The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-07-24
CHAPTER Nv ccontinuedl.

"Mordieu," cried De Richelieu. half
laughing and more than eve fascinatA
ed. What a position for me had one
of the servants comet" p.
And what a position for me. mon
sieur!" ~saN e..
She was now flushed, laughing, ex-
cited: as though her success had cleo
trified her mind. OF a sudden a new
plan full-born and alluring 81 before
her. She had triumphed on behalf Of
De Lussac; she had in her hand q
terrible weapon. Another woman
would have eontented herself with that
evenings work; not so Madame Linden.
To strike all her enemies with one
blow, TO ruin De Sartines and to
humble the D'Harlancourt, Madame de
Stenlis and De Joyeuse at the same
time, that was her scheme; and she
determined that De Richelieu should
help her In it. asa. ,m- L.
"At least madame, you were on the
right side of the door," replied the
marechal, "and ma fol, but one might
fancy that loneliness had locked herself
in with you and you had changed
clothes. Would that ! had put my eye
to the keyhole!" "
How do you mean, monsieur" <
because, madame, before you closed
the door on me your beauty burned my
eyes; now 1t blinds them" u ~y.,
Monsieur" said she, glancing at the
clock, ut is late, and l have trespassed
greatly on your time. You have paid
me a hundred compliments, you have
held my hand, encircled my waist,
allowed yourself nearly all the liberties
which a man of pleasure takes with a
woman of his sort, You have treated
me, in short. as you have been accus-
toned to treat the ladies of the court.
I am not a women of that sort.
X do not love you, monsieur, /
love. Monsieur de Lussac; but always
before marriage L hold that a
woman is free to give or to sell her
favorU, and that II Is a matter entire
lyy between herself, her conscience and
her Maker. r. 49,. ~"
II wish to revenge myself upon my
enemies, and If you will help me, I
will sayIto you, Monsieur de Richelieu,
when my revenge is. complete, come TO
me and / will pay o for your as
sistance with @y. - s.
with what, ~madame?"
my lips"
s... And what is this assistance that You
require, madame?"
"Oh, do not be alarmed; it is very
simple. / wish you to invite. me to
d~ejeuner at your house in Paris tomor-
row at noon" : q.
"A Thousand times, yes"
81 But, walt. II wish you TO invite some
guests to meet me- -,
De Richelieu made a grimace.
And the. GUESTS"
Are, first OF all, Monsieur lie Comte
de Sartines." y 4 Vt"
De .Richelieu laughed.
Certainly, madame. Who else"
Madame de Stenlis, Madame d'Har-
~1ancourt, and Monsieur de JoyeHse."
De Richelieu pursed his lips.
What you ask is easy enough, ma
dame. What else?"
Nothing more" -
"But, madame, / do not see your
point. i invite you to d~ejeuner with
these people: you all come. How does
that help you to triumph over them?
They will all be banded against you.
You do not know these women of the
court and what they are capable Of
a"I do, Indeed, monsieur; but they
don't know me. Please do as I ask and
leave me only my wit, and / will bring
them all literally to their knees
De Richelieu rubbed his hands, then
laughed. t'Mordieu, thought he, "this
ought to be as good as the Coincide
Franchise" Then to the baroness.
Madame, L will do as you say. But
the invitations must be dispatched ear
~ tomorrow morning" " .s
n Write them, monsieur said she,
when | am gone, and your servant
can deliver them tomorrow early. Make
the invitation urgent, so that it may
override, any Encouragement these
people may have" .', ra
Leave that to me. madame. I shall
make IL little short of a command"
"Ah," said she, ''you are a man of
spirit ana sense. and Il promise you,
monsieur, one thing: you shall have