Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-04-08

sieur," he repeated.
Cannot, you whelpw said Jarrat,
with his tongue on his lip and in the
soft tone which with him covered a
white boil of rage. A copper lantern,
pierced with holes, threw yellow beams
down the passage. and in this glare the
young man on the threshold saw his
face, evilly beautiful and distorted.
The coin ratified on the floor.
The young Frenchman stopped to
pick up gold piece. Monsieur has
dropped his crown" he said, holding
1t out.
Jarrat took 1t and thrust it into his
pocket. ut was too small douceur,"
he said easily, "eh, master secretaryY'
Most of those on the ship did not
know, so insular were the prejudices
Of the lo-Saxon, that the Marquis
de Ia Trouerie was a parsonage in his
own country. Even Caron de Beau
marchais. son Of matchmaker, that
airy, naive, fantastic charlatan who at
the age of twenty-four had washed his
hands ut his fathers shop, changed his
clothes and gone to court to give the
four daughters Of Louis XIV. lessons
on the harf,-even he was less welcome
at the Tuileries or less favorite of
the young Queen Marie Antoinette than
this same nobleman now aboard the
Two Sisters.
It Is perhaps not to be wondered at
that the passengers knew little of such
things and doubtless for the most part
cared less. Two Annapolis merchants,
loyal since the nonimportation agree
ments had pinched their pockets; a
brace Of London factors looking for
likely agencies; Virginian fresh from
study in the Middle Temple. bound for
the woolsack at Lancaster; British
quartermaster journeying to Boston
what should such company know of
Gallo pedigrees or the chatter Of the
French court?
A diplomat might have found in the
presence of the marquis something to
ponder. For at that time strange
things were stirring. Louis XVI,
young, enthusiastic, unaccustomed, was
learning for the first how exceeding
difficult it is to be king. NJ. Turgot,
his grim old minister of finance, logical,
pitiless, cold as dogs nose, was pull
ing one way; Beaumarchais, brilliant
as chameleon, fascinating, egotist In
innate Of French queen, was pulling
another.
And what was the, bone of conten-
ton? Whether France should give her
treasure to the secret aid of the Amer
ican colonies. With such counsels in
the air England slept, like surly bull.
oog, with one eye open. She watched
ut home, and her astute ambassador,
Lord Stormont, kept q hawks eye upon
the Tuileries.
So, In itself, there was an interest for
those who knew, attaching to the sud
den journeying to America of this man,
10 near to the French counsels, at once
q noble, a courtier and q republican.
And this interest was intensified for
Jarrat, who, mindful of the letter he
carried Of confidential import, Rugged
the reflection that he knew the reason
for 1t.
Jarrat, like many another schemer,
made the error Of undertaking. the in
tellectuality of an opponent. He had
small idea that the marquis young
secretary was observant in his turn.
It was nevertheless the fact. But NJ.
Armand, who had scented him very
early, kept his cabin, and no one
aboard-the ship carried no leech-saw
his master.
-Four days after the episode of the
gold crown Jarrat tried the skipper
again.
Master Elves chewed a bitter cud and
wore habitual droop to his eye. Now
the courtesy came as thickly US cold
weather reacle.
1.-THE Marquis de la Trouerie," he an
wered, "ain't on the ship"
Jarrat stepped back heavily. "Not
On the ship, 6end plague mel He Is on
the ship"
"Mayhap ye know better nor l." an
swered Master Elves shortly.
Jarrat burst out laughing. He felt a
sudden contempt for this clumsy sub
terfuge.
"a brave conclusionr' 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 oil our pining eyes by his
argus eyed clerk. Now. behold, he is
not even aboard! oh, IN accomplished
noblemang'
The skipper squinted out to sea, and
q drawn pucker came to his lips.
"See here" said Jarrat. his tone tax.
Ing edge. II have business with this
gentleman, and I'll not be put off. This
IL the eighth day out, and he hasn't
shown his nose out of his cabin. Ills
my opinion he's no more sick than ]
am"
mo more is he" said Master Elves
"What then7'
Just this: want to see the marquis
and mean to see the marquis. Dye
hear that, you lumpfn? Twill be bet
ter for you, can tell you, IL you fetch
me to him at oncep'
The shippers moment had arrived.
"Fetch We to him" he roared, with
something between an oath and o
chuckle. "The man ye're after died
two days ago and was sent to the fishes
last night! Fetch ye to him! Hay
haw!"
With this parting shot he went Of
splitting furiously. -. -
"Deadw exclaimed Jarrat, with sag
cling jaw, staring after him. "Dead!
he said again.. and then stood; vacant
eyed, his 'face tina dead color of chagrir
In which calculation has had no. time