The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-12-10

tricked into marriage with a beautiful
fiend, who, he later discovered, carried
on her shoulder the executiOner's
brand, the fleur de lys. Horror strick-
en-, he had slain her.
In church next day d'Artagnan's
eye was caught by a very beautiful
lady whom he recognized as the one
who had been with the stranger al
Meung. Following her from the
church, he saw her talking with ar
Englishman, and drawing close he
heard her call this man her brother
in-law, Lord de Winter.
D'Artagnan fell deeply in love with
Lady de Winter, but his ardor cooled
when he learned that she was car
dinalist plotter. BY trick he OBJ
tanned from her a sapphire ring, which
he showed to Athos.
"Where did you get this?" cried
Athos. ut was my mothers"
D'Artagnan told him.
"RenOunce that woman" said Athos.
"She is fatal creature"
That night d'Aragnan accused Lady
de Winter Of treachery. She rushed
upon him and in avoiding her blow
he pulled her dress from her shoulder.
There was the executioner's brand
the fleur de lys.
At this time the war between Eng
land and France was at its height and
the siege of la Rochelle was begin
ming. Richelieu. learning all that
d'Ar,agnan had done, tried to buy him
into his own service. DArtagnan re-
fused, know ing that refusal might cost
him his life. The Three Musketeers
set out now to discover the cardinals
next move. Eavesdropping. they heard
Richelieu instruct Lady de Winter to
90 to London and there tell Bucking-
ham to order that the English sur
render, warning him that if the war
continued Richelieu would expose the
queen. II Buckingham refused. he was
to be assassinated. For her part, the
lady asked Richelieu for the death
of d'Artagnan, who knew her secret,
and Of Madame BOnancieux, who had
thwarted her so often.
Half an hour later Athos was alone
with the woman.
.aThe Count de la Fere." she cried.
deathly pale.
"Yes, my lady" said Athos. "You
thought me dead, as I thought you
dead. and the name of AthOs concealed
the Count de la Fere, as the name OF
Lady de Winter concealed Anne de
Breuil."
Athos took from his false wife the
carte blanche passport Richelieu had
given her and sent her to the coast.
where a boat waited to take her to
England. She could not disObey, know
ing that Athos could expose her.
Back to the siege the four comrades
then went, and, In order to be together
to discuss their plans, they spent an
hour in the Bastion Of st. Gervais.
withstanding all assaults. Between at
tacks they talked, and as result they
| sent messages to Lord de Winter, ex-
posing his false sister-in-law and heir
ess, and to an influential friend ct
Aramis, asking for the name Of the
convent where Madame Bonancieux
| was confined.
Thus on her arrival in England Lady
de Winter was seized and imprisoned
| in her brother-in-law's castle; but, ex.
ercising her wiles upon her young Jail
er, she contrived to escape, and SO
| poisoned the jailer's ears against
| Buckingham that he was ready to dc
her deadly work. Sent by, de Winter
as a messenger to the duke, he plunged
| a dagger into Buckingham's side. Dc
! Winter arrived in London one minute
| too late TO save the duke, but a mes
senger from Paris was just In time
| to deliver to Buckingham the queens
| pledge of love. He died with the
| queens name on his lips.
Now Madame de Winter had fled t.
France-to the convent Of Bethune
where Madame Bonancieux was. By
poison she accomplished her purpose
and when d'Artagnan and his com
rades arrived at the convent they
found the body Of the pretty seam
stress. They set out in pursuit OF thu
murderess, and when they found hel
they held a formal triafand con. emnet
her to death. An executioner wa!
found-the very man who had put thu
brand upon her shoulder years be
fore.
The next day d'Artagnan was ar
rested and taken before the cardinal
his captor being none other than hi:
imam of Meung," who now called him
self the Chevalier de Rochefort
D'Artagnan told the cardinal Of thu
crimes Of Lady de Winter, and final!
produced the cardinals own passport
LabsOlving the bearer.
Admiration Overcame anger in TIT
cardinal. Instead of ordering dArtag
mans Imprisonment, he wrote gu
there and then a lieutenant's commits
sion in the Musketecrs. D'Artagnal
offered the commission to his tire
friends in turn. All three refused II
=. otesting they did not deserve il. BE
sides. Aramis announced that he wa
about to enter the church, and Portho