The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-09

shall, however, accept it from him as a loan. The 100000 francs which Boehmer has asked for in advance, you will take to the Cardinal at once. It is my quar- ter's allowance from the King. Take it to him with my thanks. AS the other payments come due 1 will pay the sum he has agreed to pay. You will add. Countess, that M. de Rohan will be well come at Versailles to receive my thanks. ]"
 Overjoyed, Jeanne hastened to the Car dinal. She already saw herself received at court, not as a poor mendicant, but as Valois, favorite of the Queen, who, no less than De Rohan, would be bound to her through this secret The ambi- tious schemer even saw herself ruling France through the King.
 The Queens reception of De Rohan confirmed her glowing hopes. When he was dismissed she asked him: Shall you be Richelieu or Mazarin? Have her lips given you encouragement in ambition or love? Are you launched in politics or in. trigue?'
 Do not laugh. countess" replied De ItOHdl AoSiot lc, dllQ III d lCN iliOlliS I may be minister"
 By mortgaging all that was left of his possessions the Cardinal had succeeded in obtaining 5Oo,OO0 francs in time for the first payment. The day before that pay- ment was due Cagliostro appeared and said: "Monseigneur hitherto I have re- trained from troubling you for the 5Oo,oOO francs which I loaned to you some years ago, because l did not wish to embarrass you But now that you have that sum at hand I must claim it, as l am in need of it."
 So saying, Cagliostro pointed to the cabinet in which De Rohan had con- cealed the money. The Cardinal turned pale, partly at this new evidence of Gag liostro's knowledge of other mems secrets and partly at the thought of parting from the great sum just when he had need of it. But he reflected that the Queen, as he had learned from Jeanne. had been assured by the Minister of Finance that 100000 francs should be forthcoming for her. Therefore he paid his debt and sighed, as Caglostro retired: ''Well, it is lucky that the Queen has the money and that no Caglistro will take it from her."
 Alas, that very day a beautiful map of the world, made by the King, was torn in two just as it was finished. His Majesty was in bad humor when his Min ister of Finance laid before him his re- ports of money to be raised and spent. When he came to the item of 500,000 francs for the Queen, Louis exclaimed: "I know the Queens heart! She will not want money when France is so poor!" and he struck out the item.
 As soon as the news was sent to her by the humiliated and frightened min ister she sent for the Countess de la Motte. When Jeanne appeared she said:
 You must go at once to the cardinal and tell him that the King has refused to let me have 5O0,OO0 francs. Since he was so kind as to offer to pay it for me. I will accept the loan this time" Jeanne turned pale. Stammering and confused she confessed that the cardi- nal had just seen her and informed her that he no longer had the money, but had paid a debt with 1t.
 This is a terrible lesson for me- said the Queen with instant decision. "I re- nounce forever what has begun with SC much annoyance. You must carry the necklace back at once to the jewellers and tell them that if they will break the contract they may keep the 100000 francs Take it away, Countess, at once, and bring me their receipt.
 Jeanne saw her plans fall in ruin around her. She gazed at the fortune that she held in her lap as she sat Tn the carriage that was taking her back to her hotel. "One million, six hundred thousand france,'' thought she. Sud denly a strange look came into her eyes. She ordered the coachman td drivesto the house of an obscure pam phleteer, whose pen was at the service of any one who paid for it.
 The next morning the Queen re- ceived by courier a receipt signed by Boehmer and Bassange, acknowledging the return of the necklace and agree. ing to renounce the contract in con sideration of the 100, ,000 francs. Marie Antoinette locked the paper up and de termined to dismiss the affair from hei mind