The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1904-10-21

member that this is the table of The
regent. that these are the friends of
the regent. We bring no recollections
here which shall cut short the JOY OF
any person. Sir. would not repri.
mand you, but must be" that you be
seated and be calm,"
Yet the imperiOuS nature of the
other broohcd not even SO pointed a
rebuke. AS though he mad not heard
Law stepped yet pare nearer tn the
woman, upon whom he now bent the
blaze of his angered eyes lie looked
neither TO right nor left, but usually
commanded the woman until In turn
her eyes sought his own.
This woman. your grace, said Law,
at length, was for some time in eff
feet my wife. This do not offer as
matter Of interest What | would say
to your grace is this-shc was also my
slave"
Sirrah!" cried the regent.
"Ah, dame" exclaimed the Due dc
ltichelieu. And even from the women
about there came little murmurs of eX-
postuation Indeed there might have
been pity, even in this assembaSe. for
the agony now visible upon the brow
Of Mary ConnynEe
Monsieur, the wine has turned your
head" said the regent scorniully.
You boast"
81 boast Of nothing" cried Law, saw
agely, his voice now ringing with a
tone none present had ever known It
10 assume. 81 say to you again, this
woman was my slave, and that she
will again do as | shall choose Your
grace, She would come and wipe the
dust from my shoes if should COM
mand IT, She would kneel al my feet.
and beg of me, If should command #!
Shall ! prove this, your grace
"Oh, assuredly!" replied the regent.
with sarcasm which now seemed his
only relief "Assuredly. If Monsieur
Las should please We here in Paris
are quite his himblc servants"
Law said nothing He stood with
his biting blue eyes still fixed upon
! Mary Connyngc whose own eyes fal-
tered. trying their utmost to escape
from his; whose fingers, resting Just
tightly ON the snowy Hollands Of the
table cloth, moved TREMENDOUSLY; whose
limbs appeared ready to sink beneath
her
Come, then, Mary Connyngc!" cried
Law AT last, his teeth setting sayagely
together Come. then, traitress and
slave, ana kn""l before me, as you did
once before
Then there cnsnod strange ana hor-
rible spectacle. \ hush as Of dcalh
tell upon III" group. Mary Connyugo.
trembling, hating. yet always advanc-
ing, ana indeed As her master had bid
dem She passed from the head pf the
table, back of The chair Of the regent,
VINO stood gazing with horror In his
eyes; she passed the chair OF Aisse,
near which Law now stood, she paused
IN front OF him. ana stood as though
IN dream. Her knees would have in
deed sunk beneath her She drew
| from her bosom a silkcn korchiof. as
though she would indeed have per
formed the ignobl" service which had
been threatened for her There came
neither voice nor motion to those who
saw this thing The sheer force Of one
strong nature, terrible in the intensity
u one supreme moment-this might
nave oeeh the spell which commanded
~ the 'aDIc oi the recent Yet this
ula occur
There came a sound which broke the
silence, which caused all to start as
with swift relief. A sob. short, dry
hard, as from one whose heart is
broken came from beyond the place
where Law stood facing the trembling
woman. The eyes Of all turned upon
VIII Law. from whom had burst this
irrepresSible exclamation OF agony.
VIII Law ms one grown swiftly old,
haEEard. broken-down, stood gazing In
wide-eyed horror at this woman. so hui
minated N the presence OF all in this
orlillanily-Ighled hall; before the
blazing mirrors which should have re-
hecied back naught but beauty and
10Y under the tWlning roses, which
shofd nave been the signs manual Of
undElhG love; under the smiling
'herubs, "hlch should nave typlhed the
aeities OF happy love. VIII Law, too,
mad loved. Perhaps still he loved.
This sharp sound served TO break
also the spell under which Law him
self seemed held. He cast alOft his
arms, as in rcmorse or in despair.
Then he extended hand to the woman
who would have sunk before him
GOD forgive me! madam he cried
i had forgot, Savage indeed you are
and have been, but It's not for me to
treat you hrutally."
Your grace, said he, turning to-
ward the regent, 81 crave your par
don. our explanations shall reach you
on the morrow"
He turned and, taking his brother by
the arm, advanced toward the door at
which he had recently entered paus-
ing not TO look behind him Had his