The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-04-18
CHAPTER NNlII,
THE REGENTS GRATITUDE.

THE REGENTS GRATITUDE.
She wore the same gown IN which
she had followed h princess to the
altar, and there were traces of tears
upon her face. She walked straight TO
the regent. without glancing in my d.
rsction.
What is 1t. monsieur 90 she cried,
what IS 1t that has separated me from
Charlotte at this last moTaentF'
And did she ten you nothing? asked
the regent, kindly.
S told me only that 1t had been
done at her request and that she wished
it She bade me goodey at her car
riage window. and said that you would
explain 1t all to me-"
And so 1 shall" said the regent
You would wish to do what my daugh-
ter desires you to do. would you not,
mademoiselle. and what you knew
would make her happier"
oh, n. lie Due. can you ask
No, l do not nee to ask" n the
regent smiled into her anxious face.
Only, before beginning, I wish to as
sure you, nademoiselle. that that which
follows is really what my daughter
does wish, n what Will. I am certain,
truly make her happier. You will be-
Neve me, mademoiselle
i VIII try to do so,'' and Louise
looksSat him wonderinsly. Evidently
she. also vas not acquainted with this
Sit down, then, mademoiselle." he
said, and o also, NJ. de Brancas.
What " to say Will take some time
and l do not wish to weary you"
We did as he babe, and I gazed at
Louise with all my love in my eyes.
but she did not ~vouchsafe me a glance.
We must first with NJ.
de Brancas." n the regent picked up
some papers which were lying on the
table at his elbow. Il pray neither Of
you to interrupt me until I have fin
she'd. This paper which 1 hold in my
hand is the report of the Marquis
dAncenis, captain of the guards. It
informs me that among the gentlemen
who We're found in the salon of Ma
dame du Maine on the night of the dis
coVery of the plot was a certain M.
Jean de Brancas. 1t adds that there
can be no possible doubt Of his COM
plicity in the plot. that he had been
aware Of all its details for several DAYS.
that he was present at a conference
between Mile. de Launay n Prince
Cellamare, that on that occasion he re-
sisted and dangerously wounded one
OF M. Herault's agents, that he sub
sequently caused to be delivered to NJ.
aerault a number Of spurious papers
Tor the purpose of misleading him,
and that he has. in a word, been guilty
of treason"
but, NJ. lie Duo" protested Mile.
Dacour b regent stopped her with
a gesture.
M. de Brancas has, then, been guilty
OF the gravest crime which can be
charged against a subject Of France"
he continued. All persons who con-
spire against the kingdom must be
punished. To this there can be no ex-
ception. All Of the other conspirators
have been imprisoned. M. de Brancas
must, therefore, be imprisoned. Some
OF the other conspirators must lose
their heads. NJ. de Brancas' further
punishment has also to be considered"
AT last h looked at me-on a
glance. but a glance that made my
heart leap.
And have you brought me here to
torture me?" she cried.
Have PATIENCE" and the regent
smiled down again into her upturned
face. You will learn in a moment
m-ademoiselle. This" he continued
picking up another paper, as a second
report concerning M. de Brancas. II
relates how he escaped from the sailor
by o~verturning two of the guards
mounted a horse and ode away no one
knew whittier, evading two volleys
which were fired after him; Here is
third report, stating that Madame d,
Maine endeavored to prevent his es.
cape, and furnished a description of tn,
horse n rider, which was sent to al
the gates of Paris, and especially, a
her urgent request, to the Versatile
gate. This paper is h report of tn
commandant Of the Versailles gate.
recites how NJ. de Brancas arrived a
the gate In the gutse Of a courier, hav
Ing in some way obtained the pass
word; how. in the instant that an at
tempt was made to arrest him, he rod
down a sentry, forced open the gate
and plunged into the outer darknes:
The report adds that a volley of mus
kerry was fired after him, but that h
: apparently escaped uninjured, an
that the absence of horses pre-
vented a pursuit. Here is
report from Levau, chief surgeon {
the Hotel Dieu, to whom his case we
de Brancas was brought there suffer
ing from q pistol shot in the head an
another In the shoulder. that he recoy
cred from both wounds and was dis
charged practically well again.
The regent paused and I got anoth,
glance from Louise. She was breath
ing more freely and the color WAS n
turning to her face. What cared I f
the regent If only h loved me?
But the most important report
all is not here" he continued. 9TH
is my report. which, however. b,
never been put lntO WTltIl8. II lS I'll
on this same night I was returning
Paris from Versailles, where sor
business had summoned me. I h
passed st. Cloud, when out Of h wo
ahead rode a madman. who fred
pistol into the afr, cried to me to ga
myself, and rolled lifeless into t
road. The report would add that, up
examination, this mailman was fou
to be the same NJ. de Brancas concer
ing whom 80 many reports have I
ready been written. The report wot
conclude by stating that a plot to 9
sassinate me was subsequently disco
cred"
Again the regent paused for a n
ment. All! the Joy in my ear VIII
Louise looked at me q third time-tl
time almost with q smile.
I'm other words" went on the
gent, .the object OF this mad r
through the night, this overcoming
20 many obstacles, this encounter.
Of so many perils-in short t
achievement almost superhuman-v
to save my life from q band Of M
derers. For this I am grateful, an.
kr<opA IN adou INV gratitude. w