Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-06-20
r. lzeMINISTER
x& q POLICE
M By HENRY MoNTJOY
+ W. c.ydsht 1917 Tie 1AeMeru csms.ax
A turnkey entered.

A turnkey entered.
Third Bertaudiere. number %, cor
ridor number q" said Vitry, handing
the man a slip Of paper on which he
had been scribbling.
The turnkey. paper in hand. turned
to De I1ussac; but before he could
speak the comte made a step toward
Vitry's desk
Monsieur" he said. II have been
arrested. I AVE been brought here, and
1t seems / am to be imprisoned. l
have only one question to ask Why
has this been done?"
Monsieur" replied Vitry, .all ques-
tions and complaints must be addressed
to the governor. Monsieur De Launay."
When can I see the governor?"
When? Tomorrow, perhaps: but 1t
is not necessary for YOU to see him;
questions or complaints ear be adj
dressed to him in writing"
Mon Dieu!" cried the unfortunate
young nan II am then imprisoned
haps. see the governor tomorrow. o.
Monsieur. beware of what you do An
injustice like this is q crime. l ask.
Simply, what 1 have lone that I should
be seized like this and imprisoned. and
you give me an answer which is no an
swer. You refuse to tell me-"
The man OF parchment at the desk
turned to the jailer who nae now
opened the door.
Number %, corridor number T." he
said.
Follow me-" said the jailer.
De Lussac looked round him as
though he were looking for sympathy
or help. Then, with a gesture impos-
sible to describe, he followed the Off
Ger. In tn corridor some one touched
him on the shoulder. It was Beaure-
gard.
Courage. MY friend" said the big
man, your case may cot be so a as
you suppose. You have always your
kinsman, the Duo de Richelieu, to fall
kback upon"
N~That was the last straw. and De
Lussac scarcely heard Beauregard say
ing good-by. as the lieutenant of De
S%artines turned away bound for light
and air and freedom. leaving his
charge to follow the TALLER.
This parsonage, who wore the semi
' uniform of h state prisons n car
4 ried at his belt q heavy bunch of keys,
led the way along the corridor till they
reached q door. iron studded and made
hideous by q lock of enormous size.
and OF such q complicated nature that
1t took the Taller a full minute in
the Bastile so complicated, con
structed with such horrible ingenuity,
that 1t would take at least five minutes
to master them. ~
The jailer held the door open for de
Lussac to pass through, and they as
cended a circular stone staircase. The
walls of this place were fungus grown
n still showed stains caused by the
torches of the archers, arbaletriers. and
musketeers OF past ages; the steps
were tread-worn by the feet of genera
ttons of prisoners. guards and jailers.
They passed through another corri-
dor till they reached a stairway.
1t led to another corridor, halfway
down which the jailer halted. took the
bunch of keys from his belt and opened
q door,.
De Lussac saw before him a square
stone cell lighted by a window. high
placed, and. protected by heavy Iron
bars. A bed stood in one corner, q
table in the center and a chair by the
table. A pitcher of water stood upon
the table.
There was no other furniture at all.
AS he stood for a before en-
tering this place, suddenly, from away
down the corridor came the ghost of
q voice; high-pitched. cracked and
faint as though strained through some
the verse of a song common in the
streets of Paris some 20 years before.
De Lussac, shivering, entered the cell,
drew h chair from the table and sat
down.
Your supper will be brought to YOU
at g." said the turnkey, speaking for
the first time. Should you care to pay
you will be we'll served; you can ever
have wine. What money have your"
~ do not want wine. Bring me pa
per, pens and ink"
Paper and pens-what for 2"
Il wish to write to thesg governor"
"That's RIA they all say" replied
the man In a grumbling voice. well,
IL 1t amuses you. you can have your
paper and pens, but they cost money"
De Lussac took a louis from his
pocket and gave it to the jailer.
That will pay you. When can I
have them?'
8 o'clock"
but l must have them at once"
Patience" replied the Taller.
He glanced round the cell in q per-
functory manner. went out, and shut
the door. With the closing Of the door
came the click OF the lock, and then
absolute and perfect silence
n prisoner could not ven hear the
footsteps Of his jailor r%etreating down
the corridor. Like the fortress Of st.
Peter n St. Paul, which still exists
to h shame of civilization, the bastile
had supreme and crowning terror.
its silence.
Silence had been built into the place
by the masons who abored at those
walls 30 feet thick. Silence, old as the
times of Louis XI. Silence. complete
and steadfast like this. has a person
atty, at least during h first few hours
OF ones acquaintance with 1t. 1t seems
to be listening and at the same time
observing one. De Lussac. fresh from
the sounds OF the streets. and the
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