Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-09-13

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! Marquis de Palissier if Lucille is willing
none but the pain at her heart which
she is too ashamed even to confess to
herself. So a note is written fixing an
hour for his first visit, and Nine. de
MiramOn prepares herself to meet the
! man whom she last saw alone in all the
I passionate anguish of lover quarrel.
Is this wild futter in her throat sign
OF the peace she has resolved to possess?
Thank God! she can at least promise
herself that whatever she may suffer,
neither he nor Lucille shall guess it.
There is the sound of wheels in the
| courtyard, and she rises with a hasty
glance at her reflection in the mirror.
''His old friend'' she murmurs, scorn-
fully. Il dare say look an old woman
beside Lucille -
Then she turns with a look of grace
full welcome, for the door is thrown
open, and a servant announces:
IN. lie Marquise de Palissier."
Nothing could give me greater pleas
ure than to receive as my sisters sutton
the old friend of whom the world tells
me such noble things She Qtters her
little speech as naturally as though she
had not rehearsed it dozen times, and
To her surprise he does not take IT,
How should she guess that he dares not
trust himself to touch calmly the hand
he would have risked his life to kiss any
time these ten years?
''YOu are too good, madame" he re-
plies, very low; and she reflects that he
is, of course, a little embarrassed. 81
am afraid you had much to forgive in
those days so long ago, but time, trust,
has changed me. "
sit would be sad, indeed, if time did
not give us wisdom and GOODNESS in ex-
change for all it takes from u.s. she
says, with quick thrill of pain that he
should speak of ten years as if it were
an eternity.
''NOt coldness, - he exclaims, coming
nearer, and looking at her with eyes that
make her feel a girl again. IF you
could see my heart, you"
MAY I enter, my sister," asked the
gay voice of Lucille, as she appears from
behind the portiere at so fortunate a
moment for the success of her plot that
it is to be feared that she had been
| eavesdrOpping.
De Palissier turns at once and presses
her hand to his lips.
''Mademoiselle," he says, tenderly, 81
am at your feet. -
Then begins charming little comedy
of Iove-making, in which Lucille plays
her role with pretty coquetry and he
with infinite zeal.
And the chaperOn bends over her lace
work and hears the caressing tones she
thought she had forgotten, and sees the
tender chances she imagined she had
| ceased to regret. all given to her young
sister in her unregarded presence. How
is she to keep the peace she so prayed
for if her future is to be haunted by this
ghost from the past? She is very pa
tient and used to suffering, but at length
| she can endure no longer, and, not dar-
| ing to leave the room, she moves away
to a distant Writing-table where she is at
least beyond hearing.
There is an instant pause between the
cOnspiratOrs, and while De Palissier' s
eyes wistfully follow Nine. de Miramon,
! Lucille Seizes her opportunity with a
prOmptness that would have done credit
to Richelieu or Talleyrand, or any
| other prince of schemers.
Courage, monsieur!' she murmurs
''She has been cold to me ever since
your note came. You would make a
charming jeune premier at the Fran
Gals, only when you do say anything
very tender, do you remember to look
at me instead of Jeanne" And she
breaks into laugh so utterly amused
that he presently laughs, too, and the
sound of their mirth causes an odd blot
in the poor chaperon's writing.
| A month has dragged by wretchedly
! enough, both to the cOnspiratOrs and
their victim, and, like all things earthly,
has come to an end at last. Even Lu-
Giles energy could not keep De Pals
| sier to his role, if he did not believe
that in surrendering it he must give up
! the bitter-sweet of Jeanne's daily
presence, which even in its serene in
| difference had become the one charm of
! life to him. Nine. de MiramOn and
! her sister are spending a week at her
villa near Paris, and De Palissier, who
is to accompany them on riding party,
| has arrived little late, and finds both
! sisters already in the courtyard, with
some horses and grooms, when he en-
tiers. Lucille comes to him at once as
he dismOunts, with look of alarm in
stead of her usual coquetry.
''Do not let Jeanne ride Etoile,' she
said, anxiously. ''She has thrown
Guillaume this morning"
Nine. Gle MlramOn IS standing beside
an old groom, who is holding the horse
in question, and she does not look at
her sister or De Palissier as they ap-
proach.
LET me ride Etoile, and take my
horse to-day, madame" De Palissier
says, eagerly. Il should like to master
a horse who has thrown so excellent a
groom as Guillaume.
$50 should l." she says, with hard
little laugh, and she steps on the block.
''Jeanne'' cries Lucille
81 entreat you for your sisters sake.
She will be terribly alarmed" De Pa
lissier says, hurriedly.
Then you must console her. The
greater her alarm, the greater your de-
lightful task, monsieur, y and she looks
at him with a defiant pain in her eyes
like a stays at bay" Il shall ride
! Etoile."
7 Il