Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

\^Mons^rBemcairX . ' By BOOTH THRKIA'GTON*^ Author of " J he Gentleman From Indiana" and kiThe I t Conquest of Canaan." JJ Copyright. 1900, by McClure, l'billips & Co. |j^ Mr. Nash, saving them near him, came forward with greetings. A word on the side passed between the nobleman and the exquisite. "I had news of the rascal tonight," whiskered Nash. "He lay at i a farm till yesterday, when he disappeared; his ruffians too." "You have arranged?" asked the duke. "Fourteen bailiffs are watching without. He could not come " within gunshot If they clap eyes on him, they will hustle him to jail, and his cutthroats shall not avail him a hair's weight The imper\ tinent swore he'd be here by 9, did he ?" > "He said so, and 'tis a rash dog, sir." "It is just 9 now." "Send out to see if they have taken him." "Gladly." Tne beau beckoned an attendant and whispered in his ear. Many of the crowd had edged up to the two gentiemen with apparent carelessness, to overhear their conversation. Those who did overhear repeated it in covert asides, and this circulating undertone, confirming a vague rumor that Beaucaire would attempt the entrance that night, lent a pleasurable color of excitement to the evening. The French prince, the ambassador and their suits were announced. Polite as the assembly was, it was also curious, and there occurred a 1 - i 1- I manncrlv rush to see the newcomers. Lady Alary, already paie, grew L whiter as the throng closed round her. She looked up pathetically at L the dnk^ who lost no time in extricating her from the pressure. "Wait here," he said. "I will fetch you a glass of negus," and disappeared. He had not thought to bring a chair, and she, looking about with an increasing faintness and finding none, saw that she was , standing by the door of a small side room. The crowd awe Wed back for the passage of the legate of France, and pressed upon her. She opened the door and went in. The room was empty aave for two gentlemen, who were quietly playing cards at a table. They looked up as she entered. They were M. Beaucaire and Mr. Molyneux. She uttered a quick cry and learned against the wall, her hand to her breast Beaucaire, though white and weak, had brought her a chair before Molyneux could stir. "Mademoiselle"? "Do not touch me!" she said, with such frozen abhorrence ia her > voice that he stopped short "Mr. Molyneux, you seek strange com"Madam," replied Molyneux, bowing deeply, as much to Beaucaire as to herself, "I am honored by the presence of both of you." "Oh, are you mad!" she exciaimed contemptuously. jr: " "This gentleman has exalted me with his confidence, madam," ho ( replied. " ? ? .t + n 9 "Will voa add your ruin te the scandal oi tni? leuow s presence here ? How he obtained entrance"? "Pardon, mademoiselle," interrupted Beaucaire. "Did 'I not 6ay I should come? M. Molyneux was so obliging as to answer for me r to the fourteen frien's of M. de Winterset and Meestaire Nash." i i j. _ "Do you not know," she turned vehemently upon Molyneux, "that he will be removed the moment I leave this roOna? Do you wish to be dragged out with him ? For your sake, sir, because I have always thought you a man of heart, I give you a chance to -save yourself from disgrace?and?your companion from jail. Let him slip out by some 1 retired Vaj* -and ycra. may give me your arm and we will enter the next, room as if nothing had happened. Come, sir"? "Mademoiselle"? "Mr. Molyneux, I 4e6ir? "te hear nothing from your companion. Had I not seen you at cards with him I should have supposed him in 4 attendance as your kckey. De you desire to take advantage of my offer, sir?" "Mademoiselle, T could nortiell you on that night"? "You may inform your high born friend, Mr. Molyneux, that I iheard everything he had to say; that my pride onoe had the pleasure of listening to his high born confession!" i "Ah, it is gentle to taunt one with his birth, mademoiselle'? Ah, no I There is a man in amy country who say strange things of 1hat? - ? ? la 11 that a man is not his father, but nimseii." 