Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-04-22

at home, and her astute ambassador
Lord Stormont, kept hawks eye upon
the Tuile,iCs.
SO, in ittelf, there was an interest for
those who knew, attaching TO the sud
den iourneying to America of this man.
so near to the French counscls. at once
Il noble, a tourtier and a republican.
And this interest was intensified for
Jar1at, who. mindful of the letter he
carried of confidential import. Rugged
the reflection that he knew the reason
for it,
Jarrat, like many another schcmpr
made the error of undertaking the in
tellcctuality of an opponent He had
small idea that the marquis young
secretary was obscrvant in his turn
1t was nevertheless the fact But NJ.
Armand. who had scented him very
early, kept his cabin, and no one
aboard-ths ship carried no lccch-saw
his master.
-Four days after the episode of the
gold crown Jarrat tried the skipper
again
Master Elves chewed bitter cud and
wore a habitual droop to his eye. Now
the courtesy came as thickly us cold
weather treacle.
"The Marquis de la Trouerie," he an
swered, "aint on the ship
Jarrat stepped back heavily. "Not
on the ship, tiend plague me! lie is on
the ship"
"Mayhap We know better nor l." an
swercd Master Elves shortly
Jarrat burst out laughing. He felt
sudden contempt for this clumsy sub
terfuge.
"a brave conclusionn he cried "And
how long is it to last? Is the noble gen
tleman to lie shamming Abraham in
his cabin till we sight the Virginia
capes! Awhile ago he was sick, guard
ed from all our pining eyes by his
argus eyed clerk. Now, behold, he is
not even aboard! Oh, an accomplished
noblcmanr'
The skipper squinted out to sea, and
a drawn pucker came to his lips.
"See here" said Jarrat his tone TAX
ing edge. 81 have business with this
gentleman, and I'll not be put off. This
is the eighth day out, and he hasn't
shown his nose out of his cabin. Ills
my opinion he's no more sick than l
am"
"No more is he" said Master Elves.
"What then?"
Just this: l want to see the marquis.
and l mean to see the marquis. Dye
hear that, you lumpfn? Twill be bet
ter for you, can tell you, if you fetch
me to him at oncew
The shippers moment had arrived.
Fetch We to him. he roared, with
something between an oath and
chuckle. "The man yere after died
two days ago and was sent to the fishes
last night! Fetch We to him! Haw,
haww
With this parting shot he went off
splitting furiously
"Deadw exclaimed Jarrat, with sag
ging jaw, staring after him. "Deadw
he said again, and then stood, vacant
eyed, his face the dead color of chagrin
in which calculation has had no time
to slip.
With the passengers the young secre
tary, NJ. Armand, had his way to make,
and this he accomplished with album
dant good nature. Him they first snub
bed, then tolerated, then liked.
The young Virginian, Breckinridge
Cary, sought him openly and more than
once drew his arm through his own as
he walked the deck. The Virginian was
beyond question of the quality, and
certain footing had made for him So
cial squeamishness unnecessary. AS
for the secretary, he went his way
with imperturbable good humor. Even
storm could not dampen his spirits.
For reasons that have been stated
the news of the demise of the marquis
whom the passengers had not known to
regret, made little sensation on the
Two Sisters. Next day a bark was
sighted out from Norfolk, and there was
a budget of new world news and a
bunch of Virginia Gazettes to furnish
matter for talk. A fortnight later the
incident, however full of moment it
may have been to Paris, was well nigh
forgotten. They had not all of them
Jarrat's reasons for remembering.
But as days wore on and calm sue
ceeded storm Jarrat, who thought
much, studied NJ. Armand with a lazy
interest that in time, as shall be seen,
gave birth to a plan. He gave the Sec
rotary no cause to remember their
first meeting at the little cabin door
and schooled his tone to an insinuating
friendliness. He even condescended to
game with him and to question him
amiably touching politics in France,
and more than one of these inquiries
turned cunningly, as on a pivot, upon
the young mans late master.
So a month passed, pleasantly for
some irksomely for most. Jarrat
watched the secretary boldly. The sec
rotary in his own way watched Jarrat.
And so it stood on the serene day when
NJ. Armand leaned upon the rail and
looked out across the shadowless waste
where the track of the blazing sun
stretched in a molten dazzle like a