Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-01-03

$3.50 80
there was no answering light upon
her visitors face, and ne threw him
self down upon the vacant armchair
with a pouting lip and a f"own upon
his forehead.
NAY, now this Is a very bad com
pllmcnt,' she cried, with the glypty
which she could assume whenever it
was necessary to draw the king from
his bIackrr humors. My poor lite
dark room has already cast a shallow
over you
Nay; 1t is Father Ia Chalse ana
the bishop Of MeauX, who have been
after me all day like two hounds on a
stag, with talk of my duty and my
position and my sins, with Judgment
and he'll fire ever at the end Of their
eXhortatiQns."
"And what would they have your
majesty dor
"Break the promise which | made
when l came upon the throne, and
which my grandfather made before
me-. They wish me to recall the edict
of Nantes, and drive the Huguenots
from the kingdom. You would not
have me do it, madameY"
mot If 1t Is to be a grief to your maj
esty. Bethink you, sire, that the Al
mighty can himself incline their hearts
to better things If he is so minded,
ever as mine was Inclined. May you
not leave 1t in his hands,"
tanp ~ uvnrJ - caf1 n,fs hriRbtap
ing, ait is well put. | 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 ruin 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 i am safe, then?
But | have erred and 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"
II would that the queen were living
once more. She would find me a bet
ter man."
II would that she were, SIRE"
"And she should know that 1t was
to you that she owed the change. Oh,
FRANCHISE, you are surely my guardian
angel, who has taken bodily form!
How can ! thank you for what you
have done for mef' 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 a rigid face
and one finger upraised.
"You are right; you are right, Fran
coise. Sit down, and I will control
myself. But how Is II, FRANCHISE, that
you have such a heart Of iceT'
81 would 1t were so, sire"
"No. But surely no mans love has
ever stirred you! And yet you have
been a wife. You did not love this
ScarronT' he persisted. "He was old,
I have heard, and as lame as some OF
his verses"
"Do not speak lightly of him, sire.
I was grateful to him; I honored him;
l liked him"
"You did not love him, Francoiseg'
AT least | did my duty toward
him."
"Has that nuns heart never yet
beer touched by love, then?"
Spare me, sire. / beg of your
"But l must ask. for my W 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 CLOVIS In miner" He rose
with his hands outstretched, n pleading
monarch, but she, with half turned
head. still shrank away from him.
"Be assured Of one thing, SIRE" said
she, ''that even IL l loved you as no
woman ever loved a man. yet | should
nther spring from that window on to
the stone terraces beneath than ever
by word or sign confess as much to
you"
sand why, Francoise?"
'You have wasted too much of your
life and OF your thoughts upon wom-
ans love. And now. sire. the years
steal on. and the day Is coming when
even you will be called upon to give
IN account Of your actions and Of the
innermost thoughts OF your heart. l