The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-29
THE xTHREE GUARDSMEN
By ALEXANDREsDUMAS

man of lofty carriage, who has the all of great lord. He has followed us several times, as think, when have waited for my wife at the wicket o1 the Louvre to fetch her. home."
 The commissary appeared to experi- ence little uneasiness.
 "And his name?' said he.
 "Oh, as to his name, know nothing about it, but if were ever to. meet him should know him in an instant, I will answer for it, even if he were i among thousand persons"
 ''You have answered that you should recognize him." said the commissary. "rhat is all very well and enough for today. Before we proceed further some one must bs informed that you know the abductor of your wife. Take away the prisoner."
 "Where must we place himT de- manded guard. l 'Tn a dungeon-the first you come to, provided it be q safe ore,"' said the commissary, with E an indifference which penetrated poor Bonacieux with horror.
 "AIas, alas, said he to himself, "n1is- l fortune hangs over mel My wife must have committed some frightful crime. They believe that am her accomplice and will punish me with her! She ! must have spoken; she must have con- fessed everything. A woman is so weakr'
 Bonacieux could not close his eyes, not because his dungeon was so very disagTeeable. but because his uneasi- ness wss too great to allow him to sleep.
 At dawn he heard his bolts drawn and sprang ups with a terrified bound, only to face the commissary.
 "Your affair has become more com plicated since yesterday evening, my good man, and. T advise you te tell the whole truth, for your repentance alone can remove the, anger of the cardinal"
 "Why, am ready to tell every thing,'' cried Bonacieux, "at least all that know. Interrogate me, I en- treat you!'
 Where is your wife, in the first placer"
 Why, did not I tell you she had been stolen away from mey'
 "Yes, but yesterday at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, thanks to you, she es- capped"
 "My wife escapedm cried Bonacieux. Tt is no fault of mine, I will swearr'
 What business had you, then, to go into the chamber of M. d'Artagnan, your neighbor, with whom you had a long conference, in the course of the day? What was the object of that visit?'
 "To beg, him to assist me in finding my wife. believed had right to endeavor to recover her. was de ceived, as 1t appears, and I ask your pardon for doing so."
 "And what did M. d'Artagnan re- ply?"
 "M. d'Artagnan promised me his as- sistance. But I soon found out that he was betraying me.''
 'sYou are imposing upon justice. M. dArtagnan made an agreement with you and in virtue of that agreement put to flight the men of the police who had arrested your wife and has placed her out of reach of all in- Quiries. Fortunately, M. d'Artagnan is in our hands, and you shall be con- fronted with him." "Ah, ma foi! I ask no betterw cried Bonacieux.
 Bring in M. d'Artagnan," said the commissary to the guards. The two guards led in Athos.
 "Butw cried Bonacieux, ''this is not M. dArtagnan that you have brought before mer'
 Your nameT asked the commis- sary of the musketeer.
 "Athos," replied the musketeer.
 "But you said that your name was D'Artagnan."
 My guards said to me, You are NJ. dArtagnanY I answered, You think so, do you?' My guards again exclaimed that they were sure I was"
 But. tell you, NJ. le Commis- sa1re," cried Bonacieux, "there is not the least doubt about the matter M. dArtagnan is my tenant, although he does not pay me my rent and even better on that account ought to know AAAA. ". AItdSudn IS young man, scarcely nineteen, and this gentleman must be thirty at least"
 At this moment the door was opened quickly and messenger, introduced by one of the gatekeepers of the Bas- tile, gave letter to the commissary.
 "Oh! unhappy woman!" cried the commissary.
 "How! what do you say :? of whom do you speak? It is not of my wife, I hope!"
 "On the contrary, 1t is of her. Your anair is becoming pretty one"
 "But," said the agitated mercer, "do me the pleasure, monsieur, to tell me how my own proper affair can become the worse by anything my wife does while am in prison?"