Show L = = rcrAr Arm mrJAQ THE MERCY OF THE KIN 1 By EDWARD F ROBERTS J7JrrrrrJJrrrJJJrJJrQJJJJQJl JJ lll1lJYlllIOYIJYVYJ1JYYYlJYYYY s krr y Copyright by Dally Story Pub Co J J ° The Comtc do Sevios la the man The speaker a6lnlstor looking man Lose thin flguro was attired from eail to foot In blatlt leaned across table as ho spoke and directed a le who slerclng look at his companion concealed In tho sat back partially gloom At the others words < I however ho started violently forward VcntreSalntgrls ho exclaimed It J 5 The impossible oath the rugged face with Us neat hawk nose and bold black eyes illko proclaimed Henry IV yesterday of Navarre today of France With characteristic vehemenco the lint continued You grow old and foolish Caduc By tho splendor of God I would wager my head on the faith ofdo Sevres Tho celebrated astrologer and secret agent whom the king addressed remained re-mained unmoved at this outburst and when his master had paused ho returned re-turned It Is nevertheless the truth sire De Sevres Is as you know In love with Mlle do Longchamps tho daughter of ho man who hates you most In all Franco It Is she who has seduced him At her fathers bidding she has given him a powder which I prepared Do Sovres will servo your wino at the banquet tonight Ho will put the powder In your cup and If It was what they think it the house of Navarre would then end The king shuddered and turned palo at tho suggestion of poison a fear which shadowed the life of a warrior famous for his reckless courage on the battlefield He strode hastily up and down the apartment before ho spoke again Caduc ho said the Comte de Sevres Is a Catholic and in my court has many enemies Look to It that you are not one Sangdleu If you are you will hang for it Say nothing and do nothing I shall Bottle this matter myself The astrologer rose bowed silently and passed out of the room with A curious cu-rious noiseless step At the door he almost collided with a young man who entered the room without knocking taking advantage of that lack of ceremony cere-mony which the first of the Bourbons loved to affect among his intimates Henri started slightly when he saw the newcomer then greeted him boisterously bois-terously Ha Ha My dear count What fair lady has kept you from your allegiance al-legiance so long on this our first day in Paris as king at last The Comto de Sevres appeared somewhat some-what confused at the kings raillery t He hesitated a moment then said rapidly rap-idly idlyIn truth sire It was of a lady I wished to speak to you I wish your permission to marry tho Mlle do Long tI champs At the mention of the name Henris ace clouded He looked long and searchingly into tho face of the young courtier then he said I will give you my answer at tomorrow to-morrow nights banquet Thb count started at this strange reply but before he could say anything any-thing further the king with a suppressed 1 sup-pressed sigh as ho noted tho movement move-ment extended his hand in token that i tho interview was ended The banquet with which Henry the Great celebrated his victorious entry Into Paris has passed Into history Its gorgeous barbarism far surpassed anything any-thing before attempted at a court famous fa-mous throughout Europe for Its riotous riot-ous extravagance Throughout the I city great fires had been lighted at the cross streets and whole oxen and sheep roasted for the benefit ot the burghers while tons of wino broached at every corner sent a drunken and t fickle populace uproarious with the praises of their new sovereign In tho royal banquet room the fcvoy of Elizabeth of England had just concluded con-cluded a longwinded greeting couched In sonorous Latin about one word In ten of which the king understoo + As tho envoy concluded Henri with that rude and simple good nature with which he had balllud so often the most bkllled diplomatists shouted Ho a cup to the health of our sister of England Ho motioned to tho Comto do Sovres who stood at his elbow and who turned to pour out the wine As I he did so the Icing 1 Jlxed his eye on the I further end < > f the room As he watched curiously Intent the tapestry on the wall was agitated and a hand shot out with a warning gesture At the sight tho king sprang from his chair and turned fiercely on tho Comto do Sovres drawing his sword an ho did so Assassin and traitor ho shouted down on jour knees The young count palo as death dropped on his knees before the king In his hand ho still clutched me j clmnlcnllv the CUll of wine Ilea I I whoso violent temper t had 1 I completely mastered him seemed for an Instant about to run his sword through the kneeling man Ho checked himself however and turned with a gesture to the astonished courtiers Gentlemen he said in a tone of Vmppiesaed passion this puppet that have made has this night attemptei l > assassinate me What Is your ver Act A t confused murmur of astonishment HIM Incredulity inn through the hall Drinking suddenly Into a tremendous babel of shouts above whlctbso ever clearer and louder tho ami us cry Death on the wheel j Suddenly Into the midst If this tumult tu-mult swept n woman ra mUy fair but with a look of tdrrorjid despair distorting her features Sf made her way rapidly to where tlj king was standing and throwing lufielt on her knees before him cried Mercy slro mercy Itjs I who am the guilty one I Henri over masterof tfn and slave of women softened perc ably as his eye fell on the beautiful rl Sdeath he mutter I so you would poison me I At the word poison o Comto dead Sevres who up to this de-ad appeared dazed gave a convuls L start buts before he could speak e but-s girl contln uedI never know It WI poison sire I was told It was a char to mve your grace from the stain f hefesy and bring peace to our unlearned app land I un-learned the truth too heir 1 The king smiled enl latlailly then he said < ventresalntgrls SI co IIs I merely a charm the comto wll suiily not object ob-ject to drink It Ina dead silence the cote a flush spreading over his palo fGlures rose to Us feet and holding alit the wine cup which through tho mole scene ho had never relinquished he cried God save the king Thoho drained tho cup I The girl who had watcl d her lover motionless with horror ma w sprang to her feet and drawing a dijger from beneath be-neath her cloak raised i aloft with a bitter cry I go too I But quick as she was he king was quicker Seizing her wist he twisted the dagger from her gra and then to the amazement of the ourtlers who had watched the near t gedy in silent fascination ho burst lito I a great roar of laughter Still hoalng tho girls hand he took the unr sting hand of the count and placing Be two together said I saidI forgive your stange method of conversion my dear crate Take your bride but learn In mure and his eye grow stern thl kings are not to be played with J |