Evening star., 1898-06-18

Breton songs Through the window she
could see the Mouse painfully splitting fire.
| wood under the uncompromising superin-
| tendence Of Red Riding Hood
| Don't you know howr'
| No., said the Mouse sulkily
'Then-here-give me the hatchet There
| That's how wood should be split"
| Don't let me deprive you of the pleas
ure.' sneered the Mouse. as she handed
him the hatchet again, but the child dis
| dained to answer.
want wood for a month";
| Red Riding Hood turned up her nose
"Bon," said the Mouse. "Fll die of ia
| tlsue, but there is nobody to weep" He
shrugged his shoulders, picked up another
log and chopped on. Hide smiled to her
| tained window. The happy light in her
eyes, the song on her lips-the song that
her heart was singing, too-transigured
and glorif1ed her face. In it the childish
sweetness had changed to something more
delicate and subtle, the purity of contour
was almost spiritual, the curve of the scar
| let lips grew finer and more exquisite.
Strength. too had Swallowed the dimple that
| nestled in soft corners; the beauty of her
eyes was indescritable, her every gesture
| Caress.
There were moments when. as she sat
| thinking in her chamber, the swift tears
| filled her eyes and her heart failed. At such
moments terror of death-his death
brought her to her knees at the bedside.
| Hide of Carhaix, mended with glue azure
mantled, serene, still smiling in spite of
| missing nose.
| Hide sewed at times-not in the dining
| room where Yolette, demure and silent lis
| tened to Bourke'S opinion of everything un-
der the sun. He discussed ethics and NOR
| ais and human happiness; he touched on
| transubstantlation, on agriculture, on logic.
But he never spoke of love. Possibly his
! opinions were valuable: probably not, for
| he had little Imagination.
% hirl- a vo1o
| going to rain?''
| No., he replied
A silence ensued. There seemed to be no
| further excuse for lingering; he rose unwil-
! ingiy and picked up his accounts.
Must you go?" asked Yolette innocently.
| 1t was the first time she had ever asked
him to stay. He sat down hastily and real
lied it She went to a table, sorted some
| silks, chose needle or two and presently
looked at him over her shoulder as though
surprised to see him there yet. He felt
! this: it confused and panied him.
Perhaps l had better co. he said. She
apparently did not hear him, and. after a
moment. he decided not to repeat the re-
| mark Presently she returned to her chair
| seated herself. threaded some needles and
began to smooth out the embroidery on her
| knee. He could not withdraw his eyes; her
delicate fingers fascinated him.
| 'One, two, three, four, and one, two, and
| one, two, three, said Yolette, counting her
| stitches. He felt himself excluded from the
| conversations; he looked out of the window
| and chafed. Had he seen the glance that
| Iolette stole at him-the instant dropping
| of the blue eyes when he moved-perhaps
he might have felt less injured. He did
| not; he listened in silence she began
| again, "One, two, three. four, and one, two
and one, two. three" He watched her slen-
der fingers guiding the flying needle those
| slim fingers were in her confidence; she
| seemed to be gossipping with every rosy
tip. every polished nail. Her head was the
slightest bit averted: the whiteness of her
neck dazzled him.
q while y01afta he
| broidery into her lap and sighed. Her arms
rested on the arms of her chair. One hand
dropped quite close to his shoulder. He re-
| garded 1t with rising interest. 1t was white
| and delicately veined with blue it looked
very smooth and young and helpless. -..-
ter moment he took it naively. 1t was
| then that a series of thrills shot through
his limbs, depriving him of sight, hearing
| and portion of his other senses. He was
| vaguely aware that the hand he held was
| responsible for this: he held it tighter
| Yolette, perhaps was asleep. Are you?'
he inquired aloud. 'What?' asked Yolette,
| amazed.
Bourke only stared at her until again she
| turned her head to the window. They sat
1 there in absolute silence. lethargy, de-
| licious numbness settled over Bourke He
| would have been contented to sit there for
Presently Yolette tried to withdraw her
| hand, failed. tried again. failed, and resign
| ed herself-not unwillirgly. She was very
young.
| I'VE will live in New York." said Bourke
speaking IN a trance. After a silence he
added ''in a brownstone house. We will be
| very, very happy
| 'tWho?" said Yolette family.
| Who! why. you-you and -
Yolette turned quickly: her cheeks were
afame What do you mean?" she de-
manded, breathessly.
Are you-you not going to marry me?"
faltered Bourke. His expression was abb
surd They had both risen: she stood lean
ing little forward, one hand resting on
har hair Gi ahSn1 ftnr
| a little she Swayed, almost imperceptibly
toward him; he toward her. He dared not
touch her again-yet now he found his arms
around her waist, her head close to his. 1t
frightened him into speech-a stammerfng.
pleading speech that had burden not at
all complicated: Il love you! l love you.
| Yolette.''
When he kissed her she rendered him his
kiss innocently His courage revived, and
he told her things that only she had right
to hear. That perhaps. is the reason why
Mehemet Iii withdrew from the sofa back
to the gloom under the sofa. Perhaps, too,
that was the reason why Hide, entering
the room from the rear. paused. turned,
and glided back to her white bedroom,
where, with Sainte Hide Of Carhaix. she
began duet of silence. She had been
waiting there an hour. possibly two hours,
before the door creaked. swayed. and
! swung open. and Yolette was in her arms.
MY darling! My darIing." laughed
Hide. tearfully- Il am very, very happy
don't cry-why should we?"
| All day long they sat there. arms and
fingers interiaced. and night darkened the
room before they kissed and parted, Yolette
to her own room, Hide to the front door,
where now she always fingered until Hare
| wood came back from the city.
| She stood there dreaming, her eyes fixed
| on the corner by the Prince Murat bar
racks. He always came around that cor
ner.
One by one the signal lamps broke out
| along the bastions. The stars. at first so
| brilliant, faded in the cloudless sky. She
could see no haze, no vapor, but the air ad-
peared to thicken around each star till 1T
tarnished. grew dull, and at last vanished
| in midheaven. A sudden shaft of cold
struck through the street, and now around
each lamp and lantern and faring gas jet
a gossamer eclipse began to form that grew
iridescent and more palpable every mo-
ment Once a patrol passed, lanterns
swinging shrouded. cloaked file of silent
men. trudging through the darkness with
| never a drum tap to echo the clump, clump
of their clumsy boots.
| Yolette came to the door and waited there
a few moments with her sister. Come"
| she whispered at last, do you not know
that dinner is waiting?" Neither moved to
go. Presently Yolette spoke again: What
| is it, little sister, Hide was silent. 'I
knew it." said Yolette. under her breath
J Hide kDa eba