Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-10-26
NJ
pa ROSE OF
NORMANDY
By
WILLIAM r. A. WILSON
81
CHAPTER II.-coNrINuED.
WILLIAM r. A. WILSON

yOu SohiC hCiC, wiz are yOu, anu NudI
do you want?"
! The man arose and stood facing him
with a respectful air, as he replied:
why do l come? A cornered mouse
makes scant choice of holes. How?
Over the roofs. My name? Jean Pom
pom Comarin, a votre service, Mon
sieur; usually called Pompon for short
by my intimates, a privilege I gladly
extend to you" "a muttered "Peste!
much | want of your privileges" from
Tcuti.) ''My present residence is an
unknown quantity; for the past six
years one of the lowermost dungeons
of the Bastille. My wants? Simple:
merely food and a hiding-place. l
sought first to brighten you, thinking
you to be as big a fool as those simple
minded children out there" He point
ed out the window to the square where
the crowd had been. "Then, thinking
You were an ally Of Colbert, l sought
to kill you; finding you neither, l wish
to be your friend"
For a moment Tonti stared at his
companion, then, glancing at his out
stretched hand and impudent smile,
he placed his sword on the table, fell
into his chair, and, lying back with
one leg thrown over it's arm, laughed
until the tears blinded him and coursed
down his cheeks.
"Ventre Saint Girls! but | would not
have missed this exhibition, no., not
for a thousand pistoles. What a face
and ears and teeth and-cospetto! in
a moment he is changed from a devil
into a man. Then, too, his story-ha,
ha! "A cornered mouse makes scant
choice of holes not badly spoken. l
may call him 'Pompon' if | choose; he
wishes to be my friend. am over
whelmed with honors. But look you,
friend Pompon," here he sat up and
mis- face became sober as a thought
ssemed to strike him, do you not adj
nit that you are the prisoner about
to be executed that l saw but a short
while back carried along by the fright
ened crowd?"
The man nodded.
"How did you get your wrists I'M
tied?"
Some friendly hand cut the rope
while l was struggling in my escape"
And where got you yon dagger that
you seemed so anxious to present me
with a moment ago."
THE same friendly hand that loosed
me slipped it into my palm as | passed
by. Entering an empty building, | hid
upon the roof. l crept along to this
house, and looking over the edge, |
saw the easement open, and hearing
no sound, thought the o was va
cant. Knowing that as long as dark
less continued l would escape detec-
ton by any in the street below, I low
cred myself in"
well done, Pompon; it seems that
thou hast something besides popping
ayeballs in that head of thine. Dame!
If your plight does not appeal to me.
Since when have you eaten and
drunken?" g
"Not since yesterday morning, Mon
sieur."
"Hein! then you must first of all be
filed. Open yon door and from the
shelf get the remains of a game-pie
and that bottle of wine you will find
there. 'Tis all l have, but you may
share"
The man obeyed; and after draining
e glass of red wine, he closed the closet
door without touching the pie, and,
going to the window, peered forth.
ut ia a bold mouse that makes it's
nest in the cats ear" he said, as he
pointed to a group Of soldiers who is
Aed from a n%eighboring house, en-
tered the next, and disappeared.
ma fol! a search party!" calculated
Tonti. "'Tis only a short time before
they will be here. What shall l do
with you? You are too large for my
closet, and there is nothing else in
which you could hide"
Perhaps Monsieur has clothes l
could disguise myself in"
Eyes, l have here as he opened a
drawer in the wardrobe, "the garb of
an Italian fisherman I brought with
me to Paris for a servant. But my
money went; then he did also"
"An empty purse %frightens away
friends" Pompon remarked.
"Peste! Yes, it's the way OF the
world. Here they are, but you will
need q stain of some sort for your
face. Six years in the Bastille does
not give the tan that the sun does on
the Bay Of Naples. While you dress
/ shall try and find something"
go into the first cabaret on the
Rue de la Tanerie, and whisper in the
ear Of the cabaretier the words Re
member sixty-four,' tell him what you
went, and he will give it to you"
Tonti heard this with a look of sur
prise, but wasted no time. He soon
returned with a bottle Of the desired
dye. Pompon meanwhile had ex-
changed his prison garments for those
If a Neapolitan peasant. A touch here
and a twist there from Tonti soon
made him right. The stain which
Pompon skilfully applied, and a red
kercaief about his head so arranged
as to hide in a great measur the scar
on his forehead, altered his appearance
so that Tonti himself vas astounded.
Mile tonnerres!" he exclaimed. 81
defy sven your jailer to recognize you
now. When they come you can play
the servant, busy in the dark corner
there polishing my sword. I shall
preteLd that you are dumb. If spoken
&c, make signs, and do not be surprised
I | address you in Italian. Now take
your place and we can talk until the
party arrives. Tell me your story.
Twill help pass the time"
So saying, he tipped his chair back,