Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1913-01-02

countess to my chateau as my mothers
guest She II there now"
The next scene in this drama 30 tm
portant to the cause Of united Italy
took place at Noailles chateau. lie had
not returned his masters confidence
by telling him that in a few short
weeks the Italian countess had COM
pletely subjugated him. he had fallen
under the thrall OF woman Of very
dangerous age, too young TO be old, yet
old enough to be mistress OF herself.
Noailles was sufficiently prudent not
to give away state secrets, but the
countess seemed to love to talk about
the emperor, and at one Of their con-
yersations Noailles told about the note
book and the secrets it contained. One
slip he made In the matter and only
one. She worried out &C him the fact
that he trusted to his own person rath-
er than to lock as safe place for the
depository Of the emperor's recorded
precious thoughts. "A lock may be
picked /" he said. with me, my prop
erty cannot be taken without my con-
sent"
The morning after receiving this in
formation the countess asked her host
IL he would ride with her on horse
back. lie consented, and they were
soon cantering over the well paved
roads leading from Paris.
II prefer cross country roads, said
the countess, and to Noailles' astonish-
ment she jumped her horse over a
fence and alighted on the other side.
Turning, she saw her escort gaping at
her
IF you love me. follow mer
Noailles took the fence and gathered
himself for contest that was by no
means to his taste, which was intellec-
tual, not athletic. The countess, who
seemed to him a female centaur, gave
her horse n cut with her whip that
sent him plunglng over plowed field.
Noallles followed, now looking up at
the Diana figure before him, now down
at the clods, expecting every moment
that one or the other of the horses
From the field the countess entered
a wood, now and again looking back
TO see IL Noailles was following Mad
~ In love, he realized that woman is
not likely to return the love of man
she can Guido in a mans field Fences,
logs, bitches, none OF them seemed too
high for her Spurred ON by his pas
sion, Noailles kept the pace Finally
be encountered ditch at which his
horse baked. The countess had gone
over 1t safely and, refining, turned to
watch him Riding back a short dis
lance, he turned his horses head to-
ward 1t.
Take it and / am yoursr cried the
countess.
Plunging his spurs into his horses
TANKS and giving him the whip at the
same time, he dashed Mt the ditch.
His horse baked again, and the rider,
turning a somersaut in the air, came
down In a heap on the other side,
where he lay motionless.
In a second his companion was Off
her horse and kneeling at his side,
but not to succor him. Pity may have
been there, but 1t was suppressed by
a greater sympathy for her oppressed
countrymen She felt In Noailles coat
pockets. The notebook was not there
Throwing open his waistcoat, she
found il in an inside pocket.
In one way, and one way only. she
showed the woman and that she IVES
not lnsensible to her devotion. She
kissed the white lips Then rising, she
mounted her horse and dashed away.
The fourth and last scene In the
play Is in Turin Cavours cabinet. The
Countess Riccioli enters. Cavour looks
up anxiously and In his emissary's
face reads triumph. She hands him
Napoleon's notebook. Motioning her
to a seat. he lays the book on his desk
and begins to read, his eyes opening
wider as he proceeds, soon glistening
with the possession of such power.
For an hour he reads without noticing
his visitor, then suddenly closes the
book and turns to her
ITO YOU" he said, ITALY Is indebted
Cor what she coyets II l can only
muzzle the republican fanatic MaZzini
and hold that thunderbolt Garibaldi till
the time comes for them to strike we
will be united people"
The morning after Noailles' fall he
staggered. pale as ghost, into his
masters presence and confessed the
loss of the notebook. The emperor,
thunderstruck, took time TO recover
from the shock, then said:
I'VE shall know soon who possesses
the power over me the book gives
him. Whoever he IA. | must do his
bidding"
The emperor was right that he
should soon know what would be re
CURED OF him Noailles received a
communication from the countess stat
ing that the book was In her posses
sion and the secrets II contained
would be kept on condition that he
would secure from his master full
recognition Of the representative OF
the king of Sardinia, with the right TO
enter upon discussion Of subjects con
corning the interests OF the powers at