The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-04-01

A was SdIliS y AAiy
n sength, safe in my own lodgings in
He st. Denis. with Florine and her
kd-hearted friend to nurse me.
q CHAPTER Kill
= FHE GIRL OF THE WINE SHOP.
Youth and health do not long lie
ide. Even while I lay recovering my
hath, Jerome and 1 were busy with
OF plans. Not the least unforeseen
itm in what had befallen was the
chance that carried me into a house
Were I saw again the BLACK VOLTS
he'd" which brought once more to
innd the history of the d'Artins. But
there vas still to come that other hap
peaing, the one which bound my whole
life, heart and soul, my love and hap
piness forever, in with the fortunes of
tn black VOLTS breed.
AS 1 grew stronger jerome and I had
a long ak He told me the morning
after l left him, which was Thursday,
a yelled woman had brought him a
pair of gauntlets. with the request that
he preserve them carefully. Jerome
naturally wanted to know who had
sent such a present. The woman an
swered no questions. only impressed
upon him the Importance of keeping
them himself and letting no one have
them. She would not tell whence she
came. and when h departed Jerome
made a sign to Claude. who followed.
He returned and reported she had en-
tered the apartments of Mademoiselle
de Charities by a private way.
Verify this was coming close to the
king, n to Orleans; these gauntlets
coming from the house OF this naughty
Bourbon princess. One of the gaunt-
let's, of course, contained folded therein
the papers taken from Ward. the same
l had conf!ded to Mademoiselle la Prin-
cesse. smiled my satisfaction that
She had been so discreet.
The other packet Jerome found up
on me when l was disrobed for bed.
1t was many days before Jerome
asked me for the details OF my i'm
pr1sonment, or how 1t came about there
was a dead nan in the room with me.
L related the whole circumstance briefly
as possible, h Broussard was, and
all. to avoid further questioning. For
hated to dwell upon the occurrences
OF that night, yet ever returned to
them with a sort of secret fascination.
You choked him well, comrade," was
Jerome's only comment. regarding the
affair, yet I fancted l saw him SILVER
somewhat at the CHASTITY recollection
OF Broussard. The matter being thu
dismissed, we never spoke Of 1t again.
Our hre burned warm, filing the
room with a homelike glow, so with
Igood wine and clear consciences Jerome
and 1 frank n talked and stretched
Ethe lazy evening through.
There is just one other thing we can
edo. Placide, to put the finishing touch
lsupon our success"
n Il turned an interrogative glanc
Howard the speaker.
THAT is to find out who is back of
his scheming. That fellow Ward,
IA, -re-devil though he is, has not brain
Henough to concoct such a plan, even if
The had courage and energy to fight it
Through. Depend upon 1t, some power
lful person is behind Ward. Most likely
Madame du Maine. What say you to
an ~adventure?"
Ny blood "a in the humor for sport,
the wine heated me somewhat, and
at his idea.
Willingly. c%ornrade. but what?"
Let us to Sceaux. to madame's
court. and see what we may discover.
for two fools like ourselves might per-
chance stumble blindly upon what a
wise man would overlook" he con-
tinued with mock humility.
might perchance get themselves hanged
for what a wise mar would keep his
skirts clear of. There's a peril in med
ding with the affairs of the great"
Seriously, now. I have means and
ways of learning things in madame's
family. My head has been fast set on
this matter for some time. II you agree
to take the risk with me- he pursued,
rising and stretching his back to the
fire, facing me, mind you, I tell you all
I want you to know. and you must
promise me to make no inquiries on
your own account"
BY this time I had grown accus-
toned to trust de Greville. SO I simply
assented.
"A lady you know-it might get me
into trouble" he further explained.
with that 1 made myself content.
Jerome averted his face as If he would
first frame his speech carefully before
he gave 1t me. Here Serigny's final re-
mark about making friends Of the ladies
required to me. and l wondered What
this fair unknown had to do with such
a rough game as we played. Before
the hand was out, though, I under
stood how truly it had been said that
women's wits now swayed the destinies
of France. Since this day., too, our
country has suffered much through
women, When under then next, and more
plant LOUIS. they ruled with even a
scAntifr pretense at concealment or Of
deIenfy. Jerome spoke low and guard
eddy, when he turned to me again. He
began in a tone subdued by the inten-
sity Ok his feelings-which, as I soon
learned were quite natural.
II wa\S a mere lad; Lhad a sweet
heart whose family lived near our own
I'M the vicinity Of a certain small pro-
| vincial TOWN, 1t matters not where. She.
much younger than I. shared all my
childish games. It was the will of God
that we should love. My family was
rich, is ri4h; both were noble. I had
1.-Two older 'brothers who stood between
nhe and a title OF wealth. Her parents
We're ambitious for her future; I was
hut aside. They sent her away, away
drom me. and married her here in Paris
10 a man shA had never seen. A simple
Parriage ofkconvenience, as, we say
ere. Her heert was numb and dead;
made no Nbelnon. I went to the
Emy; gained nothing but my rank
dy brothers Died, and I being the next
peir can live as 1t pleases me. Here
pm in Paris: she Is at sceaux, two
i&agues away. I love her yet, and. God
forgive her, she loves me. Her old
husband who is attached to the Duo
du MAINE cares nothing for her. She
ami SEES herself half in idleness with
the iiutrigues Of the court. Nay do not
look $50 black. Placide. for even this car
be iH.nocent enough. There is much
excusts for her. too. my friend. A
woman u needs have love to feed
-. Thov ron nAx,Ap llf.n z.-.a,...