The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-12-28
CHAPTER VII.
AT THE DRYAD FOUNTAIN.

AT THE DRYAD FOUNTAIN.
we shall need disguises.'' said Rich
ellen. as / returned his clasp with equal
warmth. Luckily, I have already had
many occasions for using them, and
SO have a large assortment. Come with
me-" and he led the way into an ad-
Joining room. whose walls were COW
cred with costumes. There were uni
forms OF many kinds, cavaliers suits
or q dozen fashions and even the more
sober garb Of artisans and masons. At
n end Of the room was q collection
OF arms-swords, p%oniards, pistols, ar
quebuses and eve shirts of mail.
Choose" said Richelieu, with q sweep
of his hand. LAS for me, I shall take
this suit of gray. l am known ia alb
hor gray and moreover 1t will make me
Invisible in the darkness"
me reason seemed to me a good one
and l selected a suit OF similar shade
but much less elaborate design.
"Oh. l had near forgot" / exclaimed,
returning. as l was leaving the room.
will o instruct one of your people
to prepare against our return a small
o Of cement?"
"~Cement?' asked Richelieu, looking
at me In establishment.
Yes: We shall need It," I answered.
Very well, my friend,' he said, and
without waiting to explain the use /
had for 1t. / hurried to my apartment,
where l changed my clothes, rolling
my others into a bundle, whlch\I car
ried down with me TO Richelieu's room
five minutes later. ! found him busily
engaged "a curling his moustache and
arranging his hair.
w have no time to lose, monsieur
1 protested.
What the devil would you have, de
Brancas?" and Richelieu threw around
his neck a collar which 1 knew to be
that OF the Holy Ghost, with it's eight
pointed cross, each point crowned by a
ball. "A gentleman cannot go to a
rendezvous looking like a bourgeois. !
have ordered two horses and I shall
be ready to mount by the time they are
at the door. You would better select
a sword, q poniard. and a pistol. fol
you may have need Of them before the
night Is over" :.
l did as he suggested and in a few
minutes we were In the saddle. We
crossed the river at a gallop and with.
out drawing rein plunged into a maze
or narrow streets where I should have
been utterly lost, but where Richelieu
seemed quite at home. I expected ev-
cry ONE that NY horse would break
his leg in some hole in the pavement
but my companion did not Stacker
speed and I pressed on behind him. j
remembered that the rendezvous was
In the Palais Royal gardens, and re.
fected without enthusiasm that this
was walking into the lions jaws with
a vengeance. but I kept my thoughts
to myself. and in a moment we turned
sharply to the left along a narrow
street and came out at the end Of 6
long avenue Of chestnuts.
This Is the place." said Richelieu
and we walked our horses into the
shadow Of the trees and dismounted
I'VE will tie our horses here. Ths
fountain is not far distant, and we
shall AVE no difficulty in regainine
them should We be surprised. All! tits
the hour" he added, as 10 O'Clock
sounded from st. Honore. I'm two
hours we must be back in the bastilIe
IT'S well that the night is cold" he con.
tinued, leading the way rapidly alone
the venue. "else our ASK would have
been more difficult, for this is a grea,
place Of resort In fine weather"
Some distance away, through the
~leafiess branches Of the trees, I coult
see the lights Of the Palais Roya
cleaning. The moon had risen ant
shed a cold radiance over the gardens
beautiful even under December's with.
ering hand. Only under the broaC
branches Of the chestnuts was there
~obscurity, and we kept carefully In the
shadow.
There is the fountain" said Richie.
lieu at the n of a moment, but / see
no one. Can II be hat she has disap.
pointed me? Perhaps she heard / ha,
been imprisoned and thought / could
not come. All, there Is some one stand.
ing in the shadow. 1t must be she!'
and he ran quickly forward.
I thought 1t much more likely to be g
squad Of the regents guards, but kept
close at his elbow. determined to hav,
a hand in whatever might befall. A
moment later ] saw w muffled figures
standing near the fountain, and tc
these Richelieu ran.
"Ah Charlotte!" he cried, falling or
his knee before one Of them, the in
stinct of his heart telling him which
was the princess. II protest TO you
that only the most cruel chance made
us a moment late. l shall never cease
to reproach myself for having kept you
waiting"
And is it indeed you. NJ. lie Duc?'
asked a low voice, and l saw that Rich
ellen had gained possession of a hand
and was covering II with kisses. But
l heard this evening hat my father had
sent you to the bastille."
80 he did," said Richelieu, but did
you believe any prison in France
strong enough to keep me from your
side, Charlotte?
You escaped then? But how?"
For that we have to thank my
friend here and Richelieu drew me
forward. "Mademoiselle, allow mo to
present M. Jean de Brancas, a gentle
man whom l have learned to trust rs
I would myself"
And who hopes some day to be OF
service to Mile. de Valois," I added,
bowling over the hand which she gra-
ciously gave me-.
me, monsieur" she said, kindly, lin
assisting M. de Richelieu to escape
from prison. But I also have a COM
panion. Come here. Louise. Gentle
men, this Is my very dear friend Mile.
Louise Dacour. my trust in whom.