The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-10-16
o Madame la Baronne and to the

to Madame Ia Baronne and to the
guests.
Then he turned slightly. disclosing a
form behind lin.
Madame, 1 have taken the liberty et
bringing a friend with me-" said De
Maupeou. Monsieur de Beautrelis, OF
den"
Beautrellis. a magnificent man Of h
type Of Monsieur Beauregard, looked
round him.. saw De Sartines n
bowed.
He did not know in the least what
was going to happen. De Maupeou
had told him something about a con-
spiracy. If so, where were the con-
spirators?-for all these people were
of the court. He say Madame de
Stenlis, and bowed; he had danced
with her only two nights ago. What in
the name of wonder was she doing
here? He bowed to Madame d'Har-
lancourt. nodded to De Joyeuse, and
Their turned his eyes to his hostess.
"Rosine," SAID the baroness to the
Made. who had not yet left the room,
has Placide returned YETI"
mo, madame
The baroness glanced at the clock;
lit was after 8. De Maupeou noticed
her anxiety and guessed hat Placide
whoever he might be-was am ain
spring in her design. He forced him
self to be patient, and drawing up to
Madame de Stenlis BEGAN to talk on
Indifferent topis, while Madame Lin
den turned her attention again to Ben
rens, speaking also to Monsieur de
Beautrellis and Monsieur de Sartines,
who were standing lear by.
Gentlemen. o must excuse the
presence of so many hats, but a com
edy addressed is a comedy ill-acted.
NTa,-;a,Ir al Nfa,,Da0, - ,oi~i~~ hay~
voice, ARE you a judge of hats?"
No. madame" replied De Maupeou,
breaking off his conversation with Ma
dame de Stenlis. My business in life
is to judge men,"
"Your business is a tragedy, not q
comedy, then. Well. at all events, you
can give an opinion of an actress quail
iffcation for the tragic role. l told you
this morning l was about to stage a
little play of mine, and upon my heart,
Monsieur de Maupeou, l have not yet
fixed in my mind whether it will have
a comic of a tragic ending That
sounds as though / We're an Indifferent
playwright. I am, and it seems to me
that nowadays it is the Indifferent
plaYwrights who please. They study
their public, not their art. So do L.
Monsieur de Beautrellis, what would
YOU advise as an ending for my little
play. comedy or tragedy?"
- 'h.ES " ~ tbAS0 IN III
minded Beautrellis, Il prefer to laugh.
Comedy, madame, by all means, One
leaves the theater with a better taste
in the mouth and able to eat ones
supper"
fcMonsieur de sartines, what do you
saw
Madame said De Sart1nes, who
began to see a CLEAN of light. 'in my
mind Monsieur de Beautrellis is right"
He bowed profoundly.
Madame de Stenlis? Madame d'Har-
~lancourt?"
Tragedy" cried the two women.
laughing.
The baroness. ignoring De Maupe-
on and De Joyeuse. turned to Behrens.
Monsieur Behrens, you who dress
the actresses of the Coincide Fran
caise, give me your opinion. Could 1 act
tragedy under that hat of pearl gray
which you are holding for me to try
on?"
IF madame is DESTROYS of running
the effect of the hat and the play, why,
yes replied Behrens. Then. bursting
out: Heavens, madame! no, 1000
times no. But If madame requires for
her play a hat of tragedy-why, here
IS tragedy itself" He held up the black
hat on the point of his finger, and as
he did SO a knock came to the door. 1t
opened. disclosing Placide.
"Ah, Placide." said the baroness. so
YOU have returned. Have you got what
l sent you for?"
Yes. madame replied Placide, pro-
ducing a paper.
Good" said the baroness, putting
on the gray hat. Monsieur Behrens,
put tragedy away. pack it with the
others. I will travel in this. Mon
sieur de Sartines. the play of which
l spoke to you this morning shall have
a happy ending. / retain the manu-
script, however. Placide, bring me
that parcel"
But before Placide could move, De
Maupeou, who had been whispering to
Monsieur de Beautrellis, took a paper
from his pocket and presented it to the
baroness. Monsieur de Beautrellis
took UP his position by the door. and
the vice chancellor. calmly walking up
to Placide, took the paper from his
hand.
Madame Linden glanced at the paper
that had been handed to her. De Sar-
tines. who was by her side, glanced at
it too.
It was the order of the king.