Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-10

forgotten to reload it after Lalie Garcin
had used it. The keen click of the lock
frightened the beautiful bird, and so 1t es-
oaped. Slight as the incident was 1t served
to cast his thoughts back upon the scene in
tbe Garden. and so he wandered on, IDLY
threading the waYs of the sylvan solitude
and permitting his fancy to weave all sorts
of airv fabrics until suddenly he found him.
self within sight of the bay whose blue
wavelets were twinkling and whitening un-
der fresh breeze.
He had walked further than he knew,
and it came into his mind that he might
have trouble in finding his way back to
Garcin's Certainly his route had been
without any special direction, nor had he
made the slightest note of its bearings, so
absorbed had he been in the novelty and
picturequesness of what he had seen, heard
and experienced. Confident, however, that
his sense of directions would guide him
Alright, he stood awhile enjoying the wild
view of the dav, then turned about and re-
entered the woods.
After walking a short distance through
the thicket of yaupon trees, and across a
spur of ouaking but not boggy marsh, he
came into a narrow but weli-marked
path that wound away under old cedars
and oaks whose buttressed roots were cush-
toned with moss, ana whose boughs let fall
airy fastoons of gray parasitic plants that
frailed upon the ground. At one point this
swinging growth had formed a curtain
which almost closed up the path. AS Or
ton, istepping rapidly with long, vigorous
strides was passing through this obstruc-
tion ne came near going plump against a
Young woman coming from the opposite di-
rection. They recoiled, each from the other,
with that start of surprise inevitable under
mn
gazing at each other. He lifted his hat
and bowed as he stepped aside respectfully,
giving her the path.
"Your pardon, Mademoiselle, said he,
with grave gentleneSs in his voice. She
hesitated in a halffrightened way, her form
FACILITATING, her lips apart; then she almost
ran as she passed him and soon disappeared
round turn OF the path. 1t was all so sud-
den, so unexpected and so quickly over that
Orton was left with a sweet bewilderment
in his mind. Her form and face, every
feature, every line, her clear, soft eyes, her
straight brows, and fine, delicatety modelled
nose, her rosy lips and softly rounded
cheeks and chin, every detail of her drapery
from head to foot and the nameless but
powerful charm of her whole presence had
impressed him as if by some fairy magic.
1t was like the passing of a goddess; the
air was filled with the sense of sweetness
and freshness trailing after her.
Looking in the direction she had gone,
Orton saw through shimmering rift In the
waving foliage, and not very distant, the
gray walls and pointed roof of the stately
Rochon mansion.
The young mans first impulse was to fol-
low in Mile Rochon's footsteps, and thus
gain better view of the house, and, per-
haps, another glimpse of the young lady her,
L Al.
fully, promising himself leisurely visit to
the place with sketchbook and pencil at an
early day.
1t was now past noon; the luncheon at
Garcin's would be ready at 2 so he struck
out to find his way back. bearing with him
q satisfying sense Of the very charming ad-
venture his first exploration had afforded
him. He came to a cabin in a small clear
ing; it was occupied by a numerous negro
family, from whom he received directions
how to find Garcin's house. The distance,
his informant said, was about three miles.
By dint of rapid walking and turning aside
for nothing he reached the house just in
time to meet Garcin himself returning from
whatever work he had in hand.
And YOU found no game, Mo'sieu Or
ton?" the latter inquired in his sprightly
way, holding open the little gate for the
young man to pass through. ''No lions,
tigers or panthers, eh?''
"No game whatever" Orton answered
with a cordial smile, 'but a very lovely
young man."
"Ah, Ma'm'zelle Felicie Rochon!" cried
Lalie, who had run out to greet her father.
''It was she, certainly, whom Mo'sieu went
to look for, not bird or beast"
"But she is by no means easy to capture, !
should say, Ma a'm' zelle Garcin; the way she
broke past me was bewildering," Orton
lightly remarked as he followed the little
man and his daughter into the house. "You
had not told me the half of her beauty how
ever 1t was like meeting Diana or Hebe -
Neither Lalie nor her parent knew enough
about mythology to understand this allusion
any further than TO feel the fine compliment
it signifed.
'You called at the mansion, suppose, -
ventured Nine. Garcin, who met them at
the door, ''and you saw Mo'sieu Rochon, did
you not?'
''Oh, no indeed" said Orton, nothing of
the kind. L merely chanced to meet
Nam 'zelle in a path near her home; 1 did
not see the old gentleman"
A silent expression of relief seemed to
pass over the Garcin group, as if sharp
tension had been relaxed suddenly. From
one dark face to another leaped a mere
-
''Oh, but he's a sly detective; he'll catch
the old chap at his tricksl He's not going
to be in an overhurry, and so fail"
"And did Ma IN zelle Rochol speak to
you?" inquired Lalie.
'No. but | spoke to her."
"You did! and she would not deign to re-
turn the compliment! Well, she is not as
highbred as she lets on to be, certainly"
"Lalie!''
'fLaliei'
Protested the father and mother.
Orton laughed.
But indeed" the girl went on with the
energy of deep conviction, 81 think it quite
rude and ugly for young lady to refuse to
notice gentleman's politeness, don't you,
Mo'sieu Orton?"
But was far from polite,'' said Orton.
81 was rushing carelessly along the path
and came near running against her. She
appeared to be quite frightened"
"But she knew that you did not do it on
purpose. She saw it was nothing but an ac.
cident, argued Lalie. ''I don't like per-
son who takes on such high airs for moth
ing"
While the girl was speaking her father
was plucklng her arm and making faces at
her. Finally he pinched her till she cried
out.
To Orton all this was as strange as it was
amusing. He saw by a side glance that
Nine. Garcin was making all manner of
faces at her daughter.
"You won't mind Lalie, Mo'sieu, she
speaks what she doesn't think sometimes,
remarked the host, when he had pinched
the girl into silence. 1.-THE ways of Mann
'zelle Rochon are exquisite, certainly. We
all admire her very much, ! don't we, Lalie?"
The bright eyes of Lalie shot quick look
into Orton's face; but she did not speak.
81 admire her, said the young man,
smiling down into Lalle's glowing dark