'You may inform your friend, Mr. Molvneux, that he had a ' chance to defend himself against accusation; that he said all"? "That I did say all I could have strength to say. Mademoiselle, you did not l^e?as it was right?that I had been stung by a big wasp. It was nothing, a scratch; but, mademoiselle, the sky went round and the moon dance' on the earth. I could not wish that big wasp to see he had stung me; so I mus' only say what I can have strength for, and ttan' straight till he is gone. Beside', there are other rizrons. Ah, you mus' belief! My Molvneux I sen' for, and tell him all, because he show courtesy to.the yo'ng Frenchman, and I can trus' him. I trus' you, mademoiselle?long ago?and would have tol' you everything, excep' jus' because?well, for the romance, the fon! You belief? It is so clearly so. You do belief, mademoiselle P' She did not even look at him. M. Beaucaire lifted his hand appealingly toward her. "Can there be no faith in?in"? he said timidly, and paused. She was silent, a statue, my Lady Disdain. "If you had not belief me to be an impostor; if I had never said I was Chateaurien; if I had been jus' that M. Beaucaire of the story | Aev tol* you, but never with the heart of a lackey, an hones' man, a man, the man you knew, himself, could you?would you"? He was , trying to speak firmly, yet as he gazed upon her splendid beauty he . choked slightly and fumbled in the lace at his throat with unsteady . fingers. "Would you?have let me ride by your side in the autumn moonlight ?" Her glance passed by him as it might have passed by a footman or a piece of furniture. He was dressed magnificently, a multitude of orders glittering on his breast. Her eye took no knowledge of him. "Mademoiselle, I have the honor to ask you: if you had kaowu this Beaucaire was hones', though of peasant hirth, would you"? Involuntarily, controlled as her icy presence was, she shuddered. There was a moment of silence. "Mr. Molyneux," said Lady Mary, "in spite of your discourtesy in allowing a servant to address me, I offer you a last chance to leave tln3 room undisgraced. Will you give me your arm?" "Pardon me, madam," said Mr. Molyneux. .1 "IF YOU UAL Kl.O'rVU THIS BEAUCAIRE WAS HONEST, THOUGH j OF PEASANT BIRTH, WOULD YOU" ! Beaucaire dropped into a chair with his head bent low and his arm outstretched on the table. His eyes filled slowly in spite of hin> self, and two tears rolled down the young man's cheeks. "An' live men are jus'?names !^' said M. Beaucaire. CHAPTER YL N the outer room Winterset, unable to find'Lady ISjgfH J 9 Mary and supposing her to have joined LadyReller1 h a 1 ton' ^^sP?se(^ h*3 neffus? ^en approached the two visitors to pay his respects to the young prince, whom he discovered to be a stripling of seventeen, arrogant looking, but pretty as a girl Standing beside the Marquis de Mirepoix, a man of quiet bearing, he was surrounded by a group of the great, among whom Mr. Xash rijaturally counted himself. The beau was felicitating himself that the foreigners had not arrived a week earlier, in which case he and Bath would have been detected in a piece of gross ignorance ? v* -1. ? rnalrinnp -miistVi yif rlo "\fITPTWIT*fl AT-I COTDCCrniUg lUU ireicil XJUULlll^ uiauig uuvu >??. v.? ? barber. " Tisci lucky thing that fellow was got out of the way," he ejaculated under cover. , "Thank rae for at," rejoined White rset An attendant begged Mr. Nash's notice. The head bailiff sent word that Beaucaire had long since entered the building by,a side .dooT.i It was supposed Mr. Nash had known of it, and the Frenchman wrs not arrested, as Mr. Molyneux was in his company and said he' would be answerable for him. Consternation was so plain on the1 beau's trained face that the duke leaned toward him anxiously. "The -villain's in, and Molyneux hath gone mad!" t Mt. Bantison, who had been fiercely elbowing his way toward' there, joined heads with them. "Yon may well say he is in," he ex-' claimed, "and if you want to know where, why, in yonder cai-d room.. I saw him through the half open door." "What's to be done?" asked the beau. 1 "Send the bailiffs"? "Fie, fie'! A file of bailiffs ? The -scandal 1" "Then listen.to me," said the duke. "I'll select half a dozen gen-* tlemen, explain the matter and we'll put him in the center of us and take him out to the bailiffs. 'Twill appear nothing. Do you remain here and keep the attention of Beaujolais and de Mirepoix. Come, Bantison, fetch Town brake and Harry Rakell yonder. Ill bring the others." Three minutes later his gnu# of Winterset finng^wide the card room door and, after his friends had entered, closed it "Ah!" remarked M. Beaucaire quietly. -{'Six more large men." ? - ? ' ?