Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1913-07-10
CHAPTER XVIII.
rh. Mountebank and My LADY.


the light been stronger they must
have seen the start the mountebanK
gave. "Impossible!"
"Eh? What?" Surprised In turn
the officer gazed at him. "You dare
out with him!" To the soldiers.
But in a moment had the mounte-
bank recovered his old demeanor, and,
without waiting for the troopers to
obey the commandments order. walked
voluntarily toward the door and into
the passage.
Our supper! Our support! num-
Der Of the prisoners, croWding TOT
ward, began once more to call Justify.
when again was the disk-studded
woodwork swung unceremoniously to-
cutting short the sound OF their lam
entations.
"Dogs!" Malevolently the dwarf
gazed back. ITO want to gorge them
selves on a holy day"
"Pious Jacques!" murmured the
commandant. But l always said you
made model landlord"
when not interfered with" grum-
bled the otner.
"At any rate he doesn't seem to ap-
preciate his good fortune" with a
. glsznriat the mountebank.
80 jeering. "A gallant cavalier
We 70 sFeat lady's com:
~ Lar Ladyship overwhelms
me!S Wing grotesquely, our
LadysKps condesceusion'-
"Why, then, need you take me?" IN
+arnosed the mountebank quickly.
"Can YOU not tell her ladyship | am
not fit to appear In her presence-an
uncouth clown"
bah! I've already done that" an
svercd the commandant.
But how came her ladyship to
know of me-here-"
How indeed?'
"And what does she want OF me?'
That" roughly, you will find out!"
and stepped down the hall. followed
by the soldiers, mountebank ana
dwarf. the last of whom took leave OF
them at the door.
Clear was the night: the stars, ike
LIQUID drops about to fall, caressed
with silvery rays the granite piles
In contrast to the noisome atmosphere
of the prison, faint perfumes, borne
from some fowery slope of the dis
tant shore, swept dangerously IN and
out the open aisles and passages OF
the Mount. In such an hour that up
per region seemed to belong entirely
to the sky; to partake of its wondrous
stiffness: to share it's mysteries and
its secrets Like intruders, penetrat-
ing an enchanted spot, now they trod
soft shadows; then, dangerous, beat
beneath foot delicate laceworks OF
light.
Here we are!" The officer stopped.
At the same time upon nearby bal
cony a nightingale began to sing, ten
tatiyely, as If trying the scope and
ouality of its voice. You are to go
I'M" he announced abruptly.
Such a fine palace! II would
rather mott" muttered the fellow, as
thew crossed an outer threshold and
proceeded to mount some polished
stairs.
stubborn dolt. Now in you march,
pausing before door. But, hark
you! and my men remain without.
So. mind your behavior, Or" look
from the commandant completed the
sentence
Alone, In an apartment of the pal
ace. some moments later, the mounte-
banks demeanor underwent quick
change; he glanced hastily toward the
door the commandant had closed in
leaving, and then, with sudden bright
ening gaze, around him, as II making
note of every detail of his surround
ings Set with columns of warm
hued marble, relieved with ornate
carvings and designs, the spacious
chamber presented an appearance at
once graceful and charming. Nor
we're It's furnishings at variance with
its architectural elegance; on every
hand soft colors met the eye, In rugs
of ancient pattern; in tapestries, sub.
dued; in the upholstering of Breton
oak. A eliminating note was in the
center OF the room, where a great
bunch of roses opened wide their
petals.
p,,t briefly. however, the clown per-