The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-05-08
'Ize MINISTER
OF POLICE
By HENRY MONTJoY

tines lieutenant. Then he FASTENED
back and took up his post Of observa-
ton at 10 minutes past 2, that Is to
say exactly six minutes after De Lus-
sac had departed for Versailles.
BY this fault he condemned himself
to a whole evening and night OF mount
ing guard over a house empty Of It's
master, n he lost Monsieur De Sar-
tines a point in the game, for had De
Sarttnes been apprised Of the young
mans movements, he would have noti-
ned his police In Versailles, who had
q SPY In every house, not excepting
That or Monsieur de Richeleu.
1t was q lovely afternoon. and as
they left Paris n it's sordidness be-
mind them, De Lussac, lowering the
window OF the carriage, inhaled the
air with a delight momentary and ban
lshed by the remembrance of what was
on hand.
He had no plan Of campaign. That
the due, though surprised at the sud
oenness OF his visit, would be delighted
to receive him, he felt sure, for De
R1chelieu had several times invited him
on a visit, leaving it open to him to
come when he chose; besides, the due
was his nearest relation and II De Lus-
sac died before him, would be heir to
the Auvergne estates.
~ SSNS W kANS uoO
however, for his visit; that would be
easy enough-nothing to the difficulties
OK q search for q carefully guarded
paper n q house filled. perhaps, with
guests.
De Richelieu's mansion was situated
on the Paris road on the left as one
approaches the palace. The gates
swung open for h carriage, which,
approaching the front door by a court
yard, set with laburnum inc lilac trees,
drew up, n the Comte de Lussac,
ascending the steps where a lackey vas
waiting to receive him, passed into the
gallerfed hall where the matordomo,
Monsieur Beaupre, advanced to receive
him.
This parsonage. who possessed a
vast, stolid, expressionIess face that
seemed nodded from white wax, was
one OF those perfect functionaries who
knew everybody, and everything about
everybody, everything about court ETH
quette, everything about precedence.
He knew the Comte de Lussac, his
affairs, his peculiar manner of living,
his neglect OF those things which were
essential to success in society, and the
nickname with which the court had
dubbed him. He despised him as heart
lily as a man Of his sort could despise
a man OF De LuBsac's sort, but he
showed nothing OF his thoughts as. he
bowed before him.
GOOD afternoon, Beaupre," said the
young man, giving his hat and gloves
TO the servant who had admitted him.
rs Monsieur lie Duo at home? ?"
mo, monsieur, Monsieur lie Duo is at
Lpctennes, but I am expecting him to
return at any moment"
rs Monsieur Raffe in ?"
Monsieur Raffe is in the library,
monsieur"
"Ah. the library" said De Lussac, his
heart leaping at the words. Show me
to him"
The majordomo led the way across
the hall to a door opening on the left;
he opened the door and disclosed the
library of Monsieur lie Marechal DUO de
Richelieu. De Lussac, as he entered,
could not but feel that the omen was
with him, inasmuch as this, the first
room he entered, was the room he had
come to plumber.
1t was not very large, this library of
Monsieur lie Due. II had only one win
dow Of stained glass, blazoned with the
arms Of the Richelieus and heavily
barred on the outside-through the
colors of the glass, the gray ghostlike
SHADOWS OF the bars showed vaguely
and like a a Y
The books, chiefly tall folios sump-
tuously bound and stamped on the
backs in gold with the Richelieu arms,
stood in open bookcases.
Near the window, at a table by the
only bureau in the room, sat a man
engaged in writing. 1t was Raffe, De
right hand: he was engaged on the
monthly accounts, going over each bill,
item by item and Sou by sou.
why, 1t is Monsieur lie Comte de
Lussac," cried the old man, rising from
his chair and advancing to greet the
newcomer. How unfortunate that
Monsieur lie Due should be absent! But
I am expecting him at any moment"
TT does not matter" replied the
comtC, II have come on a visit for a
day or two, II my cousin will nave
me. the air of Paris has suddenly be-
come too much for M n l am suf-
fering from sleeplessness. l have some
luggage in my carriage; will you kindly
have it seen to? Meanwhile. 1 will, II
you will permit me, amuse myself with
a book till my cousins return."
"Oh, monsieur cried Raffe, as he
gathered up his papers. II can assure
you that my master will be only too
delighted at your visit. l will have
your room prepared and your luggage
brought to 1t. Can l send you any re-
freshments, monsieur. after your jour
ney?"
mo, thank you, lear Monsieur Raffe.
I require nothing in the way of re-
freshment but a book; you know that.
l am a %bibliphile, a creature to whom
the smell OF Russia leather bindings
and the sight of printers ink are re-
freshment in themselves; but it seems
to me that my cousin has extended his
library since 1 was last here"
why, yes, monsieur" replied Raffe,
lingering with the papers in his hand,
only last month he acquired half the
library of Monsieur de Meneval, books
Of amorous adventure, Contes, superbly
funny. Monsieur may like to amuse
himself with them; they are on those
lower shelves"
He bowed and passed out with his
papers, and De Lussac turned to the
books Of Monsieur de Meneval.
These books of Monsieur de Meneval
were mostly illustrated, n were so
piquant h a he ildest Of them would
In our age be relegated to the highest
and most inaccessible shelves Of a Gu
rio hunters collections Indeed. the
whole of Monsieur de Richeneu's IL
brary might have beer c%atalogued un-
der three divisions: books like these,
books concerning war, and books rela-
tive to the chase.
De Lussac, taking a volume entitled
Lee Contes de suzanne" written bv
a gentleman named RAPPORT, and bear.
ing the inprimatur, Paris. 1882" laid
II nn fha HtfIa HaI1u