Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1897-09-11

-, -,.k,pr = sign ara ala not answer
gIa r,peatea his question. saying ne
troubled her only for her own Sooa-
So remained silent. and Il was evil
dent his words conveyed no'hins "
| her.
.Parhaps she doesn't understand
4 French" said a friend
.She understands nothing al al. sAiu
Pontas, sadly. Il fear she has lost hef
mind in the horror Of the catastrophe
But IL does not matter; she has fallen
from heaven and she Is at home here.
I mad or sane. God sent her 10 me- anu
/ l will guard her"
And he kept his word.
DAYS, months. years passed. The un-
known lived silently. without words
and apparently without thoughts she
loved to be out Of doors and mixed WITH
other people. seeming by all exterior
appearances TO be like them Az the
table OF the marquis. In this family OF
refined ancient race. she carried her
self with the grace and dignity OF one
accustomed 10 a similar world. and
Pontus often said. This child Is great
lady"
In spite Of the most thorough inyes-
legations not 4 ray Of light. even the
faintest. pierced the mystery. II could
not even be eoniectured what the boat.
lost at the coast. had been. nor who
this woman was who accepted plaeidly
the care OF strangers. showed neither
sadness nor JOY. had no desires and
J lived. uneonseiously. the life OF a
beautiful white bird in a cage Of gold.
Little by little the marquis grew at
taehed 10 her. His house vas large and
he refused 10 have her confined In a
hospital. repeating that she was his
: charge and sacred TO him above every
. thing. And sometimes when he
watched her walking In the park OF the
! chateau. Ponlus would grow very sad
: and murmur. III this beautiful girl
} had soul how l would love her" kad
) Pontus. who vas then in bis 5sth year.
refused obstinateiy 70 mAryy-on ae-
count Of the unknown.
, And so he grew older. and with ths
9 years came a deeper melancholy. HOY.
: ever. IN his voluntary aeeiusion there
! was some sweetness. The woman
seemed 10 Ike 20 be near him. though
: her manner was like that % = pstted
E animal She ran to him when she saE
} him and looked az him With her cleal
: eyes. In which shone a fugitive light 81
D recognition and devotion. Bni the rex
moment she would run away again
: often into the woods. where she wan
: dered about all day. returning Away
! AZ dusk, Tor she had . great dread o,
e the darkness.
n shuddered ~ the sound % ne wgns
d from the sea and mosnsd softly. viii
] her hands eiaSped 70 her breast Ia Al
attitude % deep sadness. A little "a
4 ter she uttered a hoarse err and Eel
J. 70 the door unconscious II was ius
:. twelve years since she had come q
]. life In the chateau. Ponins. very nsuel
d alarmed. hurried 10 the village for hslt
A doctor vas summoned. and re,urns,
. with him In great haste. The pa,lsn
e was examined and the case diagnose
a as quick consumption. she had car
a ried the germs Of the fatal discaae Il
o her system Tor some time. Pontus "a
d in despair.
= One morning In the winter the IN
i known passed quietly away. ia the arm
Of the marquis. A, the supreme mo
ment the mysterious sick wnma
seemed TO regain her reason sudasni,
She looked about with eyes friEhtsns
but comprehensive. which seemed !
say. Where am r. who are thos
men She opened her lips 10 upea
at last in her native language. b
death. jealous o, the mystery. scale
her tongue with his icy touch.
The marquis. inconsolahle. had Ia
engraved on her tombstone the epl,anh
"Tacita Transit"