The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-08-14
CHAPTER vI-(continued.)

well, Monsieur. by doing so you will
Inevitably ruin yourself. The original OF
that document Is in The hands OF a friend
Of mine; I have arranged to inform him
every day at a certain hour that I am
alive and free. Should he not hear
from me, say, tomorrow, he is In
structed to place that document in the
hands Of Monsieur de Maupeou, the
vice-chancellor. I leave you to g1aess
the result" h
It was at this moment that De Sar.
tines perceived quite clearly that he
was lost, unless he could propitiate o.
circumYent this subtle ,intelligence
against whom he had pitted himself.
Madame" said he, this document
was in the keeping of Monsieur de
Indeed? Well, it is in his keeping
no longer. Oh, believe me, monsieur,
the game Is now in my hands: I can
break you like q china figure at any
moment I like. And now, do you know
what YOU r thinking You are think
ing: When this woman leaves here ]
and / shall find but with whom she has
placed the weapon; I shall arrest him
and search his house. Well, monsieur,
II, when5I leave here, I find III that
I am being followed, ] shall take q very
drastic course. / shall leave Paris for
three days and let things take their
way"
"Mondieu" said De sartines. upon
whose face the sweat was standing,
sail this is beside the point"
Which point, monsieur" .r'@ -
why, ma fol! that you r consider
ing me In the light of an enemy. /.
who have no personal animosity to you
at ell. All, madame, too late I have
perceived your genius. Even now an
IAN alliance with youl Come, mon
sieur, we are wasting valuable time,
and I have my monkeys to attend to-
She turned and re-entered the room
where the others were all standing.
De 6artines, behind her, filed with
fury and CONSERVATION, still wore an
appearance of unconcern.
And now, monsieur" said the bar
oness, that we have finished business,
let us have some pleasure. ] am hun
"If madame will Join US at table
~Sit at table with those! No, mon
sieur. Besides, I am only hungry for
my dessert" 80
Madame de stenlis turned from De
Joyeuse, with whom she had been
speaking. to the Comtesse d'Harlan-
court, and laughed. Al
Madame said the baroness, Mon
sieur de Sartines' power is limitless,
and I am the master of Monsieur de
Sartines," <
surely, madame, his mistress2" put
in the comtesse.
Monsieur de sartines, you will kind
ly reply to the comtesse, who has twice
insulted me-" a#&% &
Now, for the comtesse, Madams de
Stenlis and De Joyeuse, the minister Of
police had that contempt which the po-
lice official had for all those In his
power. In that bureau OF his where
we have seen him writing, he had their
whole histories, and IL was the fate of
these unfortunates that their histories
were in themselves accusations. D'Har-
lancourt had not poisoned her first
husband, according to popular report,
but she had ruined three men and was
infamous. De Joyeuse was a cheat who
had used cogged dice, betrayed women,
beaten the town for three years and
was suspected of worse crimes than
these. Madame de Stenlis was q neu-
rotic unprintable. One may fancy the
rage of De Sartines at being jockeyed
before all these whom with n sweep
of his hand he could have sequestsred
rs ne perceived that they were covert
ly laughing at him.. ~
well, madame" cried he, turning on
Madame d'Harlancourt with a face
that ~astonished her, what now? I am
the host here today. Must my guests
be insulted2' n
"corbleul' cut In the baroness, shat
Is not the way to speak to a woman OF
that sort. Speak. monsieur, as You
spoke to me-or take the conse-
sQuences."
At this threat 30 optnly made Ma
dame de Stenlis Uttered. It was the
last straw. Furious, unable to attack
the strong woman who had him, liter
ally, In her power he attacked the
weak.