Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-11-26
CHAPTER ky.

Ihey tuLke0 ODeT uu utetT pust ttUcc'
Mrs. Roosevelt felt the need of hasten
ing the departure from the pocket"
but Notwithstanding her efforts it was
toward the middle of February when
everything was ready, There had been
many things to do Colonel Chenier's
library, SO rich in medi@val poetry and
romance, was sent away in large boxes
to Savannah. Rosalie assisted in the
packing and peeped into the old French
tones and manuscript rolls with some
thing like her former relish. 1t seemed
to her that every one Of these contained
some half suppressed allusion to the land
of her dreams. No doubt it was quite
natural for her thus to cheat herself, for
all the old romances were full OF cha
teaux and olive groves and vineyards,
where knights rode in pleasant lanes be-
side their lady loves, or played the lutte
under the walls by moonlight, or gal
loped away to the wars with warm
kiss tingling ON their bearded lips. And
had not her father been reading these to
her from her childhood, and telling heI
about Chateau Chenier and her knightly
ancestors who dwelt in the land Of the
mistral and the troubadour?
What vivid pictures, too, the strong de.
scriptive talks of Edgar Julian had giveI
her of those crumbling walls, those fer
vid skies and those orchard crowned
breezy hillsl Her visions were none the
less fair and enticing seen through th'
haze Of her sorrow.
She did not go to the spring any more
for though she felt sure that Ellis ha(
gone away, she shrank from seeing ever
the spot where she had witnessed hi
awful passion.
When the time at last came for goins
back to Savannah, it was not with an.
we'll defined regret that she bade fare
well to the mill and the little crisp val
ley. Adelei.+ seemed much affected
and quietly wnpt all the way over th
mountain. Coanel Chenier suffere,
too, but he sternly controlled himself
even calmly talking with Aunt Mar
guerite as the carriage bore them through
the devious way among the hills an,
gray-green groves of oaks and pines,
The Roosevelt mansion had grown +
be Rosalie's home, and she was like
child just returned from long journe,
when she again found herself in he
stately and spacious room. Adelaid
was quiet and sad, but Colonel Chenie1
taken unawares by Mr.. Roosevelt's col
dial friendliness and hospitality, wa
tempted out of his gloom. He was mai
urally companionable man, generou
and courteous, and it required very littl
to draw out all his latent good qualities
He and Mr. Roosevelt met as thong
nothing disagreeable had ever existe
between them; they talked over all thei
past lives, saving that they quietly ie
nored that unfortunate quarrel
One thing curiously affected Rosalie
It was the absence of Edgar Julian. Sh
had expected to find him at Roosevelt
Place, and she had counted much on til
pleasure his descriptions of Provence an
Chateau Chenier would give her fathel
To find that he was gone was a real blo'
to her
He would not stay any longer" sal
MIR. Roosevelt as they all sat at dinner
al tried to prevail on him to make h
home in Savannah, offered him a bi
salary, with leave to do general practie
besides, but he seemed to have grow
homesick or tired of the south. He &c
into difficulty with young Ellis, to-
and that made him miserable"
Rosalie asked no questions-she di
not care to hear further, but Mildre
Fain told her all the particulars whe
they met. Poor Mildredi she locke
like a shadow. The physicians wei
still hanging over Colonel Talbot, an
still declaring his recovery quite poss
BILE, though as yet he had not regaine
' consciousness. Rosalie felt herself
some sort to blame for all the sufferin
of Colonel Talbot and Miss Fain, an
keeping the secret Of that moonligl
walk inclosed in her breast had gene
ated sense of guilt which gnawed
her conscience,
eff Colonel Talbot dies" she som
times thought, Il shall be accessory
his murder-if not in purpose. still
fact"
1t rendered her extremely wretched
! hear Miss Fain talk, : ; although 81
rarely mentioned her lover directly, q
! her thoughts tended toward him, al
she evidently bore all his sutferings WI
d him.
The newspapers announced that Ell
. had returned to Savannah, but Rosal
saw nothing of him. Sometimes 81
j found herself wondering if 1t could
4 that he was innocent of the crime
" which she had accused him. Such
thing was not impossible. and yet 8
felt sure that she could not have be-
mistaken in recognizing him as he Il
! lowed her and Talbot. like q sinist
J, shadow, on that lovely and never-to-t
b forgotten night
One day, about week after her !
turn to Roosevelt Place, Rosalie was s
\ ting at her window reading in one of b
'e fathers favorite romances, or rather 8
had been reading and was now idly 81
Ing into the street below, when q
yiage rolled slowly BY. A servant