Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-01-10

somewhat in its expression as he
glanced at her, but he shook his head,
and bis voice was as firm as ever as he
answered.
at IL useless, madame said he. Il
have thought this matter over for a
long time, and your madness today has
only hurried what must In any css~
have taken place. You must leave the
palace"
81 will leave the palace. Say only
that you forgive me. oh, sire, | cannot
bear your anger. Ii brushes me down.
l am not strong enough. II is not ban
tshment, IL Is death to which you SEN
tence me. Think Of our long years Of
love. sire, and say that you forgive me.
Oh, will you not give your anger up
for mine? My God. he weeps! oh, ]
am saved; | am saved"
mo, no, madame cried the king,
dashing his hand across his eyes. You
see the weakness Of the man, but you
shall also see the firmness of the king.
As to your insults today. l forgive them
freely, II that will make you Iuore hap
by In your retirement. But a time has
come when it is necessary TO review
our past life and to prepare for that
which is TO come"
"Ah, sire, you pain me. You are not
yet In the prime Of your years. and you
speak as If old age were upon you. In
a score Of years from now it may be
time for folks to say that age has made
a change in your life"
The king WINGED. who say so?" he
cried anGrily.
ooh, sire. ii slipped from me I'M
nwares. Think no more of il. Nobody
says so. Nobody"
"You are hiding something from me.
Who Is II who says thisT"
ooh. sire, II was but foolish court
gossip. all unworthy of your attention.
To me. sire, you are as pleasing and as
gracious az when you first won the
heart of Mile. Tonnay-Charente."
The king smiled as he looked at the
beautiful IN before him.
"In very truth" said he, II can say
that there has been no such great
changes in Mile. Tommy Charente Ell
ther. But still II is best that we should
part, FRANCHISE"
"you have but to name the place,
sire-Petit Bourg, Chargny or my own
convent of st. Joseph In the Faubourg
st. Germain. What matter where the
flower wIthers when once the sun has
forever turned from III At least the
past Is my own, and | shall live IN the
remembrance Of the days when none
had come between us and when your
sweet love was all my own. Be happy.
sire, be happy, and think no more of
what | said about the foolish gossip of
the court. Your life lies in the fu-
ture. Mine is in the past. Adieu. dear
sire, adieu!' She threw forward her
arms, her eyes dimmed over. and she
would have fallen had Louis not sprung
forward II caught her In his arms.
Her beautiful head dropped upon his
shoulder, her breath was warm upon
his cheek. and the subtle scent OF her
hair was In his nostrils. Her broad
white throat was thrown back, her
eyes almost closed, her lips just parted
enough to show the line Of peariy
teeth, her beautiful face not three
inches from his own. And then sud
denly the eyelids quivered, and the
great blue eyes looked up at him low
ingly, appealingly, half %deprecating,
half challenging. her whole sou in a
glance. Did he move? Or was It she?
Who could tell? But their lips had
met In a long kiss and then In another.
and plans and resolutions were stream
Ing away from Louis like autumn
leaves In the west wind.
Then / am not to go. You would
not have the heart to send me away.
would you?'
mo, no: but you must not annoy me,
FRANCHISE"
81 bad rather die than cause you an
instant of grief. Oh, sire. / have seen
so little Of you lately! And | love you
so! 1t has maddened me. And then
that dreadful woman
"Who, tbeny'
"Oh, l must not speak against her.
/ will be civil for your sake ever to
her, the widow OF old Scarron."
Yes, yes, you must be civil. can
not have any unpleasantness."
But you will stay with me, sirer''
Her supple arms coiled themselves
round his neck. Then she held him for
an instant at arms length to feast her
eyes upon his face, and her drew him
once more toward her. you will not
leave me, dear sire. 1t is so long since
you have been here"
Il will stay" said he.
"And that carriage, dear sire, at the
east door,"
Il have been very harsh with you,
FRANCHISE. You will forgive me. Have
you paper and pencil, that / may coun-
termand the orderr'
"They are here, sire, upon the side
table. l have also a note which. IL l
may leave you for an instant, I will
write In the anteroom."
She swept out with triumph in her
eyes. 1t had been a terrible fight, but
all the greater the credit Of her VIC
tory. She took a little pink slip of
paper from an inlaid desk and dashed
Oh a few words upon It. They were,
SHOULD Nine. de Mainteuon have any
message for his majesty he will be
for the mex few hours In the room of
Nine. de Montespan." This she ad-
dressed to her rival. and Ii was vent
on the spot, together with the kings
order. by the hands Of a page.