The Washington herald., 1913-01-26

vate paper"
"Stay, Monsieur. Do you refer to
| Madame Linden"
81 do"
How is she implicated in this mat
teri"
How? She called upon me last
night; that is how. She took advan-
| tage of my absence from the room
| don't know how AT all events,
the thing is gone. Between you, you
have done this act. Don't speak |
| did not come here TO argue, but to
dictate. That document must be re-
turned"
! And if it is not returned:
| Then. Monsieur. YOU arc a prison.
er for life. Oh, | know you say to,
yourself, I am the Comte de Lussac.
| have powerful friends; they will
free me- Well, l can only reply, docu-
ments have been discovered in your
| We use them against you-wcll, yOI
are hopelessly lost"
! Documents, What documents"
The marechal laughed
You shall see them with your own
eyes"
/ He placed his hand in his pocket
and produced small bundle of papers
De Lussac instantly recognized the pa
| pers of the Society of the Midi. He
started in his chair and his face
flushed despite himself
Well" said De Richclieu. exhibit
ing the bundle, what do you say to
| that? Look; examine them Are they
genuine2 What do you say to that
Monsieur" said De Lussac, taking
! the papers in his hand and glancing
al them. Il have only one thing to
say-it seems | have been robbed just
as you have been robbed, and before
| God ! would sooner be robbed of
documents like these than of docu-
| rent like that. in which an Infamous
king and an infamous minister con-
| spire to rob the people of their food.
By a miraculous chance these docu-
ments have returned to me. Mon
sieur, cannot YOU see the hand OF
God in that You cannot? Then
/ feel it,
In a moment De Richelieu was ON
his back upon the bed, with De LuSsac
on top OF him.
pected that the marechal had no time
! pressing on his thyroid cartilage,
made outcry impossible.
! Monsieur" said De Lusssc. Il do
not wish to kill you. but should it be
needful | will do So"
! With his free hand he began to un-
! loose De Richelieu's scarf so as TO gag
! him with it. Then he saw that il was
! unnecessary. The marcchal had lost
consciousness he looked as though he
/ were dying He felt Mortified. but he
! had no time to palter with his feel
! ings He picked the precious packet
! OF documents from the floor and
/ thrust it into his pocket. put on the
j rnarechal's belt and sword. put on the
Y hat. put on the cloak. opened the cell
door. raised the cloak to his face and
/ left the cell, closing the door behind
| him
The Jailer was leaning against the
wall at the end of the corridor See
| ing the man in the cloak. he came for
ward and locked and barred the cell
door He saw no difference between
the man he had let into the cell and
the man who had come out: there was
only a short inch OF difference between
the two. He turned the key in the
lock and slid the bolts.
As he did this a faint and stihcd
cry came from the cell. De Lussac's
heart scarcely changed its rhythm; he
was beyond emotion. If the taller at
! tempted to open the door he would
| Kill the man with the sword beside
! him: he would try to reach the car
rage which he knew must be in wait
| ing: failing in that. he would fight
his way. sword in hand, as far as
possible toward freedom.
The jailer paused for a moment
with the keys in his hand. then he led
! the way from the cell along the cor
ridor
They had reached the heavy door
cries and the sound of some one beat
ing on a door came after them.
There he goes. said the turnkey.
/ Hes in his tantrumS again. He'll he
breaking his furniture next. They
He opened the door leading to the
stairs. De Lussac passed through, the
man closed and locked the door and
! IIlCll INC way uONltNdit -N> It
I.ussac followed his heart. till now
calm. became furiously alive; each
downward step was an agony. What
| formalities were there still to be gone
through? Would ne have to enter the
governors room? Would the guards
at the main door ask to see the permit
that doubtless De Richelicu had shown
them? He knew that De Richclieu
must have arrived in a carriage and
that the carriage would be waiting.
Would Dc Richelieu's coachman fail to
recognize him? Had De Richclieu
brought one of his dogs with him?
Had he by any chance brought a COM
panion?
They reached the corridor below and
the jailer began to unlock the great
door leading to the corridor on which
was situated the chamber OF audience
The door opened slowly on its we'll
oiled hinges, and when they had passed
through it closed with a sucking sound
as though La Bastile were catching
her breath back with a sob at the
escape of this victim.
But they were not free of her yet.
As they approached the chamber of
audience a bar suddenly shot out.
blocking their way. 1t was the pike
of the Swiss on guard at the door of