The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-07-10
CHAPTER II (continued,o

Then render 1t by explaining your
self quickly, for my time is not my
own
Monsieur" replied Placide, coming
onward closer to Sartines, Il am in the
service Of Madame la Baronne Linden.
l am also in her secrets" He laughed
and paused for a moment.
Proceed
Il am not satisfied with my mistress,
monsieur"
"A common complaint with servants.
Proceed"
THE other day, monsieur, 1 discov-
cred that the police were making in
quiries about Madame la Baronne.
An agent of police, disguised,
attempted to enter the house
by making love to Rosine, the
maid. She repulsed him, n 1 a the
honor to assist, with a bucket of water.
Well, monsieur, l said to myself, If the
police are so anxious to find out some
thing about Madame la Baronne, there
is perhaps something to find out."
One moment" said de Sartines.
What is you name?"
"Placide, monsieur"
go on"
We'll, monsieur, heaven has given
me a fine nose for hunting out intrigues.
and l said to myself, Here is your
chance of obtaining a post in the police
agency, where. the pay is good. Mon
Y NC . liz IL i liIS 10 luu out
something about madame. Let US try
If We can't help Monsieur de Sartines.
Now l said to myself; in a case where
you want to find out anything about a
woman, look for the man. Whom does
madame favor most? Why. the Conte
de Lussac. :"
"Aha!" said de Sartines, beginning
to feel some respect for the miserable
old sinner who seemed to glory in the
betrayal of his mistress. And did you
follow the Comte de Lussac?"
oh, no, monsieur. | stuck to my
mistress. h left Paris for Compiegne,
taking me with her as well as the maid,
Rosine. We had scarcely been wv
hours at the Villa Rose-for that was
the name of the house where we were
s~taying-Wlen a messenger from Paris
arrived on horseback, with a note for
madame.
The messenger was Jasmin. Mon
sieur de Lussac's confidential servant.
Il, it vas who opened the door and
took the note; madame was in her
bath. n l promised to deliver it to
her as soon as she was visible.
Il opened the note, monsieur, and it
was of such an extraordinary nature
that made a fair copy of the contents.
This it it" He took a folded paper
from his pocket and handed it to de
Sartines, who read:
To-day ! am burying in the earth
VI SiS liSbo VA ailS lISS Iup Ol lle TlSfll
as YOU enter my courtyard a packet Of
vital Importance to the S. de NJ. Should
| be arrested, or should l die, show this
letter to Jasmin, my valet. He is en-
tlrely to be trusted. Unearth the pack
ct and make use of it as your wisdom
sees 1t.
Signed, Armand de Lussac.,
Mon Dieu!!" said de Sartines, cast
ing his eyes again over this most vital
piece Of writing. And what did you
do with the originate
II gave it to Madame la Baronne,' re-
piled Placfde 1T was only the egg
shell. / had distracted the meat"
Did she notice that you had tam
pered with the letter."
#"Oh no. monsieur; | am not such a
bungler in my work as that"
De Sartines had now in his hand the
means of obtaining those papers of the
Society of the Midi which he knew to
exist n for which he had been hun
gering. He had not only de Lussac
fully in his power, but de Lussac's
mistress, the Baronne Linden, by at
tainment. But the deep satisfaction
that file
that filled his mind left him quite I'm
enthusiastic as to Placide, the fount
and origin OF this precious inforrna-
ton.
The peridy OF Placide did not occur
to him at all in relation to the informa-
ton, nor did 1t mar his satisfaction.
But when 1T came to the question of
reward, Placide's perfidy shocked Mon
sieur de Sartines and chilled his zone
as he said, This information may be
important as a means of carrying out
the ends Of justice. We shall see."
w