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

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only hurried what must In any ease
have taken place. You must leave the
palace"
81 will leave the palace. Say only
that you forgive me. Oh, sire, l cannot
bear your anger. 1t brushes me down.
/ am not strong enough. 1t is not BAN
ishment. 1t 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!'
"No, 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, | forgive them
freely, If that will make you more hap
py In your retirement. But a time has
come when it is necessary to review
u 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 il 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.
"Oh, sire. it slipped from me UNI
awares. Think no more of it. Nobody
says so. Nobody
you are hiding something from me.
Who is It who says this"
ooh. sire, II was but foolish court
gossip. all unworthy of your attention.
To me, sire. you are as pleasing and as
gracious as when you first won the
heart of Mile. Tonnay Charente."
The king smiled as he looked at the
beautiful oma before him.
elm very truth" said he, Il can say
that there has been no such great
changes ia Mile. Tonnay-Charente Ell
ther. But still It 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 It? 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 yes dimmed over, and she
would have fallen had Louis not sprung
forward and caught her In his arms.
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 pearly
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 soul in a
glance. Did he move? Or was 1t she ?
Who could tell? But their lips had
met In a long kiss and then in another,
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 your"
mo, no; but you must II o annoy me,
FRANCHISE"
81 had 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, thenf'
"Oh. ! must not speak against her.
l will be civil for your sake even TO
her, the widow Of old Scarron."
Yes, yes, you must be civil. 1 can
not have any unpleasantness."
But you will stay with me, sire 2"
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 then drew him
once more toward her. "You will not
leave me, dear sire. 1t is SO long since
you have been here"
II will stay" said he.
"Ahd 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 l may coun-
termand the order?"
"'They are here, sire, upon the side
table. l have also a note which, IL I
may leave you for an instant, | 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
OF a few words upon II. They were,
SHOULD Nine. de Maintenon have any
message for his majesty he will be
for the next few hours In the room Of
Mime. do Montespan." This she ad-
dressed to her rival. and II was sent
on the spot, together with the kings
order. by the hands Of a page.