The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-04-15
II listened closely to the name

question OF nn2nce! Vhat Is OF more
Importance"
And of more difficulty. The madame
often dabbles herself in these dealings
involving money. and she IL harder to
deceive. However. h IL not accurate
at figures clever though she be other
wise. Look e this; this calculation.
See, there Is q simple transportation OF
on item, which results in a difference
n near 10000 livres. It appears there
% have been made by he none lender
TOR his greater gain. You can study
this copy before h duke comes. Then
[ou viii be quite prepared to point out
this error and make h correction.
Here is his copy which he will sign"
.Ah. good" she said looking e the
m-erlorandum he had given her of the
amounts, with the correct calculations
ell neatly carried out.
We'll, that Is enough for this morn
ing; you nay go; these things weary
me-
Celeste, Celeste, how long is this
to continue? will you never
Madame h corrected positively,
ruinpling and smoothing out again the
paper in her lap.
AS you WILL, with an air of hope
less protest. D you mean always to
lend me away when our business is
conlpleted?3,
Was 1t not u agreements"
Yes. but I thought"
You had no right to think"
"A man must needs think whether
ne will or no. what is Of life itself. Are
you a woman OF ice? Do you not realize
! sell all hold most dear, the conf
'dence born of a llfe-tinle's honest SER
vice to my king. my own honor. only
to serve you, to he with you?"
- am weary. 1t is time for you to
Yes, but is there nothing else? You
agreed"
ooh, I know, why remind me-' She
turned upon him fercely. do you
wish to make me hate you? Now you
arc only an object OF Indifference, OBJ
~jectiollable to me as are all men Who
make love. and sigh. and worry me.
Do you wish me to hate and despise
You moro than the rest?"
Go forbid! But
o still insist?"
Yes, I must have my thirty pieces of
silver. the price Of my treachery,' de
Valance returned bitterly; men die in
the bastille for lesser ~offenses than
Eine.s
Tina Is your affair."" the woman re-
piled without a shade of concern.
thought i could perceive a growing
embarrassment In her as de
Valence came closer to her, remem-
bering. for SO h must, that we could
hear every word through the portiere.
She collected herself bravely: de VAL
ence must not suspect.
Come, I'll pay you" and she put her
lips upward SO coolly / wondered he
should care to touch them. jerome
RACED silently, for I confess we were
both guilty of looking as well as listen
ing. DeValence leaned over her, but
lifted his head ggain.
fCelsste-Madam. SO cold. I'd as lief
kiss the marble Lips OF Diana in the
park,
oh, as you please; you may kiss
them, too. il you like" she shrugged
her shoulders. and was not pretty for
the instant, pay as I promise; it is
9 mere barter Of commodities. You
may take or leave 1t. as you choose"
The mans attitude of detection
touched even me. u the woman gave
no sign Of feeling or compassion. only
intense impatience.
Wei, Monsieur, am / to sit waiting
an hour? Are you come to be a sordid
huckster to wrangle over your price?'
Pc valence bent over her again,
touched h lips lightly. and strobe
away. gathering up his papers from the
table as he vent. Two only We're left,
n those Madame held listlessly in her
hand.
We felt thoroughly conscious OF our
guilt, Jerome and I. when we put aside
the screen n re-entered the room.
There was a certain air Of resentment
In this manner, if II he would call her
to account, and i heartily wished my
self o~therwhere. Perhaps it was all
for the best; my presence prevented,
for HE time, explanations, and I
fancied the woman was grateful for the
respite. Her lassitude. an effort to
overcome It. smote me to the quick.
And right willingly I would have aided
her had I but the power. To Jerome
she spoke:
You heard-an7"
lie nodded.
And saw? z" Less resolutely this uues-
ton came. The words conveyed q
wish. unexpressed, that he had not
heard. 10 me she gave no thought.
Again Jerome nodded and looked away.
1t IL he penalty and the price OF
power. Oh. Jerome. how rervently I
have prayed that this all had not been,''
h emit OF oblivious OF my presence.
Jerome's resentment faded away at
her mute appeal for sympathy, and I
am very sure he would not have me
chronicle all that then occurred. Suf-
window, some minutes perhaps, until a
hasty rap on the door. and the maid
bore a message which she delivered to
her mistress in secret.
Bid him come in at once II 1t please
him."
ne ID A1reaQy mere, the
girl replied.
We had barely time to gain our form
er hiding place before q man richly
dressed, and limping. entered; the
Same I had seen In the gardens of Yer
saillea. I was now intensely interested
In this little drama, which. az it were,
was being played for my own benefit,
n gave closer study to the Duke Of
Maine who hurried in.
The weak. irresolute face bore no
trace OF the dignity and power which
made his royal father at times truly
great; 1t showed, too. but little inner
itance from the proud Leauty of de
MontesDan. Vastly inferior to both,
and to his ambitious wife whose
schemes he adopted when they sue
ceeded and disowned when they failed,
the duke trembled now upon the verge
OF a mighty intrigue which perchance
would mak him master Of an empire,
perchance consiGn him to the Bastille
or to the block. Well. he knew that the
abandoned Philip Of Orleans, though
no sometimes forgot his friends, never
spared an enemy. With these thoughts
haunting him. his timid mind shrank
from putting his fortunes to adhesive
test. and he looked forward. dreading
% zee the Increasing feebleness Of the
NH AA-A ~ 49,