The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-10-02

LIKE De Sartines. he glanced az his
watch before placing his foot on the
address Of Number IL, Rue Coz Heron
to the driver.
The coach drove sway, exchanged the
rattle OF the pavinE-stOnes In the
Xcourtyard for the ven motion Of the
wheels upon the weli-kept outer way,
and, entering the Paris road headed
FOR the city at a spanking pace.
DE Maupeou took from his pocket the
paper he had just received from the
king M glanced at IL.
"A few minutes ago the thing had
been worthless; now, with that sprawl
ing signature, IL was priceless for the
purposes Of De Maupeon.
He refolded 1t. put 1t back in his poe
ket and folded HIS hands.
That De Sartines had committed
some frightful indiscretion or crime. he
felt sure eGlally sure was heZJhat the
baroness had the evidence OF it, He
licked his lips a t the thought OF the
paper in his pocket that gave him alb
solute power over both De Sartines and
the woman, should evidence be forth
coming that either Of them was i'm
plIcated, and was on the point OF look
ing at his watch again when the coach
lurched, recovered, seemed to shake st.
self. and then turned over on Its side
with a crash.
TO the occupant it was as though the
world had suddenly upset. Half
stunned, bleeding from q cut on his left
hand, imprisoned like a rat in a trap. he
could only shout for help, while the
horses, with the pole broken and lying
on their sides, engaged the attention OF
the driver, who freed them by cutting
the traces and then, rushing to the
-
"Mordieui" cried the vice-chancellor,
as he stood at last on the road. what
an ESCAPED But what caused it2 +
have driven all my life, but never have
K experienced an upset like this. Did
you u into anything?n
Monsieur" said the man, rising
from an examination or the wreck, tho
.linch-pins have been tempered with.
and the miracle to me is that we have
driven so far without a breakdown"
How far are we from Versailles 2"
"a mile and d half, monsieur"
De Maupeou looked at his watch. II
had stopped. There was not a soul to
be seen on the road. It was a beautl-
full evening, and not q cloud stained
azure from the spires and domes OF
the town and palace OF Versailles to
the domes and spires OF Paris.
A lark was singing above. and the
faint, warm wind OF spring brought
the scene OF earth and flowers to the
distracted vice chancellor. Nature
seemed knocking him.
Having glanced up and down the
road In search of help, he fixed his at
Itention on the coachman, who had got
one OF the horses upon its legs; the
other, severely injured and unable to
rise, would have to be shot.
"Linch-ptnsi" said De Maupeou.
t0Tlnn f6a rvhaalo hoNfA hnnT farxnnaRad
aYes, monsieur: that I'd swear. Both
of-wheels. All! the scamps! II ] had
hold Of themi"
.Cordieu!" said the vice chancellor.
bending down TO examine the wreck.
The thought had come to him that
this was the work OF De Sartines, done
on purpose to delay him. IL this were
so, there was all the more reason for
haste, ais the affair must be of the last
Importance, else the minister or police
would not have stopped to such O.
means.
"Cordieui" creld he. II must be In
Paris by $3.50. My watch is stopped.
IL I only knew the time! Stay what
Al pun OF dust from the road as iii
entered Versailles rose on the wind;
a vehicle OF some sort was approach
ing. AS 1t drew nearer II proved to be
o. yellow cabriolet OF the type that
piled for hire In Paris and Versailles.
The horse In the shafts was going at
q good pace, and now De Maupeou
could hear the little bells OF the har-
ness.
'Fool!" said he, thinking OF De
ISartines. UNLESS he meant to kill me
outright, he must have known that q
vehicle passes along the Paris road
every few minutes n that the vice
chancellor of France, with money In
his pocket, could not possibly be de-
tanned long by such a simple and silly
trick. FOOL"
He used the word again, mentally, as
he hailed the cabriolet, which stopped.
He did not know in the least, however.
that the genius OF the piece In which
he was now acting was not De Sar-
tines, but Rappelier. a much more for
midable antagonist and a person,
moreover, who thought out aplan to
the mlnutest detail.
In the cabriolet was seated q gentle-
man with q singularly open and good
lhumoIed face, who was being driven
to Paris.
why, mon Dleui" cried this gentle
man, as his vehicle stopped, there we
have an accident, IL seemsl"
Monsieur" cried De Maupeou, r.
have just escaped with my life. My
carriage Is, as you see, broken; II is
essential for me to reach Paris by
$50. May I rave a seat In your cab
rioIet?"
.. NL-a