Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-09-27
CHAPTER VII.
- FOREsTER


In the edge Of the woods Of Grandpre,
not far fIOmthe spot where Blanche de
GavrOlles had first encountered the Ger
man officer, stood a One-stOried cottage,
looking seward toward the cliffs. In
summer time wild roses and creepers COW
cred the porch and Oyerhung the windows,
but in late autumn the place looked desc
late enough. The furniture within was
rude and simple, the floors of coarse DEAL
but in the recesses were large presses or
Wardrcbes of old oak which had been
there from time immemOrial. In this
cottage had dWeit the HouZeis, fathers
and sons, for several generations, but now
the young keeper was its only tenant.
Houzel regarded his Office with abund-
ant pride and guarded the preserves as
tenderly as if they were treasures OF gold.
When he did catch q trsspasser after game
he was sensible enough to take the law
into his own hands instead of dragging
the offender before the CheValieF, who
would have dismissed him with a slight
rebuke; so what the bad characters of the
neighborhoOd had to dread was not the
law and prison, but a severe thrashing
from the forester and keeper, of whom,
indeed, they were thoroughly afraid,
The night after the meeting between
Blanche and the German, HOuzel watched
the chateau till he found that every one
had retired to rest and then, with a face
I
cottage. Entering, he threw aside his
gun and sat down by the fire. where the
/ old man, his assistant, was already sit
ting, cleaning a rusty foWling- piece.
We'll, master, what neWs?" asked the
old man, after long silence. You look
as if you had seen a ghost.
1 have seen the German returned
HOuze1, with an ilnprecatiOn- HE is still
there at the chateau; and, look you,
| Mademoiselle Blanche treats him as If he
we're one of ourselves Frenchman!"
/ "Ahl that is bad, very badi"
@Bad-it is infamous! have a mind,
some of these days, to serve him as he
| served mademOiselles hOund-tO put a
bullet through his heart? What think you
he said in my hearing, Andreas! That
mine was a dogs vocation. Well, he shall
| find that the dog can bite.
These Germans are the devil. master,
! said Andreas, servilely. "They are eat
/ ing US up alive-lOcusts. And as soon as
one is slain there comes a thousand; and
every day it is growing worse.
| Instead of replying HauZel rose and be-
gan pacing to and fro the glowing cham
/ Der.
mo word from the Chevalier?" asked
| Andreas presently.
| Houzel shook his head gloomily, while
the other added:
"If he has fallen, master, Mile. Blanche
will be an orphan. That will be bad, very
bad"
yes, you are right. She has only her
father.
| ing sIyly at the other as he spoke. How
| old is my young Iady?"
She is eighteen in January. The fifth
is her fete day. Yes, nearly eighteen
years old"
old enough to marry, master, sug-
| gested Andreas.
I az e II
/ a tone so savage that the old man almost
/ started from his seat. who talks of mar
| rying? Mile. Blanche is a child. Per
| haps she will never marry.
yet, as you say, should anything hap
pen to the old CheValier she viii be alone.
Bad very bad!" murmured Andreas,
in his pet phrase. "She Will have no one
to protect her"
%She will have mel" returned HOuzel
in the former savage way. No harm viii
! come to her while I am near.
Perfectly; but that is different.
you mean that am not her equal?'
demanded the young man; adding, while
the other coughed apOlogetically, We'll
you are right; 1 am her fathers servant
and hers. For the rest, she has no equa
in the world"
The conversation ended, and a sullen
silence followed, which was not broker
till the old man rose, babe HOuzel good
night, and shufied of to bed. HOuze
remained seated by the fire, staring gloom.
lily into the burning wood. The flame fel
upon him, suffusing his sunburnt face and
neck with a deeper red.
THE German was right, he mutt
tered. 1T is dogs service, after all. Wha
am I better than her hound, that would
run after her, obey her bidding, and licl
her hand? Well, that alone would con.
tent me; l ask no more. Yet when sht
speaks to him, our enemy, she is changed
her face is different, and I think some
times PshaW! I am a fool for M
pains. I at least am Frenchman; he
one Of the accUrsed vermin who are desc
lating France.
When day broke Houzel was at his pos
watching the chateau. Before the SUI
was visible in the heavens Blanche CAM
forth and found him leaning against
tree, his eyes upon the terrace. Sh
smiled gently as he saluted her, and said
Here again, Houzel You are Xix
my shadow, and wherever I turn tin'
you.
Your pardon, mademoiselle, he re
piled. "I am watching the German pris
Oner.
/ Surely that does not concern you. Be
sides, he has given his parole.
Il dOnot trust him, was the gruF reply
you are a true Frenchman. she said
laughing. You hate the poor gentleman
simply because he is q stranger and Ger
man"
"He finds his prison pleasant, mademoi
selle, returned the keeper, Significantly
e" I do not think he would care TO leave
even if his countrymen came to take hin
away"
Something in the tone, more than In tn
words, made Blanche flush angrily. Sh
was about to reply when she saw the sub
ject of their conversation approaching froI
the house. He saluted her respectfully
and then glanced curiOusly at HOuzeL
~OUr friend is still on guard, he said
Must I ask his permission to wander
few steps further from my cage2"
The eyes Of the two men met for a mo
ment; then, while Houzel turned his hea,