The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-03-28
CHAPTER Xxx
THE SECRET STAIRCASE.

I fell bach into my chair and gazed
at Riche!teu IN ~speechless horror. This
was q blow I had not foreseen and
which I was totally u~nprepared to
q second time. In fact, he appeared
10 hold ell the winning cards.
IT suspected that Orleans would try
a game Of this kind" continued the
duke after g moment. You remember
l warned you against It, de Brancas7"
Yes. I remember" I greaned, and
yet I did nothing TO prevent It"
] Rfchelieu arose quickly and came
toward me.
believe me-" he said, taking my
hand, 81 am not blaming you In h
least, my friend. But you nave a band
g about your head. You have been
wounded, then? Forgive me for allow
ing my own affairs TO blind me So"
I answered with a pressure of the
hand.
You nave not heard9" I asked
quickly.
Il have heard nothing" said Richie
lieu. They permitted me to receive
no one, to speak to no one. They would
not even permit me to wave my hand
kerchtef to you, as you know. What
has "happened?"
AS briefly as I could I told him h
story of Madame du Names arrest and
repeated what I had already heard
from d'Ancenis.
This is all very WELL" said Richie
lieu, when 1 had finished. but you have
not yet told me how you received your
wound, de Brancas. Come, my friend,
l suspect another OF your dare devil
adventures. Tell me about. IT."
So I told him the story of my night
ride and the rescue of the regent. Rich
ellen heard me with sparkling eyes.
Twas well done" he cried. "Ry
my word, I would I had been there.
| Vnr. - i~h A.
ton is something no gentleman can
countenance. I am surprised that Ma
dame du Maine should go SO far. She
must indeed have been Desperate" He
remained silent for some moments,
musing deeply. so the regent was too
quick for us and everything is known
even my treason. for so it must APP
pear to him. In faith, / do not wonder
he had sworn to have my head. And
yet" he added, IT would he a taken
it rather han that Charlotte should
pay this price"
How did you learn of it?, I cues
toned.
Al hour ago. said Rfchelieu, "a
guard came to my cell and told me to
follow him 1 did not doubt that my
destination was the Place de Greve,
but I had found Imprisonment so irk-
some that I was ready to welcome any
change, even the block. Besides, I was
not sorry to have the opportunity of
showing the regent how a gentleman
should die. / was taken to the office
of Maison-Rouge n left there alone
with him. He told me that the regent
had ordered my release, and when I
remained too astonished to reply he
handed me a note.
Ills from the regent he said.
L opened the note, suspecting some
new blow. You may guess my feelings
when l saw that 1t was a command
to be present tomorrow morning al the
Palafs Royal to witness the marriage
by proxy Of Charlotte and the Due de
Modena. Across the bottom of the note
was written, the price paid for the
the note into a thousand pieces. I told
Maison-Rouge that I would not accept
the price and commanded him to take
me back to my cell. He merely smiled,
n said that h price had already
been accepted by the regent, since my
head belonged no longer to me but to
him. and calling W guards, he had
me led to the outer gate, which was
closed behind me-"
TIL wage twas the first time in the
history of the Bastile that a prisoner
had to be forced to leave it, ] cried.
regent has o~verleaped himself In re-
leasing o SO soon The price may
have been accepted. but 1t is not yet
paid"
Not yet paid2"
mo. And furthermore. 1t need never
be paid if you do not wish It"
You have q plan, them" cried
Richelieu, his face Frightening.
Perhaps"
Come, let us have It." and he
clasped my hand again. II should have
remembered that I had your clear brain
and loyal heart still TO rely upon"
Answer me one question, NJ. lie Due"
I said. Suppose the princess and your
self were in q carriage speeding to-
wards h frontier. Suppose your flight
was not discovered for eight or 10
hours. Do you think you would be
safe?"
one hours start we should be safe,
| have O dozen horses che like of which
are not to be, found In France, not ever
In the regents stables"