Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-12-07
j. b. Lippincott Compan,

interruption. Excuse me o moment,
de Brancas.'' and the two stepped to
one side. engaged in earnest conversa-
ton. I glanced about me. n seeing
that Mile. de Launay was making her
adieux preparatory to joining her mis-
tress. fastened to hNr
You are already famous, NJ. de
Brancas." she cllea. s4~.-
"Richelieu has dropped a word of it.
Believe me, 1t is not every one who
cares to cross swords with the rogucs
OF C~artouche, or who values his purse
more highly than his head. Perhaps
you had some keepsake in yours. mon
sieur. which made it doubly precious"
she added. m!schievously.
mo, madelnoiselle," answered.:
and yet. l was ioathe to part with it,
else l should have had nc proper recep-
tacle In which to place that ribbon
which o wear In your hair and which
you are going to give me presently"
hand mechanically sought her hair and
she looked into my eyes. We'll. take
It," and h handle me the ribbon.
Such audacity deserves reward. No
one would for a moment suspect you
were from the provinces, NJ. de
B%rancas." she added.
Indeed, mademoiselle, / forget 1t
myself when you are speaking" I an
swered. and she laughed merrily and
bade me adieu. whilh I placed the rib
bon In my purse, Stimulating a passion
which l confess I did not feel.
But ! watched her pass across the
room as I q watched the duchess,
for both were unusual women. and the
maids fame was, II anything. greater
than that Of the mistress. Mile. de
Launay possessed little beauty, as I
had seen for myself, and she was OF
obscure birth, The daughter OF a paint
er, 1t was said, OF whom no one had
ever heard. But the abbess OF q con-
vent in Normandy had discovered the
child somewhere-beside her drunken
father in n bottle house, most likely
and had taken a liking to her n given
her a refuge in h convent. She had
received a brilliant education, and Cd
dly enough. had preferred the exact
sciences to belles-lettres OF her pre-
diction for geometry I had already had
proof. But the abbess died and she had
been forced to leave the convent.
Through the influence Of friends she
had secured the position Of femme du
chanbre to Madame du Maine. which
she q been compelled to accept to
keep from starving. and 1t was from
that position that h had risen, by
sheer force OF character. to be one OF
the brightest lights Of the gay court at
Sceaux. Every girl In the kingdom
Az IN oSOAy AN AAo0 4CoVlNSO u
profit by 1t. but few had the wit to dc
SO. 1t was again Richelieu who broke
it upon my thoughts.
"a remarkable oma is she not
MONSIEUR" he asked, following my
eyes. Few have vet measured the
height of her talents. and no one has
sounded the depth Of her heart. Blu,
come. let us go. You are to lodge witt
me tonight, for I have many things te
say to YOU"
Nothing would please me more. NJ
lie Due" 1 answered. warmly, thankful
for any chance which postponed m,
return to the Rue Bailleul and delighted
at the prospect OF entering the Hote,
de Richelieu. He led the way toward
the door. and as he repassed the peopl,
scattered about the room l remarked 6
new expression on their faces. They
turned to look al him as they had done
before. and not one failed to re.
turn his bow. but their name,
was not the same. 1t seemed t.
combine respect and contempt
admiration and disapproval. Th.
duke appeared not to notice it. yet h,
avoided any pretext for stopping. a,
though he did not wish to enter into
conversation which might easily be
come disagreeable. 1t was evident t,
me. however. that the hidden meanin,
OF the words which he had exchanged
with the duchess was known to all tn,
persons in the room, and that the,
knew not whether to blame or praise
I, also. was to earn their meaning be-
fore the night was out.
We paused in the vestibule, Richelie,
wrapping his cloak about his face an,
pulling his hat down over his eyes. Ht
babe me do h same, and In anothe
moment we were in the street. W,
mingled quickly with the crowd which
even in winter. thronged the garden
OF the Tuilertes. and turning towards
the river. crossed 1t by the Pont Royal