, 1873-09-28
but latoly thiokoning In toxtnro, send moro and
moro rapidly acrosB the sky to join 1cade1l,
humid ul0ssa Of YanQr That Hnpina to ba hurpau.

lookB cold nnd gllaaty to monsieur Dupoht'a
young bride, as sho oatohcs a glimpse Of 1t
through the wierd, -iimbod blrohstrocs TINT
border tho road.
Sho Inns boon 10 impatient to roaol llor; now
homo TINT aho refused to a!eop On tho road, aud
sho IL worry tired with tho long, wearlsomo jour-
They have loft tho diligence 1T the last market
town. and have been joltng n1ong the stony road
In MI od-faHhtoned vehicle with n hood for tho
passengors, aud Rmall scat psrchod up IN front
Tl,oroso abivers and draws her head again
within tho hood.
Monsieur Dupont" sho aaya In frotful
voice, "how much longer Ii 1t along this disma1
No answer comes, and she bonds over to tho
corner whore her husband sits, and touohos Lis
shoulder Aith her hand
a loud snoro-a start-nnd ther-
/" ALI. oui hfargot. {ais comme tn voudras,"
follows tho snoro,
l!.oreHo loans back ip hor corncr With look
Of disgust.
Bntlos, "poor old doar, am hard-lioartod; tho
Journey has boon too much for his politencsH. I
wisl, could 60 to sleep, too"
But slle cannot eloep, her mind IL rostlcBH, and
the fatigue from which sho auflera has favored
the last town they stopped Mt, then ahe should
have reached her homo in bright morning light.
There is sudden jolt. Monsieur Dupont
starts awake this time, md looks around him
with staring eyes RS those rehoh hB vito ho
recovGrB consciousneBs.
1--WE shall bo ut homo very soon now, mon
amfo;, mud tlon Margot shall take care Of
thoo."
10 puts ont his hand and takes hers, but The
rcao slligers nnd draws heraolf away. At that
moment hor mothers warning assumes = now
shape; for the first timo sho hoars III It truth
and liGolihood: And then hor floreo will rises
~ I am tired and overdono," she thinks. ~
havo always ,y rlod everyone, and will rulo this
,Hor husband has wrapped shawl round her
complete exhaustion lu1ts Theraso into a short
sleep. She does not rouse till the vehicle stops.
bho is 10 tirel that she doeH not 1t first
realizo whore Bhe is. sho leans forward and
1ookH cut.
It 10 almost dark but sho sees largo dark
house standing little wny baek from tho road.
At tho open door Ia . tall womhn, shading tho
light Of . lamp with her hnnd. Az sho seos
Monsieur Dupont tho woman runs up and s1akes
hands with him.
"a Ia bonne heure notre maitre,' she says.
"Why, you have flown here. 1 did not look for
you till tomorrow. However. aa you know, 1t IL
not easy to find Margot unpropared; you will
find all ready but fire, and II you Mood ono that
iB aoon kindlol here, Lo1lfBon, como and carry
in tho baggage. Is the little missroas in tho cur
riagel" , j., ,,,o,.,,u n,,,oa. .,un,
back to lalp his wife down tho awkward stops.
But ThoreBo has scrambled down by herself, and
she Btnnds waiting for husband, very erect, and
with tempest Of prido III hor face.
80 You had better tell your servant that am
Madame Dupont" ale says very, coltlly, and so
apnco between hor words.
Monsieur Dupont is sensitive. and no Bhrlnks
into himself At tho changod tone:
~ hardly consider Marguerite IN ordinary
you tia. tut I might present you to hor.' IIo trios
to take his wifo'a hand, but ao swoops pnat him
up to where Margot stands, lamp tn hand.
Instinctiyely tile woman raisaH the light, and
on Margot'a face.
She leans slightly forward; there is an eagor
gleam III tho long, dark eyes, but the lips are
prcsHed tightly together, md tho thick, dark
eyebrows meet In an inteuse frown.
Thoro ia malice and strength in Mnrgots face,
and for MI instant Theroso falters In her pur-
pose, Hor motlor's warning comes back |;
sho feols chilled and fearful but Bho hoara
her husbands footsteps coming fnat up the
walk.
She makes d slight bow as aho reaches 1lar-
got.
"You arc the honsekeeper, suppose. Go on
first, and SHOW tue way to whatovor room you
have prepared for me-"
She doos not look at hor-and she would not
road much on the tutored face; hlargot turns d
little pale, and hor thin lips smile, but she goes
/ She goea in, lights two o1d-fnahioneti hconces
on zach side Of tho Fireplace, and then departs,
closing tho door behind her
Thareso looks around and starts, tl,en gires d
littlD cry, croesos herself and flies to the door
which Margot has oosod OIL hor,
The candloA in tho sconceA shed only feeble
light on the dark walls. but facing her aro two
skeIetonH and on the table below there ,s latge
skull.
",
| At tho end Of III. Dupont'a garden furtheat
| FROM tho house there WAS \ tllickly-pl anted
grove Of aycamore-troea; beyond this was cato
leading into lod, and on the right of this gato
through tho treea you could zee another cato sct
in tho Uncovered feuce that bordered that sido
OF the garden.
Afargot stood by this smaller gato, basket In
| hand, for within the fence lay the kitchon-gar-
| den-her treasury not only for herbs, but also
| for the curious planta out Of which sho brewed
| the deooctions which had made hor famous in
| Veron. .
| Monsieur had practiced Hurgory in hin youth,
| and had also given medical advice, and Margot
had studied Lis books to aomo purpose, aud
probably was tho bost doctor OF tho two:
Thero WAB scowl on her face as sho wont
into the Kitchen garden.
"Monalour bids mo mako tlsane for Madame,
and whcn answer sho will not drink 1t, llo has
looked at mo mors atorn'y than ho 'vor did be-
| Bio begins to gather dandclion 1cavas, snap
ping them on With . sharp nip Of her bouy
thumb and finger, as II she waits to hurt Bo,no
Que, and L. forced to give vent to the feeling on
| tnRt WINCH cOnlea nearest, II Will pOL Dcar
much moro, tho words drop from her lips In
broken sentences. II thought Felix Dupont,
for his own sake, would hayo taught her how to
bohsyc she has neither tact nor temper, and
sho ia fool" MRrgot smiles at tho last word
in an unpleasant manner, and then her quick
ears catch tho sound Of voicea among tho syca-
moro-trees she crouches down near hola in
tho fenco aud Listens.
"No, my awoet friend, lit is Monsieur Du-
pout'H voice, aud it sounds yoxod d,-'I an sorry
to refuse thee,-it is l,ardor than tlon knowest'
.'Then why give yourself tho pain 2" Therose
speaks scorutully.
"BooauHo love thee really, my child, and
would koop our lie together free from clouds y
"At least, then, ought TO havo reason given
NO. only aak that ali our friends and neigh
bors who have seomod 80 glad to Hee mo, may
come and dance in my honor It Is not much to
ask. and why am refused" p"
Margot laughs to herself as sho orouohea under
tho hodge. ......
az 1ienu alle has rare tempor, but Felix Du-
pont muBt be dotng indeed ii ho submits to q
tone like that" slo listens s.gor]y for hor mus.
tors answer, but he waits before ho giyos it.
l III ,o;, tai r.. ~.