The morning call., 1892-12-29

harbor and a sharp eddy Of wind had torn
her beadgear bodily from its moorings, pins
and all. The hat was light, iat-brimmed
affair and took to the air like klttiwake:
Its fight was checked on the very brink OF
grabbed 1t Just on the hover. The crown
was muddied a little, but wipe from
handkerchief soon put that right. Then
restored it,
"This time II was tJe vous remercie bieD,
Msieu.' with as good Partisan accent as
one could wish for. For the second time.
tool 1t was so stupid OF her not TO be more
careful of her hats; so clever Of me 10 save
the straw from watery grave; but 1t was
the third day OF the mistrai and so we might
look forward to spell OF calm weather. In
fact she was evidently inclined for chat
when she caught sight Of some one beckon-
Ing In a carriage on ahead, and gave me my
congo, saying that she must 60 without
delay. ] should have felt inclined TO press
my company trifle longer if / had followed
my own iDelinations. But l saw she could
be a very dignied little woman when she
chose; apd besides, thought that the old
lazy in the carriage was her employer, and
knew that governesses usually get il hot
when they are seen talking TO strange young
men in public thoroughfares. So we ex-
changed bows anG parted.
81 saw the carriage 90 on through the
flower market, and, noting stall where 1t
pulled up, went there afterward and made
a purchase, not because l wanted bouquet,
but merely as an excuse for asking ques-
ton. But could not make out who my un-
knowns were. The stall woman said they
were not regular customers. She did not
know them in the least. She thought
they were Russians. because they were
so rich aud talked French so well; but
they might be French i made other
Inquiries at the club and elsewhere. but
without success. Perhaps my descriptions
were too vague. Cannes is comparatively
small place, but everybody does not know
everybody else. The winter population is
a shifting one The only Que suggestion |
had given me- was that madame was the
wife OF Polish financier who lived in Bel
GUM, but after being at some pains to
meet that person in drawlng-rOOm found
she was not the Individual | wanted.
"You may think it strange that was put
ting myself TO all this trouble, but the fact
of the matter was | couldn't knock that
little gOverness girl ont of my thon ghts. 1t
wasn't the smallest usa TO start on the ES-
terels again; / couldn't paint one little bit.
/ did nothing but smoke and think and
wander about the place in hopes of STUN bling
across her again.
81 didn't see her for a week after that
meeting down by the harbor and was be-
ginning to fear that she had gone away
from tile place. If she had gone believe
/ should have searched Europe through and
through Till had found her again; but. as
it was, that piece of madness was spared
me. l was walking up toward the observa-
tory one day, when l came across her by
the side of the canal. She was seated on a
camp stool, buslIy at work upon water
color.
al believe ! almost made fool of myself
al first; very nearly gave myself away, in
fact; but we shook hands as If we had
known one another for years, instead Of
having met twice over a blOwn-off hat, aud
nd phatta1 fer fhrpa hOurs hPfNra /
five minutes had passed. l wanted to carry
the kit back for her; bat she would not lei
me see her home. She had quiet little
WAY Of ordering that one never dreamed OF
at the time that her requests were practi-
cally commands. So / continued my walk.
which had been interrupted, up toward the
observatory. and she picked up camp stool
and paint box and went of briskly through
the pines toward the path below.
81 had gained one thing, however, that
sent me off jubiant at heart. The sketch
had promise. and was most certainly worth
l had impressed upon her as
candid professional opinion, and she after
a little consideration, said that she would
PROBABLY come back ana finish il. 'Io-mOr-
row?' She laughed. Perhaps so; perhaps
not. When she had time. G0od-by.
Poor little governess, thought /, that
means you will come when they give you a
holiday.
1IOWeNeE, As III ndppcUcu. oDe QlQ come
on the morrow, and on several morrows.
until that picture was flushed; and then
she started another from another poIut,
and worked as diligently at that TIE
canal was a fayorite walk. This second
picture was Of tiny dell full of browns
and greens, deeper among the pine woods.
suggested the spot; she accepted my
choice, and our tete-a-tete were never
broken in upon.
Il was to her merely a journeyman
painter. | kept the cash in the BACKGROUND,
preferring not TO bring that to bear She
was to me the little governess who spoke
English and French and German with equal
fuency. She had travelled wideiy-as de-
pendent, presumed. What country woman
she was did not discover. ! did not even
know ner name-nor she mine. 1t was
truly 'unegoisme deux,' And it was self
not status. that each cared for in the other.
''0f what we spoke | cannot tell you ac-
curately. So many things passed in re-
view before Us. We seemed to have bound
less sympathles in common. She was my
ideal of woman-utterly unaffected. yet su-
premely self-respecting l grew TO know
and reverence her character as had never
done woman's before. We met each morn
ing by tacit agreement. and each morning |
seemed to find out some new reason to ad-
mire her more.
"And so the days were bright for MS dur
Ing whole month. AMI then. as | judged
our mutual feelings had long been as clear
as the sky above Us, I thought to bring
matters to a tardy climax.
ITO her eternal credit be II said, she tried
desperately hard to stop me, when she saw
what my speech trended 10. She CON-
manded me to leave the subject; and when
l would not, she rose from the soft brown
CARPET OF pine needles, where we were
seated together. and began to walk quickly
away. Isprang up, strOde after. and seized
her wrist.
81 have told that love you" / salt,
I on must lei me hear whether you will DO
nay wife
".1 can never be- she said very quietly.
81 dropped her wrst-flung it from me-
You have been fooliBg with me- | said
Y ou must have seen from the very first
minute bow / cared. And yet, after all this
time. can you say that l am as nothing to
you"
"She gave queer little cry. l heard the
same once before. in Naples, from a man
who was stabbed in the throat.
"'Your answerY | demanded.
Il love yOu.' she said. as | have never
loved before, and as l never shall love man
again
"Before the words were all spoken had
her wrapped tightly in my arms. and she lay
there quiet as a dead woman.
Then you shall be my wife, said.
1t cannot be-
=" i say 1t SHALL
"She shook her head.
"'De you know who amp she asked
NO / told her, neither do / care. i
have wooed you as the unknown goyerness
OF woman whose name / have not learnt.
You yourself are all ask for. ABOUT your
ancestry, means and all that L do not care
one rap
"She gave hard little laugh and-tod me
her name.
Great heavensl This girl whom l loved,
who had ayowed love in return, was a
daughter of the highest reigning house in
Europe, princess whom an emperor's son
might marry.
II loosed my arms involuntarily and
started back. / believe | nearly tainted
she was CHASTITY pale. but her wits ap-
peared collected.
Now. you see.' she said, how we are