The morning times., 1897-01-03


miller's might be found in all Saint Pyx,
not even at the presbytery, after 10
O'Clock. At length the tongues of the
gossips began to wag. 1t went abroad
that he was closeted each night with the
Oid Man-the evil one-debating upon the
sale OF his soul~for riches and power TO
satisfy his sinful pride. 1AsnsB, others said
II was not Zephrin,s light at a If; but only
the glowing OF the ghosts ef his family who
eaihe 10 entertain hfnA Iudeed, taken all
IN all the miller wxtss flekoIne q fearsen,e
Individual and the neAEntprhood of the mill
place TO be shunnssfa fler dark X ;unlcss ono
| lad no fear in his heart. III by any nm
fortunate concurrence 'of sorcerics person
shouio chance to meet freely while pass.
ing lhe mil, no plunging of steel into wood
rnleht save hlm from the evil spirits.
Even 10 oiess himself and utter pious
lnvocatio perhaps, might not avail,
in the midst OF Zephrin's iIl-repute a
| singular thing occurred. He was known
| TO nave fallen into conversation with n
| Customer. 1t was this way: Coette
Dion came often to the mill with the grIst
| or her Inother-a poor widow with thirteen
children, OF whom colette was the eldest.
| one DAY when she caine down along the
| dandelion-dOtted pathway leading to the
mill, with her mothers grist in bag upon
her head, Zephrin watched her with much
| interest. IfComrnon report mn : he believed
| she was certainly, in those days, a picture
| not to- be blinked at casually. She had the
| figure ora nymph, and face, for ali IL
was commonplace AT points, something un
usually fine for II yillager. But the step,
the carriage; IL remains 10 this day as we
have seen monsieur, ,dignificd distinguished
majestic! AT first gEince. IL is said. there
| was sorne remarkable resemblance between
Colette and Zepiirin-and who can tcH@
II may have been some vague suggestion u
ongeniaiity-sOfne thin ray. as rrsn one
distant plitnet to another, which inspired
the miller's interest.
When al length she arrived az th. door
OF the lniIl aud deposited her burden beside
1t, he said:
You have a meaning step p'tite and a
pretty one
- True questioned Colette. with some
thing finely scoTufuI in her eioquent Inns
She was piqued, let Us believe, since he
had not noticed her pretty face; for.
though woman may be conscious OF her
subtlest grace and charm, sOmage To the
features is the thing-the real 10Y Isn't
IL SO, Brabon? Weil said the miller. 4
doubt not there Is more In your mind than
the mere grinding OF yonder grist, eh?'
- 1t is my mind now said she 1t was
my step lately!
=. 1t is the mind which regulates the step
p'tite. / always watch the step when
= Now, there Is much in these fragments
which reveals the clearness Of Zephrin's
mind at that period and also the real
character OF the man and the bent OF his
spirit. You see, it was the gesture. the
carriage, the aspect that Interested him
most. Why? We shall see. Though Co
lette, it may be presumed. did not realize
tile true significane Of his words, she re-
membered ttem-every one e-and repeated
them to her mother, who in turn told
eyerythingtOthe cure. IaugIois from whom
have the story. The girl confessed also
to her mother that she was much sur
prised regarding eill-reputed miller Mon
sieIr MCiSson-Zephrin,' she declared was
not at all weird man, but, on the con-
trary, very sensible and good natured.
Yet her mother warned her she must
be wary; such fine qualities oftentimes
screened the worst souls. Colette, how
ever, maintained stoldly not a word OF
the village gossip was true, Indeed said
she, they say almost as naughty things OF
me. because they think / am proud And
you know maman am not proud nor wick
ed So every time Colette fetched the
grlst TO the mill, she returned radiant and
full OF praise of the miller At length
one day said he to her. so she reported:
'Cpletta. lam going to ask YOU something
" If 1t Is one thing l know what my an
swer Will be- she responds. with much
piquancy.
We'll, if I should ask you to marry
me?''
Then should answer: NOT
- Why?' saws the miller his heart
sinking 10 his boots, no doubt; hut rising
again very quickly when be catches the
twin6lns OF mischief in Der eyes.
Because common miller could never
win my heart says she cOquettishly, Vet
with something truly dramatic in her pose.
That is only for great man
"A seigneur?' ventured the miller.
Higher
"A governor
Nay, higher
"A prince
4" Even higher.
"A .king?'
Yes. king 1nrr1. after pretty
pause: And that is thou, my dear king OF
the mnlm
Now he draws her hands across the
door of the mill and kisses her fair head
that is fallen sainst his breast-and that
is all. Let US suppose they simply looked
out in day-dream. across the little River
of Angels, 10 the pleasant dai>ied meadows
and green fields about her.
"'Wen.' says Zephrin 30 her. very
graveiy and with new. strange look in
his eyes-a look that frightens her not u
little.
They call me, in contempt. The King
OF the Mill" but they shall bow before me
yet as before n king And indeed shall
wear the robes OF a king and speak the
noble words OF n king, which am getting
by rOte each night where they see my lamp
burning in the dorm er- window. Heinz
They shall sit like rats, the rats whose
emperor they say / am now, while hold
them in my spell with the brave lines OF
MOliere, or COrnPiNc, OF RaCinPr
'''The good Saint Ann protect us! Who
are they all?' cries Colrtte, now much
perturbed, But the miller continues with
out noticing the interruption.
" And shall come TO You then with my
triumphS; in my fire royal robes OF purple
and gold and ermine: with my glorious
jewellcd crown. And | shall kiss Your
hand in homa ge to your beauty and Ia Y these
lahrels. these triurnhs ut your feet, my
queen! my Colette!'
Just then appears 4 farmer with his
griSt and the happy. frightened girl fits
away like startled bird
''Bon Dieu!'' said Brabon. II see-the
stage was his vagary!"
..YeS!'' said the notary, howing his head
as before some great mystery. 'At the
college entertainments, while strutting
through the plays of these great masters
in the little hall, with its small stage and