Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-03-21

teSQue, yet elOiucHt VI lllc . NSAatioi
of spirit. Turning into her own tent,
the jestrcss lighted the wick Of silver
lamp. \ faint aroma of perfume swept
through the air. 1t seemed to soothe
her-or was it but WEAKNESS !-and
shortly she threw herself on the silken
couch and sank to dreamless slumber.
When she awoke the bright hued
dome of the tent was aglow i'll the
morning sun. The reflected radiance
bathed her face and form. Her heavi-
ness of heart had taken wings. The
little lamp was still burning. but the
fresh fragrance Of dawn had replaced
the subtle odor Of the oriental essence.
Upon the rug single streak Of sun
shine was creeping toward her. In the
braZier which had warmed her tent the
CLOWN. bark and cinnamon had turned
to cold. white ash.
Through The girls veins the blood
coursed rap dly 4 few moments she
lay in the rosy effulgencc, restiully
conscious that danger Lad fled and
that she WAS bulwarked by the en-
peror's favor, when sudden thought
broke upon this half wakeful mood and
caused her to spring, all alert, from
her couch. To dress with her hail
never been matter of great duration.
The hair Of the jOculatrix naturally
ripplcl into such waves as were the
envy Of the court ladies. Her supple
fingers adjusted garment after gar
ment with swift precision. while her
figure needed no device to lend grace
to the Investment.
Soon, therefore, had she left her tent.
making her way through the awaken
ing camp. In the royal kitchen the
cook was bending over his fires. while
an assistant mixed beverage OF bar
ley water, yolks OF eggs and senla
wine for Charles when he should be-
come aroused. Those courtiers al
ready astir cast many glances in the
girls direction as she moved toward
tile tent of the fool.
But if these gallants We're sedulous
she was correspondingly Indifferent.
Anxiety or lOyalty-that stanchness Of
heart which braved even the ironical
eyes of the black robed master OF med
icine-drove her again to the ailing
testers tent. and. remembering how
she Ind ridden into camp and into the
august eniperor's favor. these fondlings
of fortune looked significantly from
one to the other.
"A lot less fever, solicitous maid"
said the leech in answer to the In
ouiries of tic jestress. and she endur-
ed the glance for the news, although
the former sent her away with her face
aflame.
"An the leech let her in, he'd soon
have to let the patient out" spoke up
gallant. Her eyes are sovereign
remedy. where bolus, pills and all vile
potiOns might fail"
IF this he sample Of Francis dam
sells, | care not how long we are III
reaching the Low Countries" answered
d second.
TO this the first replied in kind. but
soon had these gallants matters OF
more serious moment to divert them,
for IT began to be whispered about
that Louis Of Hochfels had determined
to push forward. The unwonted activ'
ity I'm the camp ere long gave credence
to the rumor. The troopers commenced
looking to their weapons. SQuires hur'
ried here and there. while near the
tents stood the horses, saddled and
bridled, undergoing the scrutiny OF the
groOms.
Some time, however, elapsed before
the emperor himself appeared. Moth
ing in the bead roll or devotional offer
ing of the morning had he overlooked
The divers dishes that followed had
been scrupulously partaken Of, and
then Only-as a man not to be hurried
from the altar or the table-had he
emerged from his tent. His glance
mechanically swept the camp, noting
the hustle and stir, the absence of dis
order, and finally rested on the girl
Eor moment from his look 1t seemed
he might have forgotten her, and she
who had involuntarily turned to him
80 solioitously, on sudden felt chilled
as confronted by mask. His voice
when at length he spoke. was hard
dry, matter Of factr and it was Jacque
line whom he addressed.
"You slept wellf"
eyes, SIRE" she answered.
"And hare already been to the fools
tent, doubt not"
The mask became half quizzlcal, hall
friendly. as her cheeks mantled be
meath his regard. Was 1t but quiet
avengement against jestress whose
tongue had been unsparing enough
even to him. the day before2 Certes
here stood now only rosy maid, rob
bed of her spirit. or folle, struck wit
ess, and Charles face softened, bu,
Immediately grew stern as his mint
abruptly passed from wandering jes
tress and fleeing fool to matters ol
more moment -