St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-05

taxes advantage TO insult ana threaten
defenSelesS womanw
He did not answer. The blunder was
only too palpable. He made some light
remark to Lindsay, and threw the old
key away, as they came out upon the
green SWard.
On the winding road. outside the
hedge which divided the park from it,
stood one of the numbering Normandy
carts, with its white cover and big
horse, and it was the bells of this old
fashioned team that she had heard.
Emily was bartering with the old peas
AMI woman for some strawberries, and
two bright-eyed, brownfaced children
were peeplng out from under the seat.
An idea flashed across Nina's brain a;
she would not subject herself to an
other moments endurance of De BreZe's
hateful society. She would pay the
market woman to let her ride into town
in the cart.
TO evolve an idea was to execute it
with Nina, and so she ran up to the old
peasant and in rapid French propOunded
her plan. She had never ridden in a
market cart, she said, among such
beautiful strawberries. All! what mar
vels they were. Would not the good
mother permit her to occupy the seat as
far as the Hotel d'Angleterre, and let
Ia petite there ride on mademOiselle's
knee? OF truth she was weary of
riding in coaches. Could she not just
once travel en- paysanne?
All this, and much more, Nina poured
forth in her winning, charming way,
and the old peasant came out of her be-
wilderment. and assured mademOiseile
that the cart, the strawberries-l am
not sure she did not even include la
petite-were at her disposition.
Clarke Lindsay was loud in his pro-
test against Nina'S leaving them, and
Nina was forced to make some sort of
an excuse to the count, but Emily gave
her shoulders true Gaelic shrug, and
remarked:
Nov, that's precisely like Nina.
Don't waste words on her, good people.
She is never happy unless original.
I'm sure it's intensely proper. The old
woman wont strangle her. will she?"
Whereat even Lindsay laughed, and
Nina clambered into the high seat, and
with thankful heart, waved her hand to
them, as the horse started and the cart
rumbled slowly down the road.
Nina will never forget that ride. 1t
had grown Late, the day was nearly
spent and the sun was sinking, while
the soft twilight began to cast its mel
low light over the picturesque Nor
mandy hills. What boon nature was
to that girls passionate heart! The
gOOd-humOred peasant chattered volu-
bly, on, in her drOll patoiS, telling how
they appeared to be so late upon the
road, and that. praise to the holy saints,
she had the custom of the very hotel to
which madem0iSelle was going, and so
would lose nothing by the lateneSS OF
the hour. The brown-eyed children sat
at NinaS feet, gazing wOnderingly up
at the pretty lady, her rings, her dress
and the flowers in her hat.
rs she not lovely, Jean" whispered
the tiny girl; like Saint Cecile! D0St
thou not wish to kiss her?"
At last the old town was reached.
Nina leaned back in silence, under
cover of the white top of the cart, won
ring whether Hugh would be back
from Dieppe, and fearing, yet half-long-
NIT her gaze as they drove along the
quay. She climbed down by herself
when the cart stopped at the entrance
of the hotel on the side street. Then
she gave the old peasant a liberal dou-
ceur, and bidding the children come to-
morrow to find some bon-bOnS, Nina
went wearily up the stairs.
The lights were burning brightly in
their parlor, and she heard the voices of
the party as she stole quickly past the
door and reached her own room. Her
invaluable maid, Flora, whom she had
brought with her from America, rose as
she entered.
"Oh, Miss Nina" she said, Mrs. Car
lyle has been i'll such way about you.
The young ladies got back some time
ago; and they told her, very fOolishly,
that you had left them TO come with an
old peasant. DO let ME tell her you are
here"
Very WE'LL" said Nina, wearily.
"But my head aches frlghtfully, Flora.
Say | have taken a cup OF tea-and
don't disturb me again."
She threw herself on the sofa with a
long-drawn sigh. Flora paused, fun
bled with the door, and hesitatingly
went away.
She lay there long, long time, with
a pain gnawing at her heartstrings. The
moments rolled away. Still she lay.
with closed fearless eyes, and longing
that grew to passion to blot out that
days work. At last she became con-
SciouS that some one was talking in
rapid French at her door in the pas
sage; two servants Wrangling over a
trunk, apparently.
81 tell you no." said one; "this was
to 90 tonight. The other goes by petit
vitesse to Havre to await the steamer.
Don't you see that mine is the SMALLEST
Allons, Monsieur, the big American is
i'll his room. No. 26; go ask him"'
That was Hugh'S room! The steamer
great heavens, was he going? And
going home? Swiftly, silently, the door
-it1sr lrIr 70
start back in diSnay.
What is this?" Nina de manded.
"Who goes tonight?"
Andre stared. begged pardon. and.
lowering his voice TO the proper and
respectful pitch. informed mademOiselle
that NJ. Loring was to depart by the
early train. EN- route for America. He.
himself, had the honor to receive mon
sieur's command, but Paul was stupid
ity itself, about the trunks. one OF
which,"
Yes, 1 know" cried Nina-"that is
all. Do not disturb ME again." and she
closed her door.
Her knees shook under her. She fell
back upon the sofa. Oh, God! was this
the end?
''Onew
Out on the soft air rang the grand old
curteW Dell.
''TwoW
'Threew
The sounds seemed to fall, with abso-
lutte physical pain, Oil Nina'S heart
Back, over the girls soul, surged the
might and passion of her love. Int
darkness and oblivion shrank the de.
mons of pride and self-will. Oh! how
she had tortured him! How she haC
wrung his heartI Nay, what was thai
he said? Before the belfry sounds cur
few tonight you will be sorry" Wa:
she not? And then, long-drawn-i
seemed like deep sigh to the girls ex
cited feelings-the last. final stroke.
"Nine!"
As an inspiration. the remembrance Of
| his words came to her: 81 forgive!
| Why not ask him now to pardon her?
She did not stop to think. One wilC
idea possessed her. She loved him, anC
he was going-going, never to see her
| With final choking back of the sob:
| that threatened to break forth afresh
she fnng open her door: and there, fac
| ing her in the narrow corridor, stood
| Hugh!
What Hugh saw was a beautiful, an