The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-06-14
THE THREE GUARDSMEN

and naughty, under her black hood
 The eyes of Porthos were furtively
 east upon this lady and then roved
 about at large over the nave.
 On her side the lady, who from time to time blushed. darted with the rapid fly, of lightning a glance toward the 1nconstant Porthos. He, seeing this, began to make signals to beautiful lady who was near the choir and who not only was beautiful lady. but, still further no doubt, great lady, for she had behind her negro boy, who had brought the cushion on which she knelt, and female servant.
 The lady with the red cushion pro duced a great effect-for she was very handsome-upon the lady with the black hood, who saw in her rival really to be dreaded; a great effect upon Porthos, who thought her much more pretty than the lady with the black hood; . great effect upon DAT tagnan, who recognized in her the lady of Meung, of Calais and Dover, whom his persecutor, the man with the scar, had saluted by the name of milady.
 D'Artaenan, without losing sight of the lady of the red cushion, continued to watch the proceedings of Porthos, which amused him greatly. He direct ly guessed that. the lady of the black hood was the lawyers wife mentioned by the innkeeper of Chantilly as Por- thos' duchess"
 He guessed, likewise, that Porthos was taking his revenge for the defeat of Chantilly, when. the woman had proved so refractory with respect to her purse. The sermon over, the 1awyers wife advanced toward the basin of holy water. Porthos went before her and. instead of finger, dipped his whole hand in. The procureuse smiled, think ing that 1t was for her that Porthos put himself to this expense, but she was cruelty and promptly undeceived- When she was only about three steps from him he turned his head round. fixing his eyes Invariably upon the lady of the red cushion, who had risen and was approaching, followed by her black boy and her maid
 When the lady of the red cushion came close to Porthos, Porthos drew his dripping hand from the basin. The fair devotee touched the great hand of Porthos with her delicate fingers, smil- ed, made the sign of the cross and left the church.
 This was too much for the other wo man. She entertained no doubt that there was an affair of gallantry be tween this lady and Porthos. She con- tented herself with saying to the mus keteer with concentrated fury:
 "Eh, M. Porthos, you don't offer me any holy water?'
 Porthos at the sound of that voice started like a man awakened from a sleep of a hundred years.
 ''Ma-madame," cried he, t'is that you :? How is your husband, our dear M. Go quenard? Is he still as stingy as ever! Where can my eyes have been not to have even perceived you during the two hours the sermon has lasted?"
 'T was within two paces of you, mon- sieur," ]" replied she, ''but you did not per ceive me because you had no eyes but for the pretty lady to whom you just now gave the holy water"
 Porthos pretended to be confused.
 "Yes," said he; ''that is a duchess of my acquaintance with whom I have great trouble to meet on account of the jealousy of her husband and who sent me word that she should come today" I'M. Porthos," said the procureuse, Twill you have the kindness to offer me your arm for i've minutes? have something to say to you"
 Certainly, madame" said Porthos, w1nking to himself. At that moment DArtagnan passed in pursuit of mi lady. He cast passing glance at Por- thos and beheld this triumphant look. !. "Ah, M. Porthos," cried she-"ah, M. Porthos, you are a great cor "ror, 1t appears. That must be p ss at least, that lady with her negr y and her maid"
 Madame, you are deceived; she is simply a duchess
 "Ah, you are quite the pet of the ladies, M. Porthos! How quickly men forgetw
 ''Still less quickly than the women, in my opinion" replied Porthos; "as proof, madame, may say was your victim; when wounded, dying, r was abandoned by the surgeons; I. the off spring of noble family, who placed reliance upon your friendship, was near dying of my wounds at first and of hunger afterward, in beggarly inn at Chantilly, without your ever deign- ing once to reply to the burning let ters addressed to you"
 "But, M. Porthos," murmured the woman, who began to feel that, to judge by the conduct of the great ladies of the time, she was wrong. "lt was my husband that would not hear of lending"
 Mime. c,oquenard," said Porthos, .xemembeE- the first letter ToR wrote