The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-04-18
y. b, Lappnoott Company

and after she had entered. she told me
OF an act of loyalty before whlch 1
count all this as nothing. She told me-
OF a man who held honor above love
and friendship, and of n woman VINO
held LOYALTY and honor above love. Be-
iIeve me, monsieur and mademoiselle,
there are not many such. And In re.
turn FOR this my daughter suggested
that I also appoint q jailer for M. de
Brancas,'
But NJ. lie Due" protested Louise,
M. de Brancas does not need a Jaller'
His simple word of honor, 1t seems TO
me, should be sufficient"
l confess my head was IN a whlrl'
| knew not what to think.
$50 thought" answered the regent.
and so l told my daughter, but l was
silenced when she told me whom she
wished me to name as jaller. l nave
made out the appointment here. Q
d'Orleans. Regent of France, In the
name Of His Most Gracious Majesty,
louis XIV, Of France, do this day APP
point as jailer Of M. Jean de Brancas,
to securely guard upon his estate at
Arneaux by whatever means may
seem necessary, one Mile. Louise Da-
r0TiT-@9"
Louise uttered a cry of astonish-
ment. l was on my feet in an instant.
The regent silenced us both with an
Other wave of the hand.
The only condition being ne
continued, "'that Mile. Dacour shall be
united in marriage to the prisoner, M.
de Brancas, in order that h may be
able to guard him more effectuaily at
Regent of France Now, NJ. de Bran
cas- we will hear you first. Is 1T that
YOU object to this jailer?"
NO, M. lie Due" l answered, not
daring to glance at Louise. GOO
knows, I would willingly spend my
whole life In such a prison. But ask
no assistance in love, monsieur, nor do
love her, to be compelled to marry
me-"
The regent looked at me for a mo-
ment with a smile.
"And who has said anything about
compulsion, my friend?" he asked
Certainly. not I. 1t is for Mile. Da-
cour to choose. I fancy you would
suffer little with sucn a jailer, but If
she does not desire the position, she
has only to refuse it."
I turned to Louise. She, too, had
risen, and her face was rosy with
bushes and tender with a great ten
derness. She was looking at me with
trimming eye For a momen l did
not understand.
'Lonise!" I cried. 'Iouise!"
IN. le Due" she said, with the pref
test bow in the world, Il believe l will
accept the trust"
In an instant she was in my arms
and the regent, with smiling face, left
us alone together.
A LAST WORD.
The roses are blooming about me II
this little garden in Normandy, for II
is June, and six months have gone
since hat memorable audience witt
the regent-six months that have
passed like a dream l have been bus.
looking over my estate-hoW stranger,
it sounds, even yet, to say my estate!'
getting acquainted with my peopl'
and trying to make them love me.
I receive a letter from Paris now an
then, and from these I learn the news
Madame du Maine is still at Dion, an,
the other conspirators are also still
in prison, but the regent is not vim
dictive, and I believe will soon releas
them. To the Bretons he was not S
merciful, n more than n went t
the gibbet. But the kingdom is a
peace, and we hear no more Of plot
against it.
I close my eyes, and see again tn
lovely face Of Charlotte d'Orleans as
saw it last and as I love best to re
member it, and I pray that it ma
vet be my good fortune to be Of ser
vice to her. Stranger things hay
happened, and, who knows, perhaI
some day the chance will come.
And Richelieu? All, Richelieu
coming next week to be my, guest, an
how / shall delight to take him b
the hand, to show him over my estat
to talk with him again.
AS I lay Town my pen I lear
stealthy step upon the walk benin
me, and two soft hands are claspe
upon my eyes.
Guess who 1t Is" cries a mer1
voice.
II do not need to guess, my owe
liz answer. my heart tells me tt
surely" and / draw my wife's laugl
ing face down to mine n kiss h
fondly.
(The End.)