The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-03

a passer on the road, but he or she,
whoever they were, took care to give
me a wide berth, and once woman
who had opened her door to look out
for some reason or other hurried in
and shut it with a little cry of alarm
as | passed.
L had now come to the gardens OF
the Tuileries, and putting Couronne at
the wall, which was just being raised
around them, found myself within
quarter of a mile of our place of meet
ing. The turf was soft and level here.
and 1 let Couronne go at a half gallop,
keeping in the checkered shade of the
huge trees, which whispered strange
things to each other in the breeze. AT
this moment it seemed as if l heard
the smothered neigh of horse. l knew
the sound well, for often had my old
Norman tried to serve me in this way
through the scarf by which his jaws
were bound together when we lay in
ambuScade. With a touch of my hand
l stayed my beast and stopped to lis
ten. Beyond me stretched the avenue,
at the end of which stood the great
lime trees. / could see nothing but the
ghostly line of trunks lit up here by
the moon, there standing out black
against the night, or fading away into
lacework of leaves and branches, and
the sullen creaking of the boughS over
head. ut must be her horse or
Palms. L said aloud to myself; and
then the cOmpline came to me clear
and sweet from the spire of st. Ger
main.
1 lifted my hat for an instant with
a silent prayer to God for help, and
then shook up Couronne. Ere the last
notes of the bells had gone 1 was un-
der the lines At first I could see
nothing; there was no one there, and
my heart grew cold at the thought that
some danger had overtaken my dear
one.
"Madame!" I called out, 'It is L
d'Auriac"
Then figure in a gray mantle step
ped out from the shadow of the trees,
and / sprang from the saddle and held
out my hand.
9! knew it was you, chevalier," she
said, "but I wanted to make certain
and waited until you spoke"
Il hope I have not kept you wait
ing?"
Indeed, no. I had but just come
across from the Louvre when you ar
rived"
"Then you did not come riding?"
How could 1? I have been in the
Louvre and am expected to be at the
hour" and she laughed slightly The
thought of that smothered neigh flash
ed through my mind like lightning.
I'VE must trust ourselves to Cou-
ronne,' 1 said. palm will be at the
Porte st. Denis. There is no time 70
waste-come"
Then it seemed that she hesitated
and hinging back her hood looked me
full in the face. In the moonlight I
saw her, white as marble, and she sud-
denly put out both her hands, saving:
Il trust you utterly dAuriac"
Man is not made of stone; and I low
ed this woman as my life There was
that in her voice, in the pitiful appeal
of it's tones that broke down all my
false pride. I cannot say how 1t hap
pened, but in moment my arm was
round her waist, and 1 drew her to-
ward me-she nothing resisting.
Claude, I love you. Give me the
right to protect you.''
What she said is for my ears alone:
and then she lay still and passive In
my arms, her head resting on my
shoulder
So for a time we stood in a silence.
and then I kissed her.
"Come, dear" I said. "and with the
morning we shall be safe''
Of her own accord she put her arms
about my neck and pressed her lips
to mine, and then l lifted my darling
to Couronne's saddle bow
Had / but taken de Belin's offer-if
Jacques were but with me then!