Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-08-14
g. ole MINISTER
rs % POLICE
N H HENRY MoNTJoY
NxI copHA. 1uz. The Bobb.Asrru cempan,

hAxukV ISGmD20Y.
Madame Linden has explained her
self ONE; she has q power which will
enable her to be of service to the state
Of F~rance-and you insult her. You!
Dieu de Dieu! what am I minister OF
police for if I do not know what you
fancy'hidden? Shall 1 speak, madame!
Shall 1 speak?"
"Cease!!" cried Madame d'Harlan-
court. who had become white and
whose eyes were fixed on the man be-
fore her. She had treated a few steps
and was brought to halt by a chair,
whose back she seized.
No n laughed or smiled now; an
atmosphere of terror filled the room,
for the age of De Sartines chilled the
heart; no one could tell what might
at the door. Madame de Stenlis pressed
her handkerchief to her lips. Only De
Richelteu was calm, and the baroness.
Make her go on her knees, De Sar-
tines"
"Never!" cried the unfortunate
woman, shaking, white, terrified, yet
making one more effort to retain her
idignity.
De Sartines took one step toward
her; his eyes were blazing and his
fist ~clenched.
Annihilated, mesmerized by his
glance and appalled, at his fury, she
sank weeping on her knees.
De Joyeuse skunk toward the door.
Monsieur de Joyeuse, come back"
said the baroness.
Madame, I have an engagement
elsewhere" replied the fashion plate,
his hand on the door handle.
Monsieur de Sartines," said she,
Il must ask you to recall Monsieur de
.Joyeuse, who also insulted me-"
r. De Sqrf{naS whan Madame StIJor-
l%ancourt obeyeds him, had bridled his
rage. He laughed grimly.
THAT is but just. Monsieur de
J%oyeuse, come back"
Monsieur de Joyeuse came back.
Now" said the baroness to de
woman"
"Never!"
Monsieur de s~artines, perhaps you
will give the order?"
De Sartines looked at De Joyeuse,
and without a word pointed to the
floor beside the comtesse, who, with
hands twisting her lace handkerchief,
was still kneeling.
De Joyeuse for half a moment
seemed on The point Of rebellion, then
with a laugh took his place beside the
contesse.
Madame de Stenlis was no fool; she
recognized that her turn was coming,
SAAoS OH ost OIllCI WcIe SllllT0ly
under the thumb OF De Sartines, who
for some reason was entirely under
the thumb Of the baroness. She
tripped across to where De Joyeuse
was kneeling, and knelt beside him.
with a laugh that almost turned the
tables on her tormentor.
Come, De S~artines," said she,
"knell beside me and let us pray for
soul of n dead to society,""
MADAME d'Harlancourt picked up at
this and folded her hands, and De
Joyeuse assumed an air of devotion.
Does madame refer to the soul Of
the Comte d'Ys?" asked the baroness
In a voice.
At this remark. which showed such
a destructive knowledge of the past
of Madame de Stenlis, De Sartines
started back, De Richelieu almost ex-
ploded with rnirth, n the group on
the tloor wilted.
went on the pitiless one. for whom
are o about to pray? The Waterman
Laverolles killed, by accident, no
doubt, but still killed
Madame" cut in De Sartines, ter
rified himself by her knowledge of
things, a knowledge which she had
acquired from no higher an authority
than Rosine. Madame, that is
enough
Monsieur" she replied, IT only in
tended to say that Laverolles. though
an honest man who never used cogged
dice. betrayed women, drank to excess
or was known as a maquereau, living
on the money of a woman old enough
to be his mother only Intended to
say that this man, though honest, was
not. possessed of a social soul. and that
Monsieur De ~Joyeuse's time would be
wasted In praying for it. On your
knees!"
De ~Joyeuse, CHASTITY with anger and
sweating, was preparing to rise.
ION your knees!'
De Joyeuse. under that voice which
pressed on him like a hand, was sink
ing back OF his knees, when like a
thunderclap came an incident that
struck the actors and spectators Of this
little comedy motionless al people Of
stone.
The door swung open and a lackey's
voice announced, Monsieur de Maui
peou."
The vice chancellor Of France stood
for a moment staring at the extraor-i
binary cen before him. He was q
fny&f Individual and bic prrao<