Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-10-03
A PIE AND A SURPRISE

Only for half a moment.
In the next he was bowling to his
majesty. n the comtcsse, who haG
turned and was contemplating him
with an expression curiously difficult to
analyze. Was it derision, was it mirth,
was She angry with him, or had she
forgotten the broken appointment? The
reader of faces. the most astute physi-
osomist for whom the human face, as
a rule, was but a veil of gauze could
read nothing for certain in that beauti-
full face, sc capricious, so strangely un-
marked by destiny.
why, here is order" cried the COM
tesse. come upon the heels of law and
the church! My party is complete.
Monsieur de sartines, you must dine
Madame, L shall be charmed. Would
that 1 could have arrived earlier but"
II KNOW" h cut in. you had your
literary affairs to attend to. No mat
ter, dear poet, no matter how late, o
are always welcome"
Dear poet! So she had not forGOtten;
not only that, but he words and the
manner in which they We're spoken told
him that she knew of his indifference
to the doings of the ballard writer's,
n he saw in a fash hat De MaupeOu
had been before him not only with the
king but with the favorite.
Madame" said he, taking advantage
of the fact that the others had drawn
Slightly away, "of those scribblers
about whom you We're speaking to me:
I hope that the chief of them-the
only one who has not escaped from
Franco say L hope that the chief of
them will be safely in prison by to-
night"
''Oh, Monsieur" replied she, 81 hope
that will not happen. 1 do not wish
on account of my petty affairs that
France should lose SO excellent a min
lister of police as Monsieur de Sartines."
She turned away, leaving this dag
ger Quivering in his heart, and even as
h turned dinner was announced and
the guests passed into the dining room,
the unfortunate De Sartines bringing
up the rear, stricken, speechless, yet
showing nothing Of his discontinue in
his face.
The dining room which they entered
was very different from that which q
once been the dining room Of the Prin-
cess Adelaide. h walls only were
the same; upholstered in crimson, with
over-doors by Drouais, a Cupid-haunt-
ed ceiling from the brush of Boucher,
and panel pictures 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 cents 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 fol" cried the comtessc, as
the servants hurried to lay a fresh
cover, II had forgotten Monsieur de
Sartines: Lubin, place Monsieur de
Sartines' chair by the chair of Monsieur
IAbbe, on the left SO that the light will
not try his eyes. I know 0 hay q
horror of a strong light, dear Monsieur
de Sartines."
Monsieur de Sartines bowed as he
slipped into his seat; he had a poison
GUS retort on his lips but he dared not
utter it.
Monsieur de sartires," said the
king. who had commenced his soup,
what is this 1 hear the corntesse 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;
h was evidently still unappeased 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, at
seems to me there are only two men in
my kingdom who have portfolios and
yet ave the old wit that bites in cpl
grams and charms in compliment"
And those w men, sire?"
"They are Monsieur lie Duo de Choi-
seul and Monsieur lie Comte de Sar-
tines
20, sire!" cried the minister OF po-
lice, picking up his spirits, what you
| say is false"
"False!"
There is a third man who is, vet.
not a man. beside whom Monsieur de
Choiseul and Monsieur de Sartines are
blunderers at that game"
And who is this man who is not a
man, pray?"
"a king. SIRE
MA foil" cried his majesty, laugh
ing, lit seems to me Monsieur de sar-
tines, you pay that king a doubtful
compliment"
20. sire laughed De sartines
amazed at himself n hating himself
only one in all his life. "since when
is a king a man.. since he belongs TO
the Of those above us?"
De Maupeou. who had been sitting
mumchance up to this, cast his eyes
up to the ceiling and laughed. De Gar
range of the conversation looked up
only to see the fat cupids of Boucher
!eering 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
iloHi "li!SI pios'ICc lEe eccissIasIiG
hailed, while the Comtesse d'Egmont.
unable to contain herself. laughed
frankly at the face of DE Sartines. who
paralyzed by his i'll luck. would ]iav
given his portfolio for the fall OF TIL
ceiling. cupids and all, on the head o
DE Maupeou.
1t was decidedly ore of his unlucks
days: a moment age the king had bee.
charming. and now he was out OF TEN
per.
The minister CT police applied hisnss:
tO the trout a la Mayenne witch p.,