The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-04-18
NDnC WITH A Story of the
n ODDO wv L IL Cell are
-rr- Conspiracy by
1 III ~ Burton Egbert
convr.s,, bv - 3 LDp,ncott Company Stevenson
j. q. Lippincott Company

knocked at the DOR of my apartment,
and after she had entered. she told me
Of an act Of loyalty before which ]
count all this as nothing. She told me
Of a man who held honor above love
and friendship, n of a woman who
held loyalty and honor above love. Be
lieve me, monsieur and mademoiselle,
there are not many such. And In re-
turn for this my daughter suggested
that I also appoint a jailer for M. de
Brancas."
But, M. lie Due" protested Louise,
M. de does not need a Jailer.
His simple word Of honor, 1t seems to
me, should be sufficient"
/ confess my head was In a whirl,
1 knew not what to think.
$50 l thought" answered h regent,
and so l told my daughter. but ! was
silenced when she told me whom she
wished me to name as jailer. l have
made out the appointment here. o
will see it is in Tue form. i, Philip
d'Oneans, Regent of France, In the
name Of His Most Gracious Majesty.
Louis XIV, of France, do this day ap-
point as jailer of M. Jean de Brancas,
to securely guard upon his estate at
Arneaux by whatever means may
seem necessary, one Mile. Louise Da-
Louise uttered a cry Of astonish-
ment. / was on my feet in an instant.
The regent silenced us both with an
other wave Of the hand.
THE only condition being" he
continued, "'that Mile. Dacour shall be
united In marriage to the prisoner, M.
de Brancas, in order tina she may be
able to guard him more effectually at
all times. Signed, Philip d'Orleans,
Regent of France Now, M. de Bran
cas-, we will ear you first. Is 1t that
you object to this jailer?"
mo, NJ. lie Due" I answered, not
daring to glance at Louise. GOD
knows, l would willingly spend my
whole life in such a prison. But l ask
no assistance in love, monsieur, nor do
l wish any woman, however much l
love her, to be compelled to marry
me-
The regent looked at me for a mo-
ment with a smile.
"And who has said anything about
compulsion, my friend?" he asked.
Certainly, not I. 1t is for Mile. Da-
cour to choose. I fancy you would
suffer little with sucn a jailer, but If
she does not desire the position, she
has only to refuse it."
l turned to Louise. She, too, had
risen, and her face was rosy with
bushes and tender with a great ten
derness. She vas looking at me with
trimming eyes. For a moment / did
not understand.
'Louise!" / cried, "Louise!"
IN. lie Due" she said. with the pref
tiest bow in the world. Il believe l will
accept the trust"
In an instant she was in my arms.
and the regent, with smiling face, left
us lion together.
A LAST WORD.
The roses are blooming about me in
this little garden in Normandy, for it
is June, and six months have gone
since that memorable audience with
the regent-six months that have
passed like a dream. l have been busy
looking over my estate-how strangely
II sounds, even yet, to say my estate!"
getting acquainted with my people
and trying to make them love me.
1 receive a letter from Paris now and
then, and from these / learn the news.
Madame du Maine is still at Diton, and
the other conspirators are also still
in prison, but the regent Is not vim
dictiye. and / believe will soon release
them. To the Bretons he was not so
merciful, and more than n went to
the gibbet. But the kingdom is at
peace, and we hear no more or plots
against 1t.
/ close my eyes, and see again the
lovely face of Charlotte d'Orleans as /
saw it last and as I love best to re-
member It, and I pray that 1t may
yet be my good fortune to be of SER
vice to her. Stranger things have
happened. and. who knows, perhaps
some day the chance will come.
And Richelieu? All, Richelieu is
coming next week to be my guest, and
how I shall delight to take him by
the hand. to show him over my estate.
to talk with him again.
AS I lay down my pen l hear a
stealthy step upon the walk behind
me, and two soft hands are clasped
! upon my eyes.
Guess who 1t is" cries a merry
voice. .
1T do not need to guess, M love-
answer. my heart tells me too
surely" and I draw my wife's laugh
ing face down to mine and kiss her
fondly.
(The End.)
w. H-h IL