The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-06-10
THE THREE GUARDSMEN
By ALEXANDRE DUMAS

- " poaifs direction to St Cloud. Thls probability afforded him his first, com solation. If Bonacieux knew whers his wife was tho mercer might at>any time by the elnploymsnt of extreme means be forced to open hii teeth and allow his secret tosescape.
 ''I beg your pardon, my dear M. Bo- nacieux, if don't stand upon eere- lnony," aid D'Artagnan. but nothing makes enc @ thirsty as want of sleep. I am parched with thirst Allow mo to take oiaSs of water. 1n your apart ment You know, that is. never refus- Cd among your neighbors."
 And without waiting for the permis- sion of his host, DArtasnan went quickly into the house and cast . rap ld glance 1t the bed The bed had not been slept in.
 Many thanks to you. Master Bona cisux,n said D'Artagnan, emptying his glasa. That h all wanted of you. I wtl now @ up into my room will make Planchet. bfnsh my boots, and when he has done win, if you like, send him to yod to bruah your shoes"
 At tho top Of the stairs D,krtagnan found Planchst fn great right
 What's tho mater now, Planchett'
 "Oh, monsieur, tho visit I have re- cefved in your absence about half m hour ago while you were it II. d Trevflle,s. ]" = q
 'sWho has been here7 Come, speakr'
 ''M de Cavois, the captain of his eminence's suards.''
 "Did he come to arrest me7
 T have no doubt he did. monsteur, for all his sracious manner. He came, he said, on the psrt 6f his eminence, who wished you wsll and to beg you to follow him to tho Palais Cardinal"
 What did you answer him?" That the thing vas impossible. see ing that you were not at home. as hs might perceive" ss
 Well. what did he say then7"
 '.Th4t you must not fail to call upon him in the course of the day, and then he added in . low voice, Tell your master that his eminence is very well disposed toward him and that his for tune perhaps depends upon this inter view"
 ''The snare h not very skillfully ret for the cardinal" replied the young man, smiling.
 "Oh, yes; saw the-s snare, and an- swered you would be quite in despair on your return
 Where is he gone toF asked M. d Cavofs.
 TO Troyes, in champagne,' an- swered.
 ".And when did he set outT
 Yesterday evening""
 sPlanchet, my friend, . interrupted DsArtagnan, '.you are really jewel of man. In quarter of an hour we will set on"
 Where are we going. may ask. without being too curious7''
 "In the opposite direction to that which you said I was gone So. then, pack up our necessaries, Planchet, and !, let us be ofk On my part, | will 60 out with my hands in my pockets that nothing may b suspected. You can join mo at the Hotel des Gardes."
 DArtasnan directed his steps toward ' the residences of his three friends. No news had been received of them. only letter. all perfumed. and of an ele- gant writing in small characters, was come for Aramis. D'Artagnan took charge of 1t. Ten minutes afterward Planchet joined him at the stables of the Hotel des GardeA D'Artagnan, in order that there might be no time lost. had saddled his horse himself.
 That's well," said he to Planchet, when the latter added the portman- teau to the equipment; '4now saddle the other three horses." fsss
 Do you think, then, monsieur. that we shall travel faster with two horses apiecer said Planchet, with his cum ming air.
 "No, master joker," replied DsArta- gnan, but with our four horses we may bring back our three friends. fl we should have the good fortune to find them living"
 Our two travellers arrived at Chan tilly without any accident and aii9hted at the hotel of the Grand St Martin, tho same they had stopped at on their first Journey. The host on seeing | young man followed by q lackey with two led horses advanced respectfully to the door. Now. as they had already travslsd eleven leagues, DArtagnan thought it time to stop. whether Por- th0s were or were not in the hotel. And then perhaps it would not be pru. dent to ask at once, what had become of the musketeer. D'Artagnan gave tho hofses to the care of his lackey. entered a small room destined to .re- eeive such as wished to be alone and desired the host to bring him bottle of his best wine and as good . break fast as possible.
 RArtaSnau was served with m1racu. lous ceser1ty. The host desired to wait mon him himself. which D'Artagnan A