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

/ the Gulf coast country. BE had found it a
| most delightful place to live, he said, her e
on the quiet bayou where be could have his
cattle in the broad marsh meadows and his
sugar cane fields beyond. There was excel
lent shooting near at hand and the fishing
was glorious in all the waters. He exam
ined Orton's guns-a rife and a fowling
piece-and found them very fine; then he
! fetched his own and exhibited them; they
were still finer, but of much older pattern.
One of them, a short, heavy, smooth-bored
piece for shot or ball, had stock of some
rich, ,satin-like wood upon which was carved
! the same snake design noticed by Orton on
thefee of the spinet in the adjoining room,
and its lock was masterpiece of engraving
and modelling.
While they were looking at these weap-
ons, along with some pistols, pouches and a
| pair OF rapiers, Orton became aware that a
| third person had entered the room. He
| heard the rustle-ofa dress and the sound of a
| light football on the floor. Looking up his
eyes met those of petite, plump girl whose
oval face was very dark and whose lips were
as red as cherries.
''My friend, Monsieur Orton-my daugh-
ter Lalie,' said Garcin as Orton rose.
The girl dropped quaint courtesy and
came forward to take the young mans hand,
faint blush showing under the dusk of
her beautiful skin. She was not more than
10, but she appeared quite developed, one of
those quick, warm growths of the South,
soon to flower, soon to fade.
''The gentleman is a very great artist,
Lalie, and he has come to live with us
awhile. Maybe he will make a picture
of our house; our chateau" said Garcin
gaily.
''They say a ruin does well in picture" Z"
she responded, 'but should think that the
Rochon place would be better subject.
That is very beautiful place."
"Yes, saw it from the bay" said Orton,
SIT must indeed be interesting. By the
way, 1 saw the master of the place, too,
and the young lady, what is her name?"
"Felicie Rochon, is her name," said the
girl quickly. land she is very, very beau
tiful''
''Is she? I thought so, too, but she was
SO far away that could not make out her
features very we'll. What pretty name it
is, Felicie Rochon, don't you think so?''
He spoke to her as he would have done to a
child. "Are you acquainted with her?" he
added.
She blushed as she answered III the mega
tive, though she spoke without confusion.
eve are not friends. though not enemies,
Monsieur Rochon and L; said Garcin rather
gravelv. "We have never been oversee
ciable, nor have We ever quareled. You
see how it is.
Of course, Orton did not see how it was;
but much as he would have liked to
know more he felt that it was out of the
question to make any further inquiries for
the present The name of Felicie Rochon
was running through his mind like some
haunting strain of music, and the vision of
the two striking figures standing forth on
the breezy bluff at Magnolia Point was still
firmly set in his memory. 1t was picture
whose impression grew deeper all the time
and whose colors increased In richness and
purity.
'Mo'sieu Gaspard Rochon is looked upon
with little suspicion, just little suspi-
cion, by some people, but 1 don't know
about it" said Garcin, moving rather
nervously. "Some say he ought to be taken
in hand by the Government but don't
know, to be sure. could not testify against
him in the least"
interest more than this indirect tattle con-
cerning Rochon, for it confirmed, in a way,
the romantic stories told by Victor. and
hung about the figures most in his mind
thicker veil of mystery.
81 came in to tell you that luncheon is
ready for you," said the girl, going close to
her father and laying plump hand on his
thin muscular shoulder. Now, for the first
time, Orton noticed how the dark blood of
Martinique had set an unmistakable seal on
all her features. She looked up at him
quickly, and, as if she had read his
thoughts, appeared to shrink little, the
smile slipping from her lips, leaving them
pouting and serious, while her eyes quivered
and fell quickly. A moment later she went
and drew back a heavy, somewhat faded
curtain, showing the way to a spacious din
ing room in the log part of the house.
Madame Garcin, a heavy, commonplace
woman of almost African complexion,
greeted them with profuse politeness. She
spoke very rapidly, and with a marked ac-
cent and broadening of all the vowel
sounds.
Orton glanced around to see the walls of
round pine logs hung with antlers and
other trophies of the chase, guns, pistols,
swords, knives, the wings and tails OF
bright-feathered birds and few unim-
portant pictures, mostly shooting scenes.
Small art had been shown in the arrange
ment OF these curious ornaments, but the
effect was replete with half barbara SIM
plicity and strength. The two narrow
windows of the room were hung with cur
tains of dressed buckskin upon whose rich
yellow ground had been wrought simple but
pleasing designs in embossed needlework of
blue silk. Above each was tealskin with
wings and neck outspread. There
were strong dashes of red, orange
and green, here and there, from
the feathers of paroquets, jays, gros-
beaks and famingoes massed in odd places.
The ceiling was the roof itself made of
heavy boards of heartpine, rich with resin.
A very simple luncheon was spread upon
an oval table in the center of the room.
Hard, sweet biscuits, thinly sliced dried
venison, preserved fruit, coffee and wine were
served in a leisurely way by negro girl,
whose head was bound with snowy cotton
cloth.
During the course of the repast, Orton,
whose mind would wander back to dwell
upon one subject, inquired about the dis
tance to Rochon place, and was surprised
not little when, in the conversation which
followed, Madame Garcin said:
''Mo'sieu Rochon is a very fine gentle
man; he is great friend of ours
The host coughed little, fdgeted in his
chair and remarked:
''Ah, well, not great friend, Madame,
not near friend, certainly. Only just
neighbor of whom we must speak well, you
know, out of due politeness.
''Mo' dieu! precisely So" exclaimed the
vivacious hostess glaneing half-inquiringly
from her husband to her daughter and
finally at Orton. She poised her stout figure
with an effort at reserve and added:
''Mo'sieu Orton will not misunderstand.'
In truth the young man could neither un-
derstand nor misunderstood; the whole mat
ter was mystery to him. For lack of a
better way out of the awkward situation, he
simply said:
81 should very much like to visit the
Rochon place"
Swift glances and furtive signs were ex-
changed by the Garcins, but this escaped
Orton's observation, so busy vas he with in