The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-10


 But this time instead of avoiding him, the unknown jumped from his horse and advanced to meet D'Arta- gnan.
 'In the name. of the king, I arrest you!'' he said.
 How? What do you say ?'' cried D'Artagnan
 st1 am the Chevalier de Rochefort the equerry of Mgr the Cardinal de Richelfeu, and have orders to con duct you to his eminence''
 we are returning to his erninence, M. le Chevalier,' said Athos, advanc- ing; '.and you will please to accept the word of M. RArtagnan that he will go straight to La Rochelle. We will be his guards, monsieur, upon our words as gentlemen
 "Gentlemen," said Rochefort, If M d'Artagnan will surrender his sword to me and join his word to yours, II will be satisfied with your promise to convey M. d'Artagnan to the quarters of Mgr the Cardinal. | wish to contin- ue my tourney
 If it is for the purpose of rejodning mfady,' said Athos coolly, it is use less: you will not find her'
 s.What is become of her. then?'' ask ed Rochefort eagerly. Come back with us to the camp and you shall know 7 They were only q days journey from Surgeres, to which place the car 5inal was to come to meet the king. They resumed their route. On the morrow at 3 o'clock in the afternoon they, arrived at. Surgeres
 The cardinal here greeted Louis XIII On returning in the evening to his quarters at the1 bridge of La Pierre the cardinal found D'Artagnan, with. out his sword, and the three mus. keteers, armed, standing before the door of the house. He made a sign with his eye and hand for D'Artagnan to follow him.
 D'Artagnan obeyed. "We shall wait for you, D'Arta. gnan,'' said Athos loud enough for the rardinal7fo hear him. , les:. e;-s s..s ei 6f His eminence went to the chamber which served him as a closet and made a sign to Rochefort to bring in the young musketeer. Rochefort obey cd, and retired
 "Monsieur,'' said the cardinal, sayou have been arrested by my orders. De you know why?"
 "No, monseigneuH for the only thing for which I could be arrested is still unknown to your eminence If monseigneur will have the good ness to tell me in the first place what crimes are imputed to me win then tell your eminence what I have really done"
 "You are charged with having core sponded with the enemies of the king l dom You are charged with having surprised state secrets You are charged with having endeavored to thwart the plans of your general
 "And who charges me with this, nonseigneur ?'' said D' D'Artagnan. .sA woman branded by the justice of the country. who attempted both to poi son and assassinate meF'
 "What is all this, monsieur?' cried the cardinal, astonished And what l woman are you speaking of thus?''
 "Of MiIady de Winter, replied DAT tagnan syes, of Milady de Winter, of whose crimes your confluence is doubt less ignorant because you have honor. 1 ed her with your confidence. But she l is punished, monseigneur. 7
 .."And who has punished herr" i've have.
 "Is she in prison P,
 tShe is dead Three times she at. tempted to kill me, and pardoned her but she murdered the woman | loved 1 Then my friends and took her, tried her and condemned her. D'Artagnan. then related, the story, A shudder crept through the body o1 the cardinal. But all at once, as if un- dergoing the influence of a secret 1 thought, the countenance of the eardi- nal. till that moment gloomy, cleared ! up by degrees and recovered perfect serenity
 { So, ssaid the cardinal, in tone that Icontrasted strongly with the severity 1 of his words. you have constituted l yourselves judges, without remember, ing that they who punish without If. 1 eense to punish are assassins P sMonseigneur, do not hold life deai enough to be afraid of death Another might reply that he had his pardon in 1 his pocket. I will content myself with saying: Issue your orders of condem nation, monseigneur. am ready
 "Tour pardon? said Richelieu, sur prised. Signed by whom? By the king?' ss
 No; by your .eminence. a1onseigneui
 will doubtless recognize his OWL writ ing.''
 And D'Arfagnan presented to the car dinal the precious piece of paper which Athos had forced from milady.
 It is by my order and for the good nf the state that the bearer of this has done what he has done. RICHELIEU.