The Mineral argus., 1883-11-29

marked disliA
Tie relreshment room is almost emp
ty, and she seats herself and motions
him 10 a chair beside her when he has
brought her an ice.
"Do YOU think NJ. lie Marquis, that 1t
was only 10 eat ices with you that have
forced my society so TesOlutely upon
you2n she asks with a look Of eanerstness
very rare on her bright cOguettish lace.
II think You an angel Of compassion
TO an old friend of your childhood
Mile. Lucille"
at was compassion, but more for my
sister than for you" she says gTayely.
''Your ~sisteIl" he echoes, bitterly.
SIT has not occurred TO me that Nine.
&c MiTamon is in need of compassion,
and yours is too sweet to be wasted,
"Chut. monsieur" she interrupted.
''Forget that am as fond OF pretty
speeches as most young women. and
think of me only as Jeanne de MIRA
mons sister, who believes thai, much as
she loves her, you love her even
more"
For the second time this evening De-
Palissier forgets possible observers, and
clasping both the girls slender hands in
his he murmurs, unsteadily: God bless
you'll"
lyon forget that we have an audience,
monsieur" she says, Withdrawing her
hands quickly, but with dsmile of frank
comradeship. 81 have a story to tell
you, and not much time to tell 1t In.
Years ago, when Jeanne left her con-
vent on becoming iiance to NJ. de Mira
mon, she met you at her first ball, and
YOU loved each other. Ii was very foil
ish, for you were a cadet of your house,
and only a sous lieutenant, and Jeanne
had not a sou, so both the families were
furious; but all would have ended we'll
asa fairy tale If you had been reasonable.
Jeanne met you time alter time in
secret, and promised any amount 81
patience, but she would not run away
and marry you In defiance Of her par
ents; so YOU tormented her with doubts,
and shamed her with suspicious until
she dreaded those secret meeting almost
as much as she lOneed for them. At
last, after makinga more violent quarrel
than usual, o exchanged from your
regiment at Versailles to one in Algiers,
aud left her no refuge rom the re-
proaches of our father and mother but
to marry NJ. de Marimon. He might
have refused to marry her after hearing
her confess, Us she did, that she had
given her heart 10 you, and that
III NhAA 4NRk " A1NA -
duced her to consent to
their marriage. But ne did not; he had
a better revenge than that. He
ried her, and for eight years he tortured
ger in every way that n Jealous and cru
cl maj can torment a proud, pure wo-
man. He opened all her letters. he
made spies of her servants, and not a
day passed that he did not insult her
with some mention Of Your name. Our
parents died within a few months OF the
marriage, and | was at the convent
There was nothing to be done with her
misery but endure it, knowing that she
owed it all to her impatience. Can you
wonder that she Is uniorgivlng?
lie is leaning on the small table be-
tween them with folded arms and down
cast eyes, and he is very pale, even
through the bronze Of ten African sum
meTs.
Il loved her always" he " almost
inaudibly, then pau3es: nor does he hn-
ish his sentence, though she waits for
him to do so.
',You love her? You could not have
wrecked her life more utterly If you hac
hated her. Can You wonder that h has
grown TO fear the thought OF love that
has been so cruel to her as yours and her
husbands? Monsieur, my brother-ln-
law died two years ago-GOd is gOOd!'
continued Lucille, iercely. "Since
then Jeanne has been at peace, and she
shrinks with absolute horror from dis
turbing the calm which has come to her
after such storms. She fears you, she
avoids you, because-shall l tell you
why?"
She can see his lips culver. even I'M
der the heavy mI5iache, but he neither
speaks nor raises his eyes.
"She loves YOU, muImufs Lucllt
lust aloud.
He lifts his eyes now and looksat her
dumbly for an instant; then rising alb
rupty walks away.
he comes back presently.
My child" he says. very gently, "Do
not try to make me believe that. unlesl
YOU are very sure, for if once beiiey'
II again, II"
II am as sure as that / live that Jean
ne has never ceased TO love you, ant
that you can force her TO confess 1t II
you will make love 10 me-"
u? YOU You are laughing at mel
with a rush Of color into hls dark face.
DO you think so III Of Jeanne's sis
teri" she asked softly.
Pardon, | am scarcely myself, and
cannot imagine how
Jeanne will not receive you because
she knows her own heart and is afrai,
oft. She fears tnat you will destroy
the hard won peace she values ? high
". But you are wealthy, distinguished
the head Of your name-a very ditieren
person from what you we're ten year
ago, and she can find no reason for refu.
/ ing you as my s%uitor, i'll consent, and
! as my chaperon she must be present a
J all our meetings. You begin TO under
stand2 Make her see that your love
: not all jealousy; make her remember
make her regret"
h "But forgive me when one has love
a woman for ten years." with a fair