The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-09-25

a rule, was but a veil OF gauze could
ful face. so capricious, SO strangely un-
marked by destiny.
why. here is order, cried the COM
Jesse, come pon h heels of law and
the church! My party is complete.
de Sartines, you must dine
With us today"
Madame, / shall be charmed. Would
that I could have arrived earlier but"
/ KNOW sheacut in, you IA o u
literary affairs to attend to- No mat
ter, dear poet, nc matter how late, o
are always welcome"
Dear poet! So she had not forgotten;
not only that, but the words and the
him thai h knew of his indifference
to the doings of the ballard writer's,
he saw in a flash that De Maupeou
had been before him not only with the
king but with the favorite.
Madame" said he, taking advantage
slightly away. OF those scribblers
about whom you We're speaking to me:
l hope hat the chief of them-the
only M who a not escaped from
France say I hope that the chief of
them will be safely in prison by to-
night"
"oh, Monsieur replied she, II hope
that will not happen. I do not wish
on account of my petty affairs that
france should lose so excellent a min
lister of police as Monsieur de Sartines."
d turned away, leaving this dag
ger quivering in his heart, and even as
she turned dinner was announced and
the guests passed into the dining room,
the unfortunate De Sartines bringing
up the rear, stricken, speeches., yet
showing nothing Of his discontinue in
his face.
The dining room which they entered
was very different from that which had
cess Adelaide. The walls only We're
the same; upholstered in crimson, with
o~ver-doors by Drouais, q C~upid-haunt-
ed ceiling from the brush of Boucher,
and panel pictured daring in both color
and theme by Wen, the place looked
exactly what it was; the home of color
that paints the human face, impudence
that scents itself with patchouli.
There were nine covers laid and,
counting De Sartines, ten guests.
When all We're seated, De Sartines
was left standing.
oh, ma foil" cried the comtesse, as
the servants hurried to lay a fresh
Sartines. Lubin, place Monsieur de
S~artines' chair by the chair of Monsieur
liable, on the left so that the light will
not try his eyes. / know you have a
horror Of a strong light, dear Monsieur
de Sartines."
slipped into his seat; he had a poison
Gus retort on his lips but he dared not
utter it.
Monsieur de Sartines,' said the
king, who haa commenced his soup,
what is this I hear the comtesse say
ing about your eyes?'
only that I am half blinded, SIRE"
Since when?"
always, your majesty, when I find
myself in the presence of superlative
beauty"
He bowed to the comtesse, who re-
turned the bow mockingly and turned
her attention to the Due d'Aiguillon;
she was evidently still u~nappeased and
beyond the reach of Establishment.
Monster de Sartines," said the king,
finishing his soup and raising a glass
of topaz-colored wine to his lips, sit
seems to me there are only two men in
my kingdom who have portfolios and
grams and charms in compliment"
And those two men, sire?"
They are Monsieur lie Due de Choi-
seul n Monsieur lie Comte de Sar-
tines"
90, sire!" cried the minister of po-
lice, picking up his spirits, what you
say is false
"False!"
There is a third man who is, yet,
not a man, beside whom Monsieur de
Choiseul and Monsieur de Sartines are
blunderers at that game"
And who is this nan who is not a
man, pray?"
"A king. sire"
Ma fol-" cried his majesty, laugh
ing, "it seems to me Monsieur de Sar-
tines, o a that king a doubtful
compliment"
20, sire" laughed De Sartines
amazed at himself and hating himself
only one in all his life, since when
is a king a man, since he belongs to
the company of those above us?"
De Maupeou, who had been sitting
mumchance up to this, cast his eyes
up to the ceiling and laughed. De Sar-
tines, the king, and all within the
range of the conversation looked up,
only to see the fat cupids Of Boucher
leering at them from the ceiling.
"Um," said the king. He turned to
the Able Fremont with some inquiry
as to the state Of affairs in Picardy,
from which province the ecclesiastic
hailed, while the Comtesse d'Egmont,
frankly at the face of De Sartines, who,
paralyzed by his i'll luck. would have
given his portfolio for the fall of the
ceiling. cupids and all, on the head Of
De Maupeou.
1t was decidedly one of his unlucky
days; a momen G the king had been
charming, and now he was out Of tenn
per.
The minister of police applied himself
to the trout a la Mayenne which was
before him.
CONTINUED next week.