Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-11-22
CHAPTER III.

IT, . VI "a SuAo a tCtuf e " hlS
duties. Eight o'clock had struck
ON the great clock Of Versailles.
and Ii was almost time for the mon
arch to rise. Servants, with clothes
thrown over their arms. hustled down
the passage which led to the ante.
chamber. The young officer. who had
been looking w~istfully out Of the win.
dow at some courtiers who were laugh
Ing and chatting ON the terraces. turn
ed sharply upon his heel and strode
over to the white and gold door of the
royal bedroom.
He had hardly taken his stand there
before the handle was very gently
noiselessly upon its hinges and Il man
slid silently through the aperture. clos
ing II again behind him.
Hush said he, with his finger To
his thin. precise lips, while his whole
clean shaver face and high arched
brows were an entreaty and u warning.
The king still sleeps"
The words were whispered from one
to another among the group who had
assembled outside the door. The speak
er, who was NJ. Bontems, head vaIet-de-
chambre, gave q sign To the officer of
the guard and led him into the window
alcove from which he had lately come.
Good morning, Captain de Catinat.
Who commands at the main guardI'
major de Brissac."
And you will be here2"
For -four hours |, attend the king"
Very good. He gave me some in
struction for the officer of the guard.
He babe me 70 say that NJ. de Vivonne
was not to be admitted to the grand
lever. You are to tell him So"
Il shall do So"
Then, should a note come from her
you understand me, the new one
mime. de MaintenonT'
Precisely. But 1t is more discreet
not to mention names. Should she send
a note. you will take II and deliver 1t
quietly when the king gives you an
opportunity"
1T shall be done"
But IL the other should come. as Is
possible enough-the other, you under
stand me, the former
"Mme. de Montespan."
"Ah, that soldierly tongue of yours,
captain. Should she come, / say, you
will gently bar her way, with courteous
words, you understand, but on no &C.
count is she to be permitted to enter
the royal room"
Very good, Bontems."
"And now we have but three min.
utes." He strobe through the rapidly
increasing group OF people In the cor
ridor with an air of proud humility, as
beftted a man who, If he was a valet.
was at least the king Of Wallets by be
ing the valet of the king. Close by the
door stood a line Of footmen ~resplen-
dent in their powdered wigs, red plush
coats and silver shoulder knots. he
turned the handle onc more and slip
ped into the darkened room.
1t was a large, square apartment,
with two high windows upon the fur
Their side, curtained across with price
less velvet hangings. In one corner a
narrow couch with a rug thrown across
1t showed where the faithful Bontems
had spent the night.
In the very center Of the chamber
there stood a large four post bed, with
curtains OF Gobelin tapestry looped
back from the pillow. A square of pol
ished rails surrounded II, leaving a
space some five feet In width all round
between the Enclosure and the bedside.
AS Bontems passed noiselessly across
the room, his feet sinking into the
mosslike carpet, there was the heavy.
close smell of sleep in the air, and he
could hear the long. thin breathing of
the sleeper. He passed through the
opening in the rails and stood, watch
in hand, waiting for the exact instant
when the iron routine of the court de
manded that the monarch should be
reused. Beneath him, from under the
costly green coverlet of oriental silk,
half buried in the fluffy valenciennes
lace which edged the pillow, there pro-
truded a round black bristle of close
cropped hair, with the profile of a curv-
Ing nose and petulaDt lip outlined
against the white background. The
valet snapped his wa. "a and bent over
the sleeper.
al have the honor to inform your
majesty that 1t is half past 8" said he.
"Ah!' The king slowly opened his
large dark brown eyes. made the sign
Of the cross and kissed a little dark
reliquary which he drew from under
his nightdress. Then he sat up In bed.
"Did you give my orders to the ofh-
Ger of the guard, Bontems7 p he asked.
"Yes, SIRE"
"Who Is on duty?
-Major de Brissac at the main guard
and Captain de Catinat in the cor
rldor."
"De Catinat! All, the young man who
stopped my horse at Fontainebleau. /
remember him. You may give the sig
nal, Bontems."