* . _ i The duke, seeing .Lady Alary, started, put tne angry signs 01 ner interview had not left her face and reassured him. He offered his hand to conduct her to the door. "May I have the honor ?" "If this is to be known, 'twill be better if I leave after. I should be observed if I went now." "As you will, madam," he answered, not displeased. "And now, you impudent villain," he began, turning to M. Beaucaire, but to fall back, astounded. "'Od's blood, the dog hath murdered and robbed some royal prince!" He forgot Lady Mary's presence in "his excitement. "Lay hands on him!" he shouted. "Tear those orders from him!" Molyneux threw himself between. "One word!" he cried. "One word before you offer an outrage you will repent all your lives!" "Or let M. de Winterset come alone!" laughed M. Beaucaire. "Do you expect me to fight a cutthroat barber, and with bare hands ?" "I think one does not expec' monsieur to fight anybody. Would I fight you, you think ? That was why I had my ^rrvants that evening we play. I would gladly fight almos' any one in the worl', but I did not wish to soil my hand with a"? (To be continued next week.) \ /~ j I / .":7 . . ' . i * www"*www^*www?^?w?www^wy HERE to stay?- j With Prices Hammered down. * "" : k Ji TWO CARS FLOUR, ANY GRADE. C ONE HUNDRED SACKS COFFEE ANY GRADE, FOUR HUNDRED SACKS RICE ANY GRADE. || ONE HUNDRED BOXES CRACKERS. Jl $ Big Assortment Can Goods to Move Cheap for Cash. -Yours to please, W T Wilkins, KINOSTREE, S. C. - ti I <?ET BUSY! 1 ? Why We Are Always Busy. 3 ? We do not want it all, but must have OUR share. 3 ? FIVE STOCK STERLING SILVER OX HAND. || ? Tea Setts, Pitchers, Cups, Spoons, Forks, Berry Spoons, 3 ? Soup Ladles, Ice Tongs, Sugar Spoons, Butter 3 ? Knives, Beautiful Assortment in Chest and Cases. 3 ? WATCH INSPECTORS FOR ||; r.Mmptnwn and Western Railroad and Consolidated 3* >? ?-e> A - _ iS Street Railway. 3 I S- THOMAS & BRO. I B 257 K^O STREET, CHARLESTON, S.C. H jE Mail Orders Receive Careful and Prompt Attention, 2 PkauuiuiuuiaiwiiiiMiWiuaaui'iitiUi iMiuiiwwujf ! COTTON IS KINK -A\D THE PRINCE REGENT IS? TOBACCO. There will be a number of subjects of both in Lake City this" Fall and we are ready to serve them. In anticipation of the splendid crop prospect we are repairing our warehouse so as to enlarge our floor space, and rather than remove the stock of O.K. Queen Stoves and Ranges from warehouse ,we have reduced the price 2? IPex Cent. We have just received a carload of Wire P'ence, which is offered at a low price. Remember we are headquarters for Benjamin Moore & Co's Paint. Also, we offer exceptional values in Cutlery and Razors. The Robeson Razor can't be beat. We ap- t preciate our friends'patronage and will try \o merit their continued confidence. Cake City Hardware Co., - ,'1 LAKE CITY. S. C One Quart Absolutely Free! SNAP 1. SNAP M 4 Qts. Acorn Corn | $2 00 20 Botrles Schlitz Beer 1 Qt. Rye File. SNAP 14. SNAP 2. 20 Bottles either Port, Cherry j 4 Qts. Surnuf Corn $3 00 or Blackberry $3 75 1 Qt. Rye Free. SNAP 15. SNAP 3. 6 Qts. Scuppernong Wine 12 35 4 Qts. Hygrade Corn *4 00 SNAP ig. 1 Qt. Rye Free g qtg# jilackber.y |2 35 SNAP 4. SNAp u 4 Qts. Corncob Corn $3 00 g qtg pQrt Qr (jjj rry 75 I 1 Qt. Imported Claret Wine Free SNAP 18 SNAP 5. .5 Qts. Rock and Rye or 4 Qts. Eagle Qin $2 00 Peach and H g . 1 Qt. Rye Free. SNAP 19. SNAP 6- 4 Qts. Apple Brandy *2 00 12 Mixed Qts. Wine $5 00 1 Qt. Blackberry Free 1 Qt. Rye Free. SNAp 2Q j SNAP 7. 4 Qts. Peach Brandy $2 CO 4 Qts. Monogram Rye $2 00 ! Qt> Blackberry Free 1 Qt. Rye Free. SNAP 21 I SNAPS. 4 Qts. Malt 14 Oq 4 Qts. Black Fox Rye $3 00 1 gt. Blackberry Free. 1 Qt. Rye Free. snap t>2 SNAP 9. 4 Qts. Lynndale, Bottled 4 Qts. Square Deal Rye $4 00 jn Bond M>0(j '} 1 Qt. Imported Claret Wine Free. 1 Qt. Blackberry Free. y SNAP 10. SNAP 23. ' 4 Qts. Gold Seal Rye $5 00 4 White Millg> Bottled liQt. Imported Claret Wine Free. in Bond $5 00 SNAP 11. 1 Qt- Blackberry Free. 5 Qts. Cream of Kentucky $5 00 SNAP 24. SNAP 12. 4 Qts. Ivy Crown Rye 14 50 20 Bottles Pale Export Beer $1 50 1 Qt. Blackberry Free. MORRIS DISTILLING CO. P. 0* Box 243* Wilmington, IM. C. DEAL WHERE TOP GET A SQUARE DEAL. *\H ?