The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-01
books Of Monsieur de Maneval

books Of Monsieur de ManevaL
These books OF Monsieur de Msr~
val were mostly illustrated, and were
so piquant that the mildest of them
would in our age be relegated to the
highest and most inaccessible shelves
of curio hunters collection. Indeed,
the whole of Monsieur de Richelieu's
library might have been cataiogued
under three divisions; books like these,
books concerning war, and books rela-
tive to the chase.
De LuSSac, taking a, volume entitled.
Les Sontes de Suzanc, written by =
gentleman named RAPPORT, and bearing
the imprimatur, Paris, Iz3z," laid i
on the little table left vacant by Raffe,
opened IT and sat down before i.
The adventures of Suzane, however.
admirably as they were described by
Monsieur RAPPORT, held little interest
for De Lussac; in fact, his eyes never
once rested on the book.
The bureau of Monsieur de Richie
lieu had all his attention, held his
eyes. fascinated him. There were six
drawers in it.
In his pocket was the bunch of seven
keys. the exact facsimiles of the KEYS
OF Monsieur de Richelieu. Each of
these keys was different in size and
shape from its fellows. 1t was prob
able, therefore, that only one key could
open any drawer in the bureau, and II
was presumable that the locks were of
the same caliber. He took the bunch
from his pocket. Yes, beyond any doubt
hve OF these keys were much too broad
IN the barrel and too heavy of make
to enter the lock-holes; one kew was
so small as to be quite out of count
it evidently beloned to a trinlet case;
one remained, seeming of a size ex-
actly suitable.
With the perspiration standing in
beads on his forehead. De Lussac rose
from his seat, paused before the bu-
reau, listening intently for the slight
est sound outside and then. boldly and
with perfectly steady hand inserted
the key in the lock of the topmost
right-hand drawer; it turned with the
ease of a perfect mechanism.
DE Lussac caught a glimpse of pa
PeTS IN the drawer before pushing it
back and removing the key Then. rap
idly bending, he tried the middle draw
er on the left. The key opened it also.
This satisfied him The key was the
maSter-key of the bureau, all the draw
ers opened to It, and placing tAe bunch
IN his pocket, he sat down again and
began slowly to turn over the pages OF
the Contes dc Suzane.
Up till now, he had been working
without a plan. but now as he sat.
breathing hard from the excitement of
the last few minutes and turning the
pages OF the book, plan both practical
and simple formed itself in his brain.
lie would wait till night, then, while
the household was asleep. he would
leave his room, descend the stairs. en-
ter the library and with the whole
night before him TO work in, finish the
vile business at one stroke
1t did occur to him that there was
OMNIBUS in the seeming SIM
pllclty OF all this. or ANYTHING strange
IN the fact that such an astute man
as the due should leave his most i'm
portant papers so carelessly placed.
He did not know the fact that this
library and its contents were guarded
with the utmost care. and that Raffe
would never have left it had he-De
LusSac-been stranger or any one at
all but a near kinsman OF the dues.
As he sat turning the doubtful pages
OF the ConteS de Suzane. a voice
sounded from the hall. the door open
ed and Monsieur le Luc. walking with
the light step of a man of twenty, and
dressed III riding attire, entered the
room.
There was something astonishing. al
most disturbing in the youthfuiness OF
De Richelieu. 1t was almost impossi-
bic TO believe that this man was the
conqueror of Mahon. the lover of wom-
en- long dead. the boon companion OF
men whose very names were half for
gotten; man whose figure had become
part of romance and history, still
youthful, brilliant. and filed with the
ambitions of the world
Ratfe alone saw the real Richelieu
IS ne appeared in the morning before
MS valet and the excitement OF the
lay had transformed him and awakened
% life that vast fund of energy which
vas his chief possession.
10 BE CONTINUED NEXT SUNDAY.