The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-08-30

Not if it is to be a grief to your maj
eSty. Ecth..iii you, sire. that the AL
IN City can himself incline their hearts
to better things if he is so minded.
even as nine was inclined May you
not leave it i'll his hands,"
'On nay word said Louis, brighten
ing. ''it is wei put. l shall see if
Father Ia Chaise can find an answer
to that. 1t is hard TO be threatened
with eternal flames because one will
not run ones kingdom"
why should You think Of such
things. sire?' said the lady in her rich.
soothing voice. What have you to
fear you who have been the first son
of the church,
You think that | am safe. then?
But | have erred aud erred deeply.
You have yourself said as much"
But that is all over, sire. Who is
there who is without stain: You have
turned away from temptation. Sure
ly. then, you have earned your forgive
ness
Il would that the queen were living
once more. She would find me bet
ter man.
Il would that she were. sire"
And she should know that it was
to you that she owed the change. Oh,
FRANCHISE. you are surely my guardian
angel. who has taken bodily form.
How can l thank you for what You
have done Tor me- He leaned for
ward and took her hand. but at the
touch a sudden fire sprang into his
eyes, and he would have passed his
other arm round her had she not risen
hurriedly to avoid the embrace.
Sire said she. with rigid face
and one finger appraised
"You are right; you are right. Fran
coise Sit down, and | will control
myself. But how is 1t. FRANCHISE, that
you have such a heart Of ice?"
II would 1t were so. sire"
"NO. But surely no mans love has
ever stirred you. And yet You have
been wife. You did not love this
Scarron?' he persisted. He was old
| have heard. and as lame as some Of
his verses
DO not speak lightly of him. sire.
| was grateful to him: honored him:
l liz ed him"
you did not love him. Franchise!
"At least did my duty toward
him.
Has that nuns heart never yet
been touched by love. them"
Spare me. sire, beg of you
But | must ask. for my own peace
hangs upon your answer.
Your words pain me to the soul"
Have you never. FRANCHISE. felt in
your heart some little flicker Of the
love which glows In mine:" He rose
with his hands outstretched. a pleading
monarch. but she, with half turned
head, still shrank away from him.
BE assured of one thing. sire" said
she. that even if l loved you as nc
woman ever loved man. yet / should
rather spring from that window on to
the stone terraces beneath than ever
by word or sign confess as much to
you"
"And why. Francoise:"
You have wasted too much of yOur
life and of Your thoughts upon wcnl-
ans love. And now. sige. the years
steal OF. and the day is coming when
even You VIII 3e called upon to give
an account Of Your actions and of the
inIcrn,ost thoughts Of your heart.
would see You sprId the time that is
left to you. sire. in building UP the
TO your Subjects"
The King sank back into his chair
with a groan. Forever the same"
said be. Why, you are worse than
Father In Chaise and Bossuet''
Nay, nay" said she gayly. with the
quick tact in which she never failed
Il have wearied you when you have
stopped to honor my little room with
your presence. That is indeed ingrat
itude. and 1t were a just punishment
morrow and SO cut off all the light OF
my day. And why have you not rid
den today. sire:'
"Pah. 1t brings me no pleasure
There was time when my blood was
stirred by the blaze If the horn and the
rush Of the ho0fS. but now it Ia all
wearisome TO me-"
And hawking too?'
Yes: shall hawk no more"
But, sire. you must have amuse-
ment"
What is SO dull as an amusement
which has ceased to amuSe? | know
not how it is. When | was but a lad.
and my mother and were driven from
place to place, with the Fronde at war
with lis and Paris in revolt. with our
throne and even orr lives in danger.