Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-02-13

gpeaking bitterly. I'VE never dare
speak u thought, for blindness, ST.
ence. fiattery end fawning seem surer
passports to favor than are gallant
leeds and honest service. The king
crows old, and it is feared his end is
lear. or this. men scarcely whisper.
His death, as you know, would leave
Ill France to a frail little duke of An
tou. Looking to this, the court here is
llready divided in interest between the
'ivals for the regency, Philip of Or
cans, and the duke of Maine. The Or
cans party is the stronger, though the
luke stands accused in the vulgar mind
IF poisoning all who may come between
himself n the throne, save this An
lou child. who will probably die of
Iheer weakness. The king has recently
lad his de Montespan children legiti-
mated n rendered capable Of inherit
ng the crown, though the legality OF
his action is bitterly contested by the
Orleanists. He has also, it is said,
eft a will in favor of the
luke OF Maine, giving him all
zeal power, while nominally making
Orleans the regent. And strange as
{ may seems~it is said this will was
made at the persistent request of de
Maintenon, SO ~viciously hated by the
proud de Montespan. But you know
she was the teacher of this little duke,
and they are very much attached to
each other. Were the duke of Maine
4 more vigorous man, there would be
no doubt Of his success. If that little
wasp of Sceaux,' as Madame Orleans
calls the wife of the duke Of Maine,
were the man of the family, she would
surely be the regent. She's a wonder
full m Madame du Maine hates
Bienville because she cannot use him
n her dealings with Spain. She has
1uped the Bretons by the promise Of an
Independent provincial government, but
Bienville stands true to his king. So
they seek by every means to discredit
hlm. You may surmise from this how
unfortunately our affairs here are COM
p~licated In the affairs Of great per-
sonages, where lesser men lose their
lives at the first breath of suspicion"
After a little / had ample opportun-
ity to observe the man more closely,
Tor he kept his seat to examine at
leisure the dispatches / had brought.
He was evidently not entirely pleased
with this inspection, giving vent at
lines TO low expressions Of annoy
lnce.
Always the same trouble, la Sale
and de la Vente, spies In Biloxi-Ah,
here is the fine hand of Madame du
Maine, currying favor with the Span
ard in aid Of her cripple husband. II
we could only make this plain to Louis;
his stirring up Of strife. Fancy a son
If de Montespan on the throne of
France. Yes, yes, yes, here is the
awkward work of our old friend Gro
Eat, the tradeSman, who would pur-
chase an empire of the king. See how
clumsily he throws out his golden bait"
l could but listen and observe. Now,
more than ever, in the sternness and
decision OF his countenance he resem-
bled his famous brothers, Iberville,
Sauyolle and Bienville-and yet be-
yond them all he possessed the facul-
ties OF a courtier.
Captain, are you acquainted with
the nature of these dispatches" he
asked directly.
No. sire, only in general, and from
my knowledge Of affairs at Biloxi"
My brother tells me / may trust
you" My face flushed holly with the
blood Of anger.
"Oh, my dear captain, I meant no
o%ffense; l speak plainly, and there are
few men about this court whom you
can trust. This is an adventure of
grave Importance upon which 1 wish to
employ you. Your being unknown in
Paris may assist us greatly"
l signified my attention.
1T is supposed we are on the eve
of war with Spain, and it is my belief
the colonies will be the first objects of
attack. Some person, and one who is
in our confidence, is now carrying on
a secret correspondence with the Span
Sh agent at Paris. Cellamare, the
Spanish ambassador, is concerned in
the intrigue. This much we know from
letters which have fallen into nv
hands, and / have permitted them to be
delivered rather than interrupt a
correspondence which will eventu-
ally lead to a discovery of the
traitor. We have now good rea-
son TO believe that dispatches of a very
serious nature are expected daily by
Yvard-Yvard is the Spanish spy-"
"Yvard, Ward" I mentally repeated.
where had 1 heard that name?
These papers are TO give our exact
strength at Biloxi, the plans of our forti-
and a chart Of all the navigable
Of Louisiana. We cannot afford
to let the Spaniards have this information,
even If thereby we should capture their
/ maintained n strict silence.
you understand lie Dauphin is the last
vessel over, and no other Is expected for
so we think all this information
came over with you" &
When he began 1 ~instinctively thought
Of Levert, who set out alone for Paris
just behind me-. AS he proceeded, the
Ward" again fixed my attention.
The very name l had heard mentioned by
Dne of the men the morning l left Biloxi.
was right in his surmise, but l
let him go on without interruption.
IF l am correct, these plans will be per-
in Paris before le Dauphin sails
again. The spy, whoever he may be, will
want to return in her. Now you
see what 1 want. You can understand
a help you may De in this mat
err. You doubtless know every person
who came over In lie Dauphin, yet you
must avoid notice yourself, for they would
suspect you instantly"
/ still said nothing TO him of the con-
.yersation l had overheard, or Of my own
Iuspicions, childishly thinking 1 would
rain the greater credit by unearthing the
whole affair and divulging 1t at one time.
I'VE nave some reliable fellows in Paris,
1 will send such letters as will put
in possession of all the information
hey have. You ana they, / trust, can do
he work satisfactory, but in no event
hall my name, or that Of Bienville, be
Connected with the enterprise. If the mat
eY should come 10 the king, we would
ose what little hold we now have upon
1t is not an easy or an agreeable
ask. The Spanish spy bears the name of
>arne Ward, a man Of good birth, but a
and a ~profligate. He is known
throughout Paris as a reckless gamester,
'ut no man dare question him, because
Z his marvellous skill with the sword. He
ponds much Of his time at B~ertrand's
and card rooms. though he has the
ntree at some of the most fashionable
In the city, even at Madame du
iaine's exclusive villa OF Sceaux. But
hangs his employment; we do not
how far madame is involved in this
Intrigue with Spain and the Bretons."
Verify I felt encouraged as Serigny UNI
olded his charming plans for my enter
In a strange city to hunt up
nd dispossess a man like this of papers
yhich would hang him.. A delightful I'M
ertaking forsooth!
but we plan in advance, my dear cap
ain. We must wait the pleasure OF the
ing concerning you. We will renew this
ubject tomorrow"
That night 1 lodged with Serigny.