them"
~ was placed tn 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
mew
''The two De Terriers"
did woman named Nine. Tank
see me?'
Belienger was startled.
"You were noticed on the ship BY
court lady Of Holland; very clever
courtier. / had trouble in evading
her She suspected too much and ask
ed too many questions, and would have
you to play with her baby on the deck.
though at that time you noticed moth
ing"
'But where does the idiot come into
my story?"
.Sire, you have been unfortunate,
but I have been O victim. When we
landed in New York I went directly
and made myself known to the man
who was to act as purVeyor OF your
majesE's pension. He astonished me
by declaring that the dauphin was al
ready there and had claimed the pen
sion for that year The country and
the language were unknown to me.
The agent spoke French, it Is true, but
we hardly understood each other. l
Supposed I had nothing to do but pre-
sent my credentials. Here was anoth-
er idiot crave your majesty's par
dom
"Ouite rtght-at the time, Bellenger."
drawing the annuity intended for
the dauphin. inquired into his rights.
The agent showed me papers like my
own. asked who presented them. lie
knew no more Of the man than he did
Of me. demanded to face the man.
No such person could be found. I de-
mandcd to see the idiot. He was shut
In a room and fed by a hired keeper.
sat down and thought much. Clearly 1t
was not the agents affair. He followed
instructions. Good! I would follow In
structions also Months would have
been required to ask and receive ex-
plantations from the court Of Monsieur.
BE had assumed the title Of Louis
XVIII. for the good of the royallst
cause, as if there were no prince. /
thought saw what was expected or
me-"
land what did you see. you IN
speakable scouEdrel7"
II saw there was o dauphin too
many, hopelessly idiotic. But If he
was the one to be guarded would
guard him."
"Who was that idiot!'
"Some unknown pauper. No doubt
OF that"
"And what did you do with me-"
"a chief Of the IroQuois Indians can
tell you that"
This is q clumsy story, Bellenger.
Try again"
Sire
"If you knew so little Of the coun-
try, how did you find an 1ro9uofs
ehief?"
II met him In the woods when he
was hunting. offered to give you TO