Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-03-21

What. is it,"
'Orders for you, monsieur. You will
e them at once. And now. open the
gate. 1 have further advices for tbs
regent. who is at Versailles"
THE password. monsieur" said the
~commandant of the post.
"Rocroy," answered the courier.
Quickly, let me pass"
The gates We're opened on thu n
slant, and the rider put u to his
horse and disappeared into the dark
ness of the road without. The gates
were shut again, and the commandment
retired to the guard house to read his
orders.
In an instant I saw my opportunity.
| crept along the street until l reached
my horse. Quickly mounting, l turned
him down a side street, and came out
road by which the courier had come.
With Il touch of the spur 1 urged my
horse into a gallop, and approached the
gate precisely as the first courier had
ono
"open!" L cried. o the kings
service"
"Pardieu." growled the sentry. lit
seems to me there are many couriers
passing here tonight. Something must
be afoot. The password, if o
please"
"Rocroy," l answered.
All flGIlC, my lFlellu, WdII n HiO
ment," and he placed his hand on n
Of the gates and half opened 1T as the
commandment came running from the
house, his orders still in his hand.
Hold. Batard!" he cried to the SEN
try, Il wish to see this gentleman"
The man paused, still holding the gate
half open.
Let me see," he continued, holding
the paper up to the light and scanning
1t closely. About 2O-gray suit-gray
cloak-light mustache-light hair
mounted on black horse" he looked at
me for a moment keenly. you cannot
pass, monsieur" he said. ut seems to
whom I have Just received an order to
arrest and hold at all hazard. Close
the gate. Batard."
But I had understood before he nm
ished. I drove my spurs deep into the
horses TANKS, and with one bound up
set the fellow who was still holding the
%half-opened gate. At the same In
slant the horse struck the gate, the
force of the shock swinging 1T still
farther open. We were through the
opening before the guards had time to
realize that was escaping and plunged
into the darkness without the wallis.
For the third time that night I knew
that l should receive a vollcy In the
| rear, and l bent low in my saddle as
the shots rang out behind me. Luckily.
the rascals We're too astonished to aim
accurately. and the bullets whistled
| harmlessly over me. But there might
be a pursuit, and l did not allow my
horse to Stacker his pace until the bar
rier was far behind.
AS I rode l reflected upon this new
| perfidy of the duchess, for that she had
furnished Herault the description
which had been sent to the Versailles
gate 1 did not doubt, and was amazed
anew at the daring and ingenuity of
this oma who knew how to use even
her enmies in accomplishing her ends.
At last, believing myself safe from pur-
suit, l drew up and looked about me.
1t was lighter here than in the narrow
streets of the city, and the noon was
just peeping over the horizon, but still
l could see little. l had been delayed
not less han half an hour at the bar
rier and knew that l had no time to
lose, so l put spurs to my horse again
and continued rapidly onward. In a
few moments 1 came to a place where
the road forked. Which was the road
to Versailles, the right or the left? I
did not know. and seeing no way Of
finding out, chose the left at a hazard
n continued on. l had not ridden far
when l saw at the side Of the road
ahead Of me a dim light. AS l drew
nearer 1 perceived that it came from
the window of a low and squalid hut.
Here. perhaps, I might be able to gain
the information l sought. l rode my
horse up to the door, and. drawing a
pistol from the holster, raped with it's
butt.
There was silence for a moment
within the house, and the door slowly
opened. AS it did so I was astonished
to see that the candle which had been
burning a moment before had been ex-
tinguished.
What is it, monsieur" asked a voice
from h darkness within.
rs this the road to Versailles ?"
questioned.
NO. monsieur answered the voice,
the wrong road at the forks a mile
back. Return there, monsieur, and take
the right hand road. Follow 1t straight
ahead and 1t will lead you to Ver-
sailles."
MANY thanks" 1 answered., and
l heard the click Of a pistol within the
room.
who goes to Versailles at this hour
and for what cried another voice,
which I seemed to recognize and yet
could not place. Hold. monsieur 1t
covered with my pistol and I never
miss"
There was a note Of braggartry in
the voice which refreshed my memo
::Ah. 1t is cartouche." 1 said. II wish
you good evening. monsieur"
And who may you beg" he asked.
"You have the best Of me. monsieur? p
Doubtless" I laughed. You NEE,
so many people, and usually In the
dark. But you may. perhaps, remem-
Der an encounter some nights bach
with a man who was lost in Paris, and
who was v from o rascals only
hv The timely arrival 0f tho nuo a.