, 1897-10-09
always used to dwell upon the various

always used to dwell upon the various
advantages which l would find in this
marriage. She had no need to tell me
that Nine. Noriol.s was very pretty.
Tha: was apparent to the meanest in
teiligence. And that she was rich. Il
knew that myself. But she explained
to me that NJ. de Noriolis was an idiot
Iwho had made his wife most unhappy,
land for that reason it wou.d be very
easy for q second husband to make
she had dwelt a, length upon he virtues,
graces. and merits of Nine. Noriolis.
my aunt. who was very subtle and knew
my weakness, used TO take out OF her
desk a map and spread it upon the ia
BILE.
II was a Plan OF the country about
Chatellerauit-a very minu,e and exact
plan, which my aunt had taken the
trouble to buy for the sole purpose OF
convincing me thai l ought TO marry
Mime. de Noriolis. That chateaux OF
Noriolis and Roche-Targe, hardly two
miles apart, were both indicated on the
plan; and my aunt, with her own hand,
had united the WI estates by a line Of
red ink. She called my attention to
bred acres without a division line, If
Noriolis and Roche-Targe were united,
that is something that a hunting man
could appreciate!'
AS for myself, l shut my eyes, the
temptation was so great. and l TOOK
refuge in my refrain: Il do not wish
10 marry" But I was afraid, seriously
afraid; and whenever l met Nine. de
Nor.olis, her head seemed to my eyes
to be encircled by an aure,o, consisting
of my aunt's red ink line, and l said
to myself: "A charming woman. spir-
~ituelle, intelligent, her first husband
was a fool, and 50 forth. and so forth,
and sixteen hundred acres OF land. Fly,
you poor fellow fly, if you do not wish
to marry"
And / fed. But, now, how could l
escape? There ! was, on the grass,
covered with dirt, my hair d~isorderei.
my clothes in tatters, and my wretched
leg perfectly stiff. And Nine. de Nori-
oils was at my side. in ple most charm
ing OF costumes-the aurelo still about
her head-saying to me: rs it really
you, NJ de Ia Roche-Targe? What is
the matter? What has happened?"
frankly confessed my fall.
But you are not hurt?"
mo. no. I am not hurt. Something
is The matter with this leg, but it is
nothing s~erioIs, l am sure"
And what horse played such a
triok?"
There he s."
And l pointed to Brutus. standing close
by, quietly pulling up and eating little
mouthfuls O: grass.
what! is 1t he? The brave horse.
Oh. he has atoned well for his misdeeds.
l assure you. I will tell you about it
by and by. We must first go back to
your house. and. that, too, directly"
But l can not walk a STEP"
II am going to drive you home"
And she called Bob, the little groom.
Then she gently took one OF my arms
while Bob took the cJher, and made
me get into her phaeton. Five minutes
later VT were rolling along toward my
chateau, she guiding her pony with one
hand, and l, troubled, confused, embar-
raised, and stupid, watching her as she
drove. We were alone in the phaeton.
Bob had been ordered 10 bring Brusus,
who submitted very quietly.
Now, pay attention." said Nine. de
Noriol!s: keep your leg stretched out;
l am going to drive slowly SO as to avoid
all jolting." Then when she saw that I
was comfortably seated: Tell me-"
she said, ''how you happened to fall. and
l will tell you how l happened to come
TO your aid. II is sure to be amusing.
Tel me all about the horse"
began my story. but when l came
to the efforts that Brutus made to I'M
seat me after the two shots
Il understand it all," she cried; you
bought the trumpeter's horse!"
"The trumpeter's lhorse?"
Yes, indeed. you did, and that ex-
plains everything. You have seen 20
times, | know. at the Imperial circus.
the performance OF The Trumpeter's
Horse The African chasseur, you re-
member. comes into the ring on a gray
horse: then the Arabs appear and fire
their guns at the chasseur. He Is
wounded and falls 10 che ground; and
as you did not fall, the horse was indig-
nant. He had no idea OF letting you
slight your role at that point, and SO
he threw you to the ground himself.
and when you were lying on the ground
what did the horse dor
l told her OF Brutus' attempt to bury
me.
The trumpeter's horse" she said, lis
still the trumpeter's horse. He sees chat
his master is wounded, the Arabs will
come and kill him. What is the horse
to do? He bnries the African chasseur.
Then he sets OF at a gallop. does he
not?"
"Yes. at a break-neck gallop."
He is carrying away the flag to pre-
vent It's falling into the hands Of the
Arabs"
But II was nv hat that he carried