Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-08-26

deloup, with a grim smile. But after
all your clemency was a mistake, for
there are some men who prefer the gal
lows to the white-hot iron. That mis-
cradle poacher was one of them-al-
though he has since become Citizen
GouJon, a deputy of the republic"
"A deputy?"
He arrived at DANCE a week ago"
You mean 1t is he who aroused
these peasants?'
Undoubtedly. 1t was also he who
sent Laroche to you with the message
that madame was ILL"
Then, In a flash / remembered where
| had heard the name.
"Pasdeloup is right / cried. when
Dubosq was placing the sentries in the
garden | heard him say that 1t was
from Citizen Goujon he had his orders.
But this Goujon I'M be UGH q bad
fellow, since he gave a peremptory
command that the women were not to
! be harmed"
did he do that?" asked NJ. lie Comte,
with q quick breath Of relief. Then
II is only me he hates-it is only me
he seeks. Well, car face death. But
when / saw that we were abandoned
TO this mob, / fancied-I fancied-"
d not fear, monsieur" said Pas
deloup In a strange voice. This mob
has leaders who will also take care
W hCllfGI Ilduditl6 uuLldTIlHQ INTO the
hands OF Citizen Goujon."
We'll, and what Them" demanded
his master. why do you speak in
that toner"
Because, monsieur" answered Pas
deloup grimly, you do not know Gou-
jon. Hatred OF monsieur was not the
only reason which led to tbs attack"
What is the other reason?"
Pasdeloup looked down at the mob,
4 then AWAv RI fhh pnEf tOyUp I'D Danpa
his lips compressed.
Come, tell met" commanded his
master. This is not the time for
hesitancies."
Pasdeloup cleared his throat gruffy.
Citizen GouJon has the audacity to
love Madame Ia Comtesse." he said
finally.
M. lie Comte burst into a laugh.
ANY fool may worship a star" he
said. Il cannot drag ii down to
him."
"Goujon is trying to drag this one
down, monsieur" added Pasdeloup
quietly, "as he tried once before. But
this time, he believes that success is
certain"
His master grew suddenly sober.
las he tried once before?'" he re-
peated. Your meaning, Pasdeloupl"
An, monsieur" answered Pasde-
loup, with a gesture indicating that
the matter had been taken out Of his
hands, 1T was not by mistake hat
GouJon entered the attic three years
ago. 1t attended also, yc1 VII; T5nien-
Der, above the apartment of madame;
he had planned TO descend some night,
when you were absent"
"Ah, IL I had known cried his mas
ter hoarsely. IF I had known. But
how do you know all this, Pasdeloup? 2"
ne demanded, turning upon the other
Hereby, q sudden red suspicion In his
eyes.
"Goujon himself old me-" replied
Pasdeloup, calmly, two nights ago
at DANCE, when he had drunk too
much wine. Shall continue the
story, monsieur, or have you heard
enough?"
Continue" said his master: '1et
upon his breast.
Expelled from the house and from
your service" went on Pasdeloup,
"GouJon spent his days and night
watching the chateau. In the hope that
chance might yet give Madame into
his hands. He lived by poaching, as
you happened to discover. After you
had punished him, he still fingered for
a time In your woods, defying death.
He was half mad. I think: he was
willing to suffer torment. face any tor
ture, IL he could die with the con-
seriousness OF having possessed Mad
anne. Not only his love for her, but
his hatred of o urged him on. AT
last, he thought OF q better way. he
Joined the assassins at Paris. and now
he has returned, armed with a power
which will give him his revenge All
OF this" he added. with a gesture to-
ward the hell below, "is for the pur-
pose of enabling him to taste that
revenge. You can guess now why he
ordered that Madame should be de-
iivered into his hands unharmed.'
M. lie Conte's face was livid.
rs he In this mob?" he asked
hoarsely. Point him out to me, Pas
deloupl"
IT do not think he is here. M. le
! EcSstc," answered F%asdeioup. mot vet
but he VIII eome-and perhaps. who
knows. fate may give you a chance at
him"
NJ. lie comte grew suddenly silent.
searching the others face with eyes
intent.
How came you to be with Gouton
two nights ago?" he demanded. Have
you been consorting with these scoun-
drels r.
IF / have, NJ. lie Comte," answered
Pasdeloup simply. sit was that I might
better serve my master-that I might
pay my debt"
"1Our QeptI
"Ah, that Is another thing he does
not remember" said Pasdeloup, turn
ing to me with a sad little smile. But
he was only a boy at the time aud II
was to him q little thing, not worth
remembering. We lived in a hut on
the edge OF the wood yonder. my
mother and /. Every morning. my
mother cleaned the stiles here al the
chateau and gave the pigs their food.
For this she received every day a loaf
OF black bread, n she managed now
n then to snatch a few morsels
from the trough. when no one was
near. For h rest. we lived on the
roots and nuts we gathered In the
forest n we were permitted also
to use such wood as the storms swept
from the trees. In this manner. we
somehow managed 10 keep alive.
But one day, my mother fell III:
she could not so TO her work: Instead.
she grew worse and worse, and I had
no food to give her. In the course OF
three days. ! myself grew so hungry
that l could think OF nothing better 10
do than to sit In the sun at the door
For our hut N weep. IL was while /
was doing this that / heard a noise.
and looking up, saw approaching me
q horse ridden by a being who seemed
10 me q god. He stopped his horse and
asked me what the matter was, So
overwhelmed was I by this vision that
could only point 10 the door OF the