The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-16

when we entered the house, and a young
| girl answered the summons.
She was the most beautiful creature /
| had ever seen.
| She had masses of rich yellow hair-not
| ned, but the real hue of the precious metal.
| Her complexion was of dazzling fairness,
| and her eyes were of the deepest, strangest
blue that have ever seen. At one moment
| they seemed black, at another gray, at
another blue They rarely looked at one
| direct, but when they did their gaze haunt
! ed one.
Mile. Annette cast her strange eyes mod
| estly to the ground as she answered my
| question as to the possibility of our sleep
| ing at the house for the night.
81 will ask mother" she said IN low,
| soft voice: 81 am sure she will be glad to
be of service"
Then she nodded gracefully and with
| drew.
Presently Nine Lafarge came to speak
| to us.
She was as great a contrast to her beau
| tiful daughter as it is possible to imagine.
! Although little more than forty years of
age, her black hair was rapidly turning
gray The neighbors declared that it had
become visibly grayer in the three weeks
that had elapsed since Marie's disappear
ance She had heavy features, betting
brows and dark, hollow eyes, and her lips
were thin and covetous.
Altogether her appearance was evil look
ing and took hearty dislike to her from
the first moment of seeing her.
She was evidently by no means as anxious
to be of service as her daughter had repre-
scented, but, on the other hand, she did not
object to earn the handsome douceur we
promised her, so ultimately IT was agreed
that we should occupy kind of loft under
the roof for that night, and for longer If
the storm continued.
Then we sat down and made ourselves at
home in the kitchen, where Mile. Annette
was preparing supper.
We tried to talk to her, but it transpired
that the Lafarges had recently removed
from a French speaking canton, and the
girl did not know much of German, nor
did we of French moreover. Annette did
not seem to possess great conversational
power in any language, for / noticed that
she and her mother rarely spoke when not
compelled to do so. l thought her silence
might be partly accounted for by her grief
for the loss of her half sister, to whom she
was said to have been deeply attached.
However, it was amusement enough for
me to watch the girls graceful movements
and lovely face, and even fastidious Ray
wood began presently to vouchsafe little
interest in her.
Fate had ordained that we should be-
come better acquainted with the Lafarge
family, however, for as Haywood was
mounting the ladder that led to our bed
chamber he missed his footing, fell and
sprained his ankle.
At first haywood was far more impa-
tent at the delay than myself, and jok-
ingly told him he had better console him
self in the society of the beautiful Annette,
while explored the mountains.
''Pm afraid l shouldn't find much conso-
lation in the society of Mile. Annette"
said he.
isn't she pretty enough to meet your
approbation?"
Eyes, but one gets sick of staring at
pretty doll that hasn't got two ideas in its
faxen head"
However, it seemed to me presently that
Haywood had consoled himself in spite of
the fair Annette's dizziness, for when l re-
turned found them sitting on a sunshiny
seat in the little inclosure which did duty
for garden, and seemingly well content
with each others society.
Thus week passed rapidly away. Ray
woods ankle was we'll enough for us to go
now, 1 thought, but to my surprise he
never spoke of resuming our journey.
| began to be very impatient to leave the
place. l strongly suspected that Nine. La
FARCE knew more about her stepdaughter's
death than she would have cared to own,
and thinking this was naturally anxious
to quit her house.
l again suggested to Haywood that we
should go. He fatty refused.
/ could not understand his proceedings,
but as / should have felt responsible in
case of accident if l had insisted, l again
waited.
Two days later went into the kitchen
at an unusual hour, and found Haywood
sitting with Annette's hand in his and
gazing into her fathomless, mysterious
eyes with an infatuation that appalled, me-
Was it possible that Haywood, man of
good family and brilliant prospects, had so
far forgotten his own position and his
duty to Lady Marion as to fall in love
with an ignorant peasant of doubtful ante
cedents?
81 must stop this at once" thought,
and calling my friend aside l demonstrated
sternly with him on his unjustifable con-
duct in making love to girl who could
never be his wife.
To my intense surprise he listened calmly
to all l had to say, but positively refused
to leave the house. haywood was yielding
to fault as rule. was completely puz-
zled
This Annette must be a shrewd, de-
signing girl, under her show of simplicity
and good nature" thought l. "I'll try and
solve the mystery about Marie Lafarge
Surely, if can prove that Nine. Lafarge
is a murderess, or is shielding a murderer,
that at least will bring haywood to his
senses"
was lying awake one night, thinking
uneasily of Haywood and Annette, WREN I
heard door open softly on the ground
floor.
Madame and her daughter slept there
not together, but as far apart as possible
the large kitchen separating their rooms.
/ listened attentively, for everything that
went on had painful interest for me now.
Presently there was sound as OF soma
one talking in the kitchen.
| arose without awakening Haywood
and raised the trapdoor little
1t was Nine Lafarge walking to and fro
in the kitchen. She was talking to herself
and apparently in great anguish of mind.
Perhaps she is ILL.," thought l. and was
on the point of descending TO her assistance
when l caught a glimpse of her face in the
moonlight.
1t was the most CHASTITY sight have ever
seen The woman was evidently a SOM