The Washington herald., 1913-02-02
CHAPTER VII. (Continued).

The guards at the main door had
still to be passed. There were half a
dozen of them, some lounging on a
bench inside the doorway, some on the
steps; but as the mysterious figure of
the man III the cloak drew near these
gentlemen exhibited a studied indiffer-
cncc. turning and talking to one an
other. They old not even raise their
eyes as De Lussac passed them, and
the guards on the steps faced about,
giving him their backs.
There were two carriages drawn up,
one at the Steps-a splendid vehicle
blazoned on its Paneis with coat of
arms, and another very plain. without
sign of armorial bearings, drawn up
behind the first.
1t was now that Dc Lussac's knowl-
edge of heraldry saved him from max
ing a terrible blunder, for the carriage
AT the steps bore the arms of Mon
sieur de Launay. the governor, who
had evidently Just arrived.
He turned to the plain vehicle and
entered it, and the coachman on the
box, who evidently suspected nothing,
touched his horses with the whip and
they started
The man had asked for no direc-
tons; it was evident that his instruc-
tions had been laid down for him, and
De Lussac leaned back on the cushions,
almost suffocated by his success and
the ncarness of freedom.
Suddenly the carriage stopped. 1t
was the inner gateway, and the harsh
voices of the guards could be heard
interrogating the coachman. Then a
face appeared at the window 1t was
the corporal OF the guard. He peeped
in. saluted the cloaked figure and
withdrew The carriage drove on
only to stop again at the drawbridgc
Again came the voices OF the guards
and the voice of the coachman reply
ing 10 them He was evidently show
ing them his permit. They passed on,
and now came the deep rumble OF the
wheels on the drawbridge. the grumblc
OF La BaStile at the escape OF her
victim.
Now they were in the Rue Saint
Antoine. free at laSt-for the moment
De Lussac knew that at any minute
The jailer might revisit his cell. find
the trick that had been played on him,
and then a cannon from the battle
lllIiliS Nbulu SlNS ~ liC pun
suit Guards Swiss soldiers, the
agents OF De SartineS. all would be on
his track, rarSacking Paris, turning
man might hide
II was imperative to leave the car
riagc and try 10 reach some place of
safety The carriage was evidently
taking him to De Richelieu's house. d
l., Tn l,1d 1.y
, one louis in his pJckct; his face was
known to- 4 thousand men: he could
not walk the streets with the cloak held
tu his eyes; he had no definite plan to
guide him Never was man in a more
pcrplcxing situation. yet he did not
despair and the thing thai gave HIM
confidence was the sword at his side.
II tho worst comes to the worst. II
can only die. aid he, When | leave
this carriage | must first seek Monsieur
Blanc in the Rue Petit Versailles. and
give him these papers 10 keep. Then
thcn-whcrc shall go: To whom
shall | turn?
He thought OF Sophie Linden. Should
he seek refuge at her house: Never
She was already attainted by him. DE
Richelieu had said that the Porcheron
contract ndu Otcn >lOlcIl. Dut DS L-"3
sac could scarcely believe that 1t was
hcr work Were he traced to her
house and taken there, she would suffer
as well as he.
He put the subject from his mind
and addressed himself TO the problem
ii how he was to leave the carriage
without attracting the attention OF the
driver.
They were still in the Rue Saint
Antoine. driving swiftly westward.
They had passed the Rue de Balals
on tho right and were drawing near
the church OF Petit Saint Antoine
when several drays laden with wood
from the woodyards of the Rue de las
Planchctte blocked the way and caused
the carriage to slow. Instantly and
like a discharging volcano the coach
man Of De Richclieu began storming
at the carriers, and cutting at them with
his whip as though they were dogs.
The whole social condition of France
lay in that little episode, and the sal
vation, for the moment. OF De Iussac,
who. opening the carriage door and
slipping out, closed the door gently and
made for the Rue de Fourci, which
they had Just passed on the left.
The rruOty carriapc drove on