Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-01-23
UNDER THE
RED ROBE
BY STANLEY j. WEYMAN

Stanley J. weyman.)
.Tuest. Hospitality! Lieutenant-ca
the guard. Call the guard" he con-
tinued passtonately Where is that
/ ape Of a sergeant?"
The lieutenant rose to obey, but |
lifted my hand.
Gently, gently, captain" said
Mot SO fast! You seem surprised to
see me here Believe me, am much
more surprised to sec you.'
"Sacre!" he cried, recoiling at this
fresh impertinence, while the lieuten-
ants eyes almost jumped out of his
head.
But nothing moved me-
els the door closed?" said sweetly.
Thank you; 1t Is, see Then per-
nit me to say again. gentlemen, that
am much more surprised to see you
| than you can be to see me. When
monseigneur the cardinal honored me
by sending me from Paris to conduct
this matter, he gave me the fullest
the fullest powers, M. lie Capitaine--to
see the affair to an end. was not led
to expect that my plans would be
spoiled on the eve Of success by the
intrusion of half the garrison from
Auch!"
20 ho!" the captain said softly
in a very different tone and with a
very different face. $50 you are the
gentleman 1 heard of at Aucb.'"
Every likely" said dryly. "But
am from Paris, not Auch"
"To be sure" he answered thought
fully. "Eh, lieutenant"
Eyes, NJ lie Capitaine, no doubt"
the inferior replied. And they both
looked at one another, and then at me,
in way which did not understand.
81 think" said l, to clinch the matter,
that you have made mistake. Cap.
tain; OF the commandant has. And
it occurs to me that the cardinal will
not be best pleased"
II hold the kings commission" he
answered rather stiff1y.
ITO be sure" replied. "But you
see the cardinal
"Ah, but the cardinal" he rejoined
quickly; and then he stopped and
shrugged his shoulders. And they
both looked at me.
.Well?" I said. y
"The king" he answered slowly.
"Tut-tut!" exclaimed, spreading
out my hands. "The cardinal Let
us sticksto him. You were saying?"
Well, the cardinal, you see" And
then again, after the same Words he
stopped stopped abruptly and shrug-
ged his shoulders.
l began to suspect something. eff
you have anything to say Monseig-
neur." answered, watching him mar
rowly. "say it. But take word Of
advice. Don't let 1t go beyond the
door Of this room, my friend, and it
will do you no harm"
Neither here nor outside" he re-
torted, looking for a moment at his
comrade. "Only hold the kings COM
mission. That is all. And think
enough. For the rest, will you throw
main? Good! Lieutenant, find a
glass, and the gentleman a seat. And
here, for my part, will give you a
toast The cardinal-whatever betide!"
I drank it, and sat down to play with
him; had not heard the music of the
dice for month, and the temptation
was irresistible. But was not sat
isfied. called the mains and won his
crowns-he was a mere baby at the
game-but half my mind was else
where. There was something here l
did not understand; some influence at
work on which l had not counted;
something moving under the surface as
unintelliglble to me. as the soldiers
presence. Had the captain repudiated
my commission altogether, and put me
to, door or sent me to the guard house,
could have followed that. But these
dubious hints, this passive resistance,
puzzled me- Had they news from Paris,
wondered. Was the king dead? or
the cardinal i'll? asked them. But
they said no, no, no to all, and gave
me guarded answers. And midnight
found US still playing; and still fenc-
ing.