Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-12

kAAGss. A yNQS OGgGNS0 AA4S CC4A 0AAN ASNNSA - out in Mittau. I have been used shamefJily and thrown aside when I am failing. Hiding out in the hills ruined my health"
 s'Let us get to facts, if you have facts. Do you know anything about me. BeIlenger7' ''Yes, sire.''
 e.'Who am IY'
 Louis XVII. of France" s "What proof can you give mel"
 First, sire, permit man who has been made wretched tool to implore forgiveness Of his rightful sovereign and little help to reach a warmer climate before the rigors of northern winter begin.'
 'Bellenger, you are entrancing," said. sWhy did I ever take you seri- ously? Ste. Pelagte was grim joke. and tipping in the river merely your play yfulness. You had better take your self off now, and keep on walking until. you come to warmer climate"
 He wrung his hands with gesture that touched my natural softness to my enemy.
 s'Talk. then. Talk. man. What have you to sayT'
 .'This, first, sire. That was splen- did dash you made into France
 "And what splendid dash I made out of it again, with a gendarme at my coat tails and you behind the gen. darne!'
 ''But it was the wrong time. If you were there now-the French people are so changeable'
 'I shall never be there again. His majesty the eighteenth Louis is wel- come. What the blood stirs in me to know is, have a right to the thronef" " Sire, the truth as know it will tell you. You were the boy taken from the Temple prison"
 ''Who did it?''
 Agents of the royalist party whose names would mean nothing to you if gave theo."
 .''I was placed in your hands9' You were placed. in my hands to be taken to America1' ,
 q was with ye1 in London, where two royWlists wh0 knew me recognized mel" ys
 The two De Ferriers."
 Did a woman named Mime. Tank ice me9''
 BeIIenger was startled.
 You were noticed on the ship by SoI9rt lady of Holland; a very clever courier. I 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 noth- ing"
 "But where does the idiot come into 4ii1x story r s1ss
 Sire, you have been unfortunate, but have been a 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 majesty's pension. He agtonished 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. 1t is true, but we hardly understood each other. I supposed I had nothing to do but pre- sent my credentials, Here was anoth- CT idiot--I crave your naajesty's par don''-
 'Quite right at the time, Bellenger"
 -s'drawing the annuity intended for the dauphin. inquired into his rights. The agent showed me papers like my own. asked who presented them. He knew no more of the man than he did of me. INdemanded to face the man. No such person could be found. I de- manded to see the idiot. He was shut in afoom and fed by a hired keeper. II sat down and thought much. Clearly it was not the agents affair He followed instructions Good | would follow in- Structions also Months would have been required to ask and receive ex- plantations from the court of Monsieur. He had assumed the title of Louis XVIII for the good Of the royalistl cause, as, if there were no prince. I, thought i saw what was expected of me.''
 .'And what did you see, you un- speakable scoundrel? r
 .'I saw there was a 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 meT'
 IA chief of the Iroquois Indians can tell you that.'
 'sThis is clumsy story, Bellenger. Try again"
 "Sire"-
 If you knew So little of the coun- try, how did you find an Iroquois chief?''
 ''L met him in the woods when he was hunting I offered to give you to him, pretending you had the annuity from Europe. Sire, I do not know why