Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-02-08
CHAPTER x1-{continued.)

n l looked with Interest at chose
about me. They struggled into the
though each successive generation.
prohibited by the royal edict from
building without the walls, had at last
found q home by adding an extra story
20 the ancestral do1niciles. The flood
81 houses, which had long before over
whelmed the walls Of the old city was
fast piling up within the new walls as
within a great reservoir. and another
humiliation of he surrounding country
could not be far distant. Each house
had Its sign, projecting far n the
street. and from every story protruded
. spout which, in rainy weather. pre-
the passersby. The fronts Of the
houses were for the most part Of wood
and plaster and. where not concealed
BY hills, indescribably dirty. Many Of
them seemed on h point of falling
down. and were saved from that fate
only by leaning against their more for
posters were everywhere, bearing some
piece Of political satire OF morsel of
ecandalous gossip.
I turned into the Rue St. Honore.
and was soon again in the midst of a
tumult as great as that upon the Quays.
able. and there were in consequence
more beggars. I knew no in 1t. so,
unconsciously catching the spirit of
the place, l hurried on past the Palais
Royal. at which I cast a lingering
glance. wondering IL 1t would ever be
my good fortune to join the throng of
gayly dressed courtters and enter bold
~ with them. Turning down the Rue
st. Louis, I soon gained the Tuileries.
The entrance to that portion Of the
palace, the Pavilion Marsan, occupied
by Madame du Maine was almost de-
serted. but a lacquey who was loung-
ing In the vestibule took in my name,
and, returning in a moment. informed
me that I was to enter. He led me to
. small room at the left. where I found
h duchess and Mile. de Launay to-
gether. buisily occupied In examining
. vast number of formidable looking
papers.
ENTER, M. de Brancas." cried the
duchess. seeing me pause upon the
threshold. You are not intruding. In
fact. you come most fortunately and
Just al the moment when Mile de
Launay and I were wishing for some
enc like yourself, who could be trusted.
shall try to merit your trust" and l
entered n bowed to both the ladies.
T had scarcely expected to find you
et work 30 early"
"Ah! it seems to me that we never
have time for repose," exclaimed the
OuCxl06Ss lllCIc Is ~ XIIuClI W Oo
done and SO few whom l can trust to
do It. But tell me. monsieur, what has
become of Richelieu? I have not seen
him for an age"
I related briefly the adventures Of
the duke and myself. taking care to
with the regent, and adding that as
Rtchelieu was en- route for Bayonne.
believed 1t best for him to remain there
for a time.
YES" said the duchess. thoughtfully.
when l had finished, II believe so my
self. The match will Don be applied
here, and then he would have TO be at
Bayonne in any case But this morning.
NJ. de Brancas, I wish to ask your COM
pany for Mile. de Launay. who has all
errand to do which will not permit the
use of a carriage II who Einds it Inn
possible to thread lneSe owe strec.s
without an escort"
81 shall be only too happy to be
Of service" l answered., Ii at d Sig,
from the duchess her Win
drew to make ready for the street.
you can judge to maj straits we
arc reduced, monsieur" continued MA
dame, with a note of sadness and dis
enlargement in her voice, the first !
had ever heard there" when i tell You
that Mile. de Launay is the only one
there is to whom 1 can intrust mis-
sions which require q certain courage
and finesse. There are many, 1t is true,
who offer their services, but none upon
whom can rely as upon this girl
could think of nothing to say tliat
would not be mere banafity, n as
she busted herself carefully tying up
q bundle Of papers, / looked at her
more attentively. I was &c surprised
TO find her face pale and careworn, and
I did not doubt that II was passing
~sleepless nights and harassing days In
Hh4 orIcovf1r tn get all the threads of
this conspiracy Strengthened out and
properly arranged-that she worked
while others merely talked. Mile. de
Launay soon returned and h duchess
handed her the packet of papers which
I had seen her arrange.
"You will find all the needed infOr-
nation there" she said, land remember
that you cannot urge too strongly the
need Of haste. Every 1 fear
that something will happen to rendei
oil our work useless. There, hasten,'
she continued, Diminishing us with 9
GESTURE" and do not keep me waiting
longer than necessary for your report.
I'VE will not make ourselves n
essarily conspicuous, monsieur" said
my companion, as we left the room,
and she led the way along a wide hal
running to h rear Of the building. We
descended into q small court. bounde
on n side by a high wall and on the
other by a row Of buildings, and passed
across this to q gate in the wall at the
end. She opened the gate with a key
she took from her pocket, and locked
It after us. We found ourselves in Z
narrow little street which opened into
tho Rue de IEchelle.
sour mission IL, then, q secret one:'
asked a. we entered this street.
mo, not just that" answered the
rirl. smiling at me, and yet 1t Is vel
% 30 cautious. We arc going to see 9
9entlenan who lives In the Rue Vile