Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-19

"You. will talk less disnallv over
bottle of good wine, Blaise. Therefore
/ intend to stop at the first inn ON th,
way. ! hope it Is good one, for an
very hungry
'"rhcre is An inn at this end of Fleur
ter,' said Blaisc, "but would not stor
Il | were you"
But l WAS not / be moved from my
i.,tentiou. When man has finished q
oct task, it is time to eat and drink
Therefore. we stopped ut the little inn
ut the northern edge of Fleurier. A gray,
bent inn-kecper, very DESTROYS of pleas.
ing. welcomed us and went TO look after
cur horses, while Blaise. acting the part
OF master. ordered black-eyed, pretty
mn-mald to serve us dinner IN private
chamber. The room assigned us was AT
the head OF stairway leading from tho
Kitchen. We had no sooner seated our
selves than our ears were assalled by the
elatter OF many horses on the road out
side. They stopped before the inn, and
We heard the voices of two men who
entered the kitchen. and of n great num-
Der who remained without. When the
inn-maid brought us q bottle of vine,
Blalsc asked her whose cavalcade it was
that waited before the inn.
sit is that of the governor of the
province, NJ. de In Chatre, said she,
who is below with his secretary. Nj. dc
0ontignac."
And she left the room in haste to help
serve so distinguished b guest.
Blaise looked at mo solemnly, with n
face that seemed to say, .Did | not
warn you7" We had seated ourselves at
either side of small. rough table, on
the edge OF the bed, Blaise on three
legged stool. For moment | sat re-
turning Blaise's gaze across the table;
then noticing that the maid had left the
door of our chamber slightly aiar; arose
snd walked stealthily to the crack,
through which could see part of the
kitchen below Blaise renamed seated
at the table, glumly watching me.
| saw the maid bearing wine to a
table near the window, where sat the
two guests whose names she had men
toned. The landlord was carrying a
tray fun of bottles and drinking cups out
70 la Chatre's men, who remained before
the inn. some having dismounted, some
still on horse. | could hear their talk,
their oaths and cries h one an ther and
10 their horses, the snorts and pawngs
Of their steeds. A shout OF welcome
greeted the coming of the landlord with
the wine.
With curiosity ! fastened my gaze
on the two at the table. knew instantly
that the stout, erect, authoritative
gentleman with the carefully trimmed
gray beard, full checks, proud brow,
fearless eyes, and soldierly air, must be
Claude de la Chatre, governor of the
Orieannais and Berri; and that the slen-
der, delicately, formed, sinuous, graceful
youth with smooth-shsven face, fine
sharply cut features, intelligent forehead,
reddish hair, intent gray eyes, and mlen
of pretended humility was the governors
secretary, Montignac.. La Chatre's $ look
was frank, open brave. Montlgnac bad
the face of q man assuming a character,
and awaiting his opportunity, conceal
ing his ambition and bis pride, suppress
sing the scorn that strove to disclose It
self at the corners of his womanish
mouth. La Chatre wore a rich black
velvet doublet and brooches, and black
leather ridmg-boots. Montignac was
dressed, in accordance with his pretence
of scrvility, m doublet of olive-colored
cloth, breeches of the same material, and
buff boots. He sat entirely motionless,
looking across the table at his mast er
with an almost imperceptibly mocking
air of profound attention.