The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-03-13

her gates; and, therefore, accepted her in
vitation, only wondering why 1t had been
| sent, as my acquaintance with her was yenv
slight. When arrived late In the afternoon
| at the railway station where was to alight,
a io1nd boad carnage na awa9g me and the
the lady, telling me that the guest whose
| room / was In turn to occupy, had been i'll,
and that he would be able to depart only
the next morning, and that therefore,
me at the. village inn for the night
The carriage would take me there,
and, waiting while dressed, 1t would bring
me to the chateau to dinner. l found the
rooms at the inn comfortable, and had q
The chateau lackey told me that Nine. la
Mdrqutse wished to see me. What's the
matter, Wyoming, are you ill?"
No-no-it's. nothing" answered the
american, hastily. go on. Your story
stage"
The Englishman waited while Wyoming
nlled glass of champagne and began TO
drink it. Then he resumed his tale.
II followed the lackey through several
handsome apartments to the spacious draw
ing-room, at one end of which was smaller
room reserved by the lady Of the house for
herself. After the servant had announced
me, 10 obedience to gesture Of hers, he re-
leased the heavy curtains which draped the
wide door had entered by, and which now
shut me In with my hostess. l found her
lying on sofa,, 'dallying and dangerous
as Charles Lamb describes Peg Wellington
in Hogarth's portrait. Shewas very hand
some woman, although no longer in her first
youth. As she greeted me cordially and
motioned to seat by her side, l saw that
there were tears In her eyes, In two min
utes more | was proffering my sympathy,
and she was telling me how miserably she
was misunderstood bv the frivolous people
about her, and most OF all by her husband,
who could not comprehend the ethereal as
pirations OF her soul. In pathetic gesture
she stretched forth her banda hand Of singu-
lar beauty-aDd took 1t in mine. She did
not withdraw it, but she looked at me re-
proachiully. At this moment the curtains
were parted violently, her husband strobe in
paused just beyond the threshold and glared
at me. For moment we looked each other
in the eye. Then he said peremptorily,
"Sortez, Monsieur What was to do? /
glanced at the lady, and Interpreting her ex
preston as best could, bowed and leftthe
room. A minute more and was on my way
back to the village inn on foot. As walked
l had bitter thoughts; | foresaw a needless
duel; knew that there was no possibility
of explanationlto husband enraged by jeal-
0usy. AT the inn had a bit of dinner; l
read few chapters of French novel, feel
ing myself strangely like its despicable hero
| ana then went to bed and to sleep. In the
morning there came knock at my door, and
letter was handed in. Here, / thought, is
the challenge. Now must go out and stand
| up before an absurd Frenchman whom |
| scarcely know, and he will try to kill me-
| So thinking, opened the letter. 1t was not
| from the husband, but from the wife. 1t
was not challenge; IL was an appeal. She
| her husband, who begged me to accept his
| sincere regrets for his hasty and incOnsider-
ate action. Still, as 1t would recall an un.
pleasant scene If were to come to the chat
ao it,cf hon, ohs.c cd hat Oh
postpone my visit until the next year. /
| confess that was only too delighted to get
| out of the ridiculous scrape, and l did not
care whether or not ever saw the chateau
| again. ordered my breakfast and dressed.
| Then the sun was was pouring in at the win
| d0w.Sand | read the lady's letter again. As
l saw it In the full daylight it seemed as
| though there was something unusual about
it. examined it carefully, and then / dis
covered what the matter was. The letter
held in my hand, apparently in the writing
of the lady, was Autographed forml"
THAT is very curious" the Hungarian re-
marked, as the Englshman ended.
1T is rather curious" said the American
"Then you will c. Mess now" cried the tall
blonde Englishman, that there are two
dreams not out of nature-Alfred's and
yours?"
No" returned Wyoming, quickly.
"Why not?"
Because still know only one dream not
out of nature. Alfred's dream and my dream
are one and the same"
Alfred turned and faced Wyoming with
start of surprise.
do you mean to say" he asked, shat you
also have dreamt my dream?"
YES" calmly replied the American.
"lmpossiblep' said Alfred's countryman;
then he corrected himself hastily; 81 mean
that it is improbable"
1T is so improbable that was staggered
as Alfred told his story" Wyoming returned
but, improbable or not, it is the fact, and
think can prove 1t"
He felt In the breast pocket of his coat
and then turned to Alfred.
do you remember the name of the chat
eau?" he asked.
YES" Alfred answered.
"And of the lady?
''Was it the Chateau Sazerac?"
YES, cried Alfred, ''how do you know"
The American smiled gently.
II know" he said, because dreamed the
same dream on the same night you did,"
The name OF the lady," suggested the
True" Wyoming went on. "And was
the - LADY ~ the wife Of the Marquis de la Tour
''She was" answered the man who had
told the dream; "but how
Zone question MORE" interrupted the
American; do you think you would recog-
nize, the letter Autographed in fac-simile of
the lady's handwriting?"
'Of course / should" was the answer.
why do you ask ?"
Il drcamt that was invited to the Cha
teau Sazerac; and met the Marquise de la
Tour artel. and l was ordered out by her
husband, and received letter from Ter
explaining all and begging me to go away.
But my adventure went further than yours
When 1 was awakened from my dream was
holding piece of paper in my hand. /
took It to the window, and 1t was the litho-
graphed circular in the writing of Madame
de la Tour-Martel. / have it now." He
thrust his hand again into his breast pocket,
and drew forth paper. Here it is. Do
you recognize it?''
Alfred seized the letter eagerly. One
glance was sufficient. 1t fell from his
hands.
yes" he said, sit is the same"
There was moment of silence
The Hungarian was the first to speak
Let us go up into the smoking-ronm for