The Press., 1892-06-02

bec?" Mademoiselle Leroux asked the stranger.
 .sl shall be here few days" he an- swered; and then he glanced toward the porch as if he wanted to be asked in- doors.
 Mademoiselle Chaumelle was looking at him with very mournful expression in her eyes
 Pardon me, monsieur" she said, and Madelaine thought her aunt's voice sounded broken, ''but you remind me so much of some one l knew years ago May venture to ask your name?'' l Madelaine looked hard at the stran- ger, and she thought she had never seen that grave, almost stern, face before Dark gray-blue eyes looked out frank ly under well marked eyebrows; the nose and the forehead reminded the | girl of an ancient coin, and the mouth, though partly hidden by brown mustache, was sharply cut and full of character. Madelaine decided that the stranger must be very severe, and she felt sure he must think her aunt foolish. The part of his face she liked best was his broad, square forehead, and the crisp waves of rich brown hair above it. He looked, she fancied, surprised at her aunts question. but he answered at once:
 'My name is Maurice Henri. lnatle-. moiselle. live at present in Paris, but shall probably settle in Rouen some day."
 Madelnoiselle Chaumelle looked dis appointed. . --
 My friends name was not Henri, monsieur; but it is strange that one of his Christian names was Maurice Mon- sieur must permit me to say that the likeness 1 See makes me feel as if he were an old acquaintance. Will he be SO amiable as to come in and breakfast with us this morning!'
 Monsieur Henri bowed. He had break lasted before he came out, but the spinsters ready hospitality pleased him. and, besides. he wanted to talk to her silent niece. Ma,lelaine was not inclined to talk, and after several attempts Mon sieur Henri devoted himself entirely to his hostess
 Madelaine felt so cross and contradic- tory that she preferred to be silent. She was so much accustomed to be ill the right with every one that it rarely oc- cured to her to question her own wis dom, but after d few minutes she re- gretted her silence and the abrupt way in which she had answered this gentle man, who had spoken politely to her. And then she told herself that it was quite natural that she should feel upset by his presence; she knew that she should not be allowed to stay long at Caudebe~ and she had to discuss with her aunt the unpleasant and important subject that troubled her before she went home. It was true that she had already made up her mind on this marriage proposed to her by her father and her stepmother. She did not want to be married. and she had said so: they had smiled in answer, and told her she must not decide hastily. Madelaine felt sure she was right. but she wanted to be justified by her aunt's assent to her opinion. Aunt Virginie always agreed with her. ''We think so much alike," the girl said to herself. as she ate her breakfast, perfectly uncon scious that she had as yet never yielded up her own will to that of Aunt Vir ginie
 She could not help enjoying Monsieur l Henri's talk. it sounded so interesting, and at last, when he gave an account of 8 journey he had made in Switzerland that summer, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glowed as he related his Alpine ssd ventures. for Mademoiselle Chauinelle had the gift of drawing ont eopversa- ton from others.
 Madelaine's eyes strayed to the wis itor's face and she saw how truly it ex- pressed his feelings. He looked so deteSs mined, so in earnest, and yet there&sA sweet. kind took in his eyes that Tfsats cinated her in spite of herself. Her oh servations were quickly interrupted.
 Monsieur Henri seemed to feel that her eyes were fixed on him. He looked up so suddenly that he met them full. Madelaine tnrned away with an angry flush at the admiration she saw in Mon sieur Henri's face. She did not know how much of it had been provoked by the absorbed interest he had read in hers. Her inpatience came back. She felt indignant with her aunt. She was certain that her mother would not ap- prove of such sudden acquaintance, for Aunt Virginie went on talking to this stranger as though he were an old friend.
 ''I shall tell her." Madelaine thought, "that German story mother gave me to read, where the heroine dances and talks with a stranger all through the eyealing of masked ball. and then after sussper. when every one un,nasks, the unknown cavalier turns out fo be the common hangmap. Yes. indeed, shall scold Aunt Virginie for her imprudence. Madelaine drew herself up with a pretty air of dignity that delighted the obseryant guest on the opposite side of the table.
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