Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-08

obAStu 10 Xprt IS polite anxiety aO)uL her
That under Ordinary circum stances ntalns
OF sno" would not nave Kept MIN In disnal
oio place like this. with nothing to do bat
smoke smoke and stare a. the ancient 10 aes in the
iiprary, appear at meals when the ,all Changed
iistei, 10 The eternal pressing or NJ ,us;elr le
Baron. read the Cat0n It'll it , on. sided pol,
t'cs hand madame her coffee after dianer
After all be did not really want any amuse-
mtEt. he was deeply 1ntereSted"-Jhst was
Ihe way he put IL to himSelf-in MaIemo lie
ue SalhC FLOR, and was wondering nov ne cluii
mint TO Albert that il was all hainbuy ab yut
msi.lng .lii ne was forty. and marrying coua-
mywoman OF his own. OF course he had very
NIUE talK with her, and their ACQUAINTANCE did
EoI seem TO advance much. The sweeI wei
coming manner, the sympathetic smile OF the
HFSl evening, seemed 70 be her highest mark
III Nef mothers presence She scarcely ever
went so far, and she and Frank were never
alohe together, Now and then their eyes met,
ana though 1t Was only for an instant, Fra nix
1e.t strong deep excitement, longing to
make her look at him again.
by ana by, when ne vas satisfied that she In
Her strange way WAS tie most beautiful woman
he had ever seen, tt dawnCd On MIN that her
usual expression was intensely sad, that when
her mouth aud eyes were quiet, and her face
Deht over The tapestry she worked at Ior no. IS
together, she looked as If she could nsver smile
again. Flank thought about her day and
night He tremoied at every sign OF thaw
aud the white fakes as they steadily descen0ed
were more precious to him than showers OF
Scto. MdGauie uo Saint FlOT came mo The
Ginlng-room one morning and found aim stan =
Ing at the window wni3ting cheerfully, as !.
stared out into thick saow-storm.
GU are most unfortunate monsieur" she
salo. INSTEAD OF improving, the weather
Stems to grow worse. sympajhize most truly
WITH both you and Albert"
You are very good, madame" said Frank
smiling; ~ assure you thai never was more
HAPPY and contented. II IL had not been for
this ob.iging snow might never have known
Aioett's relations"
You make the bad weather pass very pleas
aEtiy for u.s." said the baronne, graciously.
friend"
she could not resist the conviction that this
provoked her that he should take their hospi-
tally for granted In this sort OF Way
AL breakfast that day the talk happene1 to
tutn on architecture, and Monsieur de Saint
Flor assured Frank that the house which shell
tered him at that Instant was pure specimen
OF Francois Premier. The outer walls and for
uncatlens had OF course been pulled down;
there had formerly been eight corner towers. OF
which only one remained the old disused col.
oinoler. But the three payilions OF the house
Itself, with the galleries connecting Them. stood
precisely as the sixteenth century had left
them. Monsieur de Salnt-Fior told his com
pan,oDs that he vas proud OF their very ditap-
iat1on, and would never consent to their being
restored res He remarked that restoration was
heard Albert speak CT the Old chateau 10 a very
different strain, was irreverent enough to won
Ger whether good balance at ais bankers
would act alter M. lie Baron's opinion. He dis
covered, however, that Marguerte-thiS was
her lovely name, by which the bold English
man already called her In his dreams-R41 a
very af1ectionate admiration for the Old place;
she looked up and smiled and j1.ned In the
conversation quite eagerly.
After breakfast Albert walked down With his
father TO the village, half mile off, to settle
some business at the Marie. Frank, after wan
dering all rOusd the chateau even under the
rugged walls OF the south 'front.' where there
was patch OF ground rallied Off and planted
with shrubs, and where he saw something Jnat
startled him good deal, made his way back to
The salon windows, where he looked In and saw
Marguerite sitting over her tapestry. The Wild
old place with its long history, its owners with
thelr sti1 Old fashioned ways. the stern winter
mat blocked II In, the dead silence, only broken
Dy the fail OF mass or snow from some over
laden tree, and now real mystery TO account.
as 1t were, for all this SIggestiyeneSS--hese
we're certainly strange SurrOu udings for mat
tef-of-faCt young Saxon. Marguerite herself
was like an enchanted lady, 80 silent and lovely,
and always dressed In white and black, like
nun, or a creature With some sad history. 1t
was privilege TO find ner alone, aad he hur-
ried Into the room, where she welcomed hin
With a smile He stood aud watched her nee lie
as IL passed In and out among the co;ored ara
heSqueS she was working.
"Have you been examining eur architecture,
MONSIEUR" she said. II saw you wandering
round the house."
s. es mademoiselle. And l saw something
J
Marguerite dropped her needle, leaned back
and fixed her eyes on him; the deep, wondering
sadness In them appalled, the young man.
- DO not distress yourself" he sad, colOring
"lG is too curious Of me TO notice it, perhaps"
What was it? l should like you to tell me"
"Well, was under the window of the south
pavilion, where the garden Is rallied off, you
know. The windows are barred. but one OF
them was open, and an old lady was standing
at 1t. Her hair was white. She had nothing
on her head am afraid she would catch cold.
wa hIlr n and
the bars. took Off my hat, and she called out
suddenly, Take care what you are doing, mon
sieur! and then she turned away and saw no
more OF her. Madenoiselle, perhaps l hal no
business In that part OF the garden?"
hastily.
Frank In low voice, looking at her intenJly.
She stopped forward over her work and took
up her needle again; but her fingers were
trembling. he saw. SO that she could not guide
IT. He saw that she was flushing slowly and
deeply, her whole face and neck changed from
their usual ivory to rosy red. She stopped for
ward stu more and suddenly tear fell, shin
Ing on the work. Then she got up with quick
movement and was going to leave the rom,
but to do this She had to pass Frank, and he
was not inclined to let her go so easily.
AZ A., lea Least forgive me before you go, made
pen1tence. ''What have said or done? L am
perfectly wretched shall go out and shoot
At this threat smile just ouivered about
Marguerfte's mouth.
'Ibeg you Will do no such thing" she said
with momentary glance and a renewed blush.
II am very foolish. must tell you the truth
The Old lady you saw Is an aunt of ours. We
have all lived here together for the last nine or
Ten years. She Is peculiar and has rooms Of
her own in that part OF the house. She does
not like strangerS-neyer sees anyone-I think
you had better not go near her again."
Frank bowed
81 am very sorry indeed that l intruded on
ha CQf Ilrfyl In
hint OF her existence"
''She prefers to be unknown" said Mar
guerfte. and she sighed deeply as she turned
away TO open the door.
Frank Morley always prided himself on his
knowledge OF foreign lie and customs. He
used to talk finely OF meeting foreigners on
their own ground; but IL seems as II ne must
just then have forgotten where he was, carried
away by the excitement OF the moment. For
getting all the prophecies, he threw himself
nguratively-at the feet OF Mademolselle de
Satnt-FlOr.
This Is not place for you; ou are not happy
here." he burst forth; and then he told her that
he loved her passtonately, and asked her Ii he
must be miserable for life.
She clasped her hands, and retreated from
him step or two, for at that moment Frank
was very tragical. She looked extremely sur
pT1Sed, as well she might, at his extraordinary
breach OF etiquette. But she did not seem
angry, and she made no effort to leave the
room.
"Ah, what are you saying?" she whispered.
"You forget-you forget"
What do forget?" asked Frank. SIS there
anything l ought to remember? Are YOU
offended? VIII you answer me?"
She shook her head PRESENTLY after mara