Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-09-30

"Who knowsy" repeated Nine. Lenor.
mand, laughing. The prince of school.
boys at least"
And l." said Hortense, throwing up
her chin, II believe him tailor with a
head turned by too much Beranger, Oh.
it was too stupid! / will have no more
Of it,"
This was Hortense's strain throughout
the day; constantly recurring to that CO.
price of hers, and as constantly avowinp
her WEAKNESS Of it. She was restless and
fitful, giving orders only to countermand
them, and proposing plans which she
could not wait to see executed. At length
toward evening, having for the tenth time
finally decided to take her daily drive, she
was passing to the carriage when yo ung
man, stepping quickly forward, arrested
her progress with " Pardon, madame"
At the sound Hortense turned with a
start to recognize the face she had looked
into for moment on the preceding night,
and in that full light which touched into
brightness his amber waves of hair she
saw the pallor of suffering on his face, and
in his eyes, as they met hers, sort of pas.
sionate appeal that almost stirred tears in
her own.
Pardon, madame" he repeated, and it
seemed to her, with an almost reproach-
ful accent on the last word, "this is the
property of madame, | imagine hand.
ing her fanciful little pocketbook,
bound in blue and silver. Hortense
opened it, and stood turning over the
cards and few triiles it contained hereyes
cast down, her face flushing. Wholly ig-
norant of his position, she was in doubt
what to do She felt it impossible to offer
him money, yet was 10th to let him de-
part with mere common word of ac-
acknowledgement. Obeylng sudden i'm
pulse she drew ring from her finger
and gave it to him, saying
DO me the favor to wear this in token
Of my thanks, monsieur"
The young mans face kindled with
sudden glow; he poured forth hurried,
broken words, to which she responded by
grave bow, still without looking at him.
then the door was closed, and the carriage
rolled off, leaving him standing there
with the sunlight pickering over his fair
locks and eager, handsome face
1t must have fallen from one of my
wraps" said Hortense, breaking the 81
lence abruptly; "but then how could he
guess it was miney'
Nine. Lenormand hesitated. eff the
truth were told, madam" she said, II
imagine he caught n glimpse of us rs we
stole out, and followed us home, was
almost sure there was Il carriage follow
ing ours all the way, though would not
mention it till now, not to annoy you"
Hortense sat flushing and paling
Followed u.s." she repeated But that
is
"Arrant impertinence," completed
Nine. Lenormand. Doubtless you were
right, madame, and he is some romantic
tailor, whom all his romance could not
teach to be a gentleman"
Hortense glanced sharply up, but made
no response, Nine Lenormand Judging
her to be vexed with having over-rewarded
such a man, dropped the subject
Had this act of presumption been the
unknown masqueradcr's last! But only the
next evening Hortense, stepping on. on
her balcony, saw a man move out of the
shadow opposite and recognized the voice
that began singing one of the airs she had
heard at the masked ball. She retrcated
instantly, but the figure still held its
ground, and when cautiously peeplng out
after eXtinguishng her light before going
to rest, she could dimly discern it keeping
Its solitary vigil
And this was but the beginning. Day
after day she was pursued by silent, DIS
tant apparition, till Nine Lcnormand
halt-jcstingly asked if they should call in
the aid of a sergent de gtle. to exercise it,
Hortense only shook her head, She had
chosen throughout to ignore the meaning
of this pursuit, to be blind to the wistful
eyes that sought hers Secure in the So
cial barriers that prevented his near APP
proach, she could afford to be careless of
passion that could never trouble her
pride.
But at length the climax came one day,
when, as she sat alone reading, servant
entered with hesitation. Pardon, mad
ame," he said, deprecatingly, "but there
is a peasant without who insists upon see
ing Mime. la Marquise, He claims to
come from her estate with message of
importance; so have ventured to disturb
madame"
:" 1t is well, Etienne," replied Hortense,
without lifting her eyes from the page.
Let him enter"
Enter, then, friend Brazenface,"
grumbled the domestic, sotto goce, to
man at his elbow, and, closing the door
again, retreated, muttering to himself
about unmannerly peasants who would
not know their proper place.
The man remained in silence by the door,
till at Hortense's bidding he slowly adj
vanced, uncovering his head meantime
Then Hortense started, for with the re-
moval of the heavy slouched hat and
shock OF wild black hair attached she
recognized beneath the peasants garb the
unknown masquerader Of a fortnight be-
fore. She sprang TO her feet, dropping
her book; instnctivcly both bent to lift it,
and their hands met The touch seemed to
act on her like an electric shock, breaking
the silent amaIp in which she had stood