Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-20
UNDER THE
RED ROBE
tcoDyrirhs. 1891. by Stanley J. weyman.,
CHAPTER xIII.-(Continued)
BY STANLEY j. WEYMAN

CHAPTER XIII.-(C ontinued)
Well, he has not set OFF, cried at
last, unable to control my eagerness.
OF course he had not At nine o.
clock I sent Prison out again; and at
ten, and at eleven-always with the
same result was like man wait
Ing, and looking, and, above all, listen
ing for reprieve, and as sick as any
craven. But when he came back at
eleven I gave up hope and dressed
myself carefully. suppose still had
an odd look, however; for Prison stop
ped me at the door and asked me
with evident alarm, whittier was 60
Ing.
put the little man aside gently.
"To the tables" said. "To make a
big throw, my friend"
1t was a fine morning. sunny, keen,
pleasant Even the streets smelled
fresh. But l scarcely noticed it. All
my thoughts were where was going.
1t seemed but step from my TIRES
hold to the Hotel Richelieu. was
no sooner gone from the one than l
found myself at the other. As on the
memorable evening, when l had
crossed the street in drilling rain
and looked that way with foreboding,
there were two or three guards in the
cardinals livery, lettering before the
gates. But this was not all. Coming
nearer, found the opposite pavement
under. the Louvre thronged with peo-
pie; not moving about their business,
but standing all silent, all looking
across furtively, all with the air of
persons who wished to be thought
passing by. Their silence and their
keen looks had in some way an air
of menace Looking back after l
had turned in towards the gates I
found them devouring me with their
eyes.
Certainly they had little else to look
at. In the courtyard, where some
mornings when the court was in Paris
/ had seen score of coaches waiting
and thrice as many servants, were now
emptiness and sunshine and stiffness,
The officer who stood twisting his
mustaches, on guard, looked at me in
wonder as passed. The lackeys
lounging in the portico,, and all too
much taken UP with, whispering to
make a pretense of being of service,
grinned at my appearance. But that
which happened when 4 had mounted
/, the stairs. and come, to :. the door If
a.xn. rlnte-chaamber, outdiE- all .s.The
ran On guard thesssssss p have opened
the door; but when went to take adj
vantage of the offer, and enter, a
majordomo, who was standing near,
n1uttering with two or three Of his
kind, fastened forward and stopped
nc.
Your business, Monsieur, If you
please?" he said inquisitively. And
wondered why the others looked at
me so strangely.
81 am M de Berault,'' answered
sharply. 81 have the entree."
He bowed politely enough. eyes,
NJ de Berault, have the honor to
know your face" he said. "But par
don me. Have you business with His
Eminence?''
Il have the common business"
answered bluntly. by which many Of
us live, sirrahl-to wait on him"
"But-by appointment, Monsieur"
he persisted
No, said, astonished. SIT is the
usual hour. For the matter Of that,
however, have business with him.
The man looked at me for a mo-
ment, in apparent embarrassment.
Then he stood reluctantly aside and
signed to the door-keeper to open the
door. / passed in. uncovering, with an
assured face, ready to meet all eyes.
Then in a moment, on the threshold,
the mystery was explained. !.
The room was empty.