Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-08-12
had dropped; and as it led me toward

''There it is" said Jeanne, suIlenly;
and as Roller stopped to pick it up, she
snatched it from the ground, and in an
instant her strong white fngess had
broken it into a dozen pieces.
Roller caught her wrists. ''What are
you doing that for?" he cried.
Because" said Jeanne, coolly. sit
belongs to her. and because you came
to look for it. See." She took the
shreds and splinters in her hand, and
threw them with no ignoble skill into
the pond, fifty yards away,
Roller stared at her blankly. Was it
possible that rosebud Lillian ill-treated
this dependent? His heart swelled
within him. as a mans heart is apt to
swell at the idea of injustice to any
thing young and pretty of the other sex.
docs she treat you ill?' he asked.
Jeanne looked at him with fine scorn.
'.Do you not think" she asked, in her
pretty French-English, ''that 1 could
take care of myself from that-that lit
tie thing? But tell you what, mon
sieur," she continued as Roller remained
silent, .'you need to take care of your-
self. She knows you are Count. Bah!
these Americans!'
Roller bit his lip and looked annoyed,
but at last burst out laughing, and then
sighed a German sigh. "Mademoiselle,"
said he, lido not deprive me of my only
friend. This Miss Lillian Burt-Robinson
is kind to me when you are not. She
feels sympathy for me, stranger and
an exile; you do not"
Jeanne, being desperately in love
with Roller by this time, could make
but one answer to these reprOaches,
which was to burst into violent weep
ing. Roller remained cain. He knew
something about women, and was not
inordinately disturbed by their senti-
mental tears. He attempted respect
fully, after the Continental fashion, to
take her hand, but Jeanne rudely re-
pulsed him. and rushed past, saying,
between her sobs: Eyes, yes, you are
the lover of that little thing. Take her
and be happy. Forget all about Jeanne
Lefevre. l am rightly served. The
Germans have done harm to me and
mine from the first. Iwish | could hate
you as l ought, and-and-"
Roller saw her slim black figure dart
ing ahead of him in the gloom. AS he
walked slowly back, pulling his blonde
mustache, he concluded that he really
loved this little French girl, and the
only thing for him to do was to marry
her and take her back to Munich. In
the Joy of the prodigars return, his
parents would probably forgive him,
and he would be free from the persecu-
tons he endured in regard to falling in
love with certain Baroness Won Kafel-
stein, who had eyes like the bottom of a
pewter plate, and weighed twice as
much as he did 1t is easy to convince
ones self of the wisdom of what one
strongly desires; so Rollers mind was
pretty well made up before he reached
the Burt-Rob.nson cottage.
Lillian was waiting for him in dark
corner of the porch. ''Well, where is
my fan?'
Rollers heart gave jump. He hal
forgotten all about the fan. Ill as
sure you, mademoiselle, | searched
and-Tm sure it is not in the path" he
added, with sudden boldness, for it was
surely at the bottom of the pond.
You probably met the governesS,
said Lillian, with sarcasm in her smooth
voice.
81 did," replied Roller, lamely.
"Ahn'
She reflected 1t was now or never.
Roller, in his supposed position, would
never dare to make the first advances to
her; that had been fully decided. Count
ess Maurice Koller-well, it was worth
the stake, and she had read in several
novels where the heroine had very sue
cessfully proposed to the hero, and had
been accepted. She rapidly ran over in
her mind the general form of the pro-
position.
..Koller," she said. dramatically. "you
are poor-unknown-a wandering min
strel-
81 beg your pardon, madcmoiselle,
l have regular contract with the pro-
prietor of the Brandon House for four
months, beginning last June"
THAT is nothing" said Lillian, veXed
to have her exordium so disturbed.
but do you not see how it is? Do you
not feel for me?'
To have two women throw themselves
at his head the same afternoon was more
than even German stolidity could stand.
Roller seized his hat and rctreated to-
ward the steps.
"Mademoiselle," he said earnestly,
81 assure you feel for you. To lose an
ornament like your fan, cherished for
thousand tender associations, the gift,
perhaps. of favored lover-a-ah9-
Soou eNthlHS, hlioeilolScIe, dlot Ae
WAS gone.
Lillian stood, angry and irresolute.
Just then she saw the lamps lighted in
the little drawing-room, and Jeanne
enter, with GwendOlen tagging after her
as usual. 1t suddenly occurred to her
that perhaps it would be as well to send
the French governess home. She
stepped in through the open window.
I've been thinking, she said, ami
ably. to Jeanne, that you must find it
rather stupid up here, and perhaps you'd
like to pay visit to your friends for q
few weeks. I'm sure mamma will agree
to it."
''But I have no friends nearer than
France" replied Jeanne, doggedly.
sitting down and oisentangling Il Won
derful piece of crocheting belonging to
Gwendolen.
''Then you can go down to the house
in Fifty-eig hth street,
But why do you wish to get rid of
me, mademoiselle2 Do interfere with
your plans in any way?''
1t will be seen that the two young
ladies were rapidly drifting INTO a quar-
rel. OPPORTUNITY Mrs. Burt-Robinson
entered.
"You up at this time, Gwendolen?
It's a quarter of an hour past your
bedtime. Miss Lefevre, you should not
allow Gwendolen to sit up until nearly
eight o clock
Jeanne marched Gwendolen off to
bed. So then she was to be sent back
70, ,ifrl.t 81, oil al NO n