The Portland daily press., 1898-07-28


blushed ct her own folly.
Her awakening was equally ogltating,
but in a very different fashion. Toward
noon the mayor of Ecouviers arrived at
Elllons by private road and warned
Nan1ne that she was suspected of enter
tanning an emissary of Pitt and Coburg.
Some bad follows had seen NJ. de Frehaut
enter her house and he'd hurried to de-
houhco her to the revolutionary commit
zee Oh Montmedy. A domiciliary visit was
Impending. He came to warn her as a
friend.
What can be done?' exclaimed the ter
rifed girl.
You must rid yourself at the earliest
possible moment of this dangerous Wis
ltor, replied the worthy man. ''At the
foot OF your park there is pavilion hid
den by the trees. Hide this gentleman
there until night. When it grows dark,
my son will come for him and will con-
duct him through the woods to the from
tier. AS soon as your man hears the
owlet's cry he has only to step over the
window ledge Of the pavilion and he will
find my boy at the foot of the WALL
This was indeed the only means of safe
ty. Nanine, trembling with fear, went
to apprise NJ de Frehaut OF the peril that
menaced him. She made him breakfast
hastily in his room and herself conducted
him to the pavilion, where she remained
with him, shuddering at the faintest
noise, her ear on the alert and at each
movement fearing some surprise. He, on
the contrary, habituated to similar alarms,
showed himself very philosophical and
regretted but one thing-to SO suddenly
leave his charming hostess. Seeing her
great terror, he endeavored to reassure her
by his affectionate manners-at first pa
ternal, but gradually more and more ten
der. The hours of the afternoon wore
thus away, with alterations of anxiety
and of melancholy interest. Despite her
fears, Nanine was surprised and grieved
to note the rapid passage of the hours. At
Candlemas night comes early. Toward
o clock the little octagonal room of the
pavilion grew dark.
"Alas,'' sighed M. de Frehaut, 'sthe
moment of our separation approaches!"
He took Nanine's hands.
Before going away permit me, Mile.
de Leigrealles, to thank you for your kind
reception and to assure you that 1 will
preserve an unbroken recollection Of it,
While speaking he drew her to him,
kissed her brow and then her eyes. Ma
nine bewildered, her heart contracting, felt
herself dominated by sudden impulse.
Her head swan, but it was a sweet faint
noes, a delicious bewilderment Suddenly
she laid her lips upon the cheek of NJ. de
Frehaut, who, trembling and with quite
youthful fervor, responded by passionate
caresses For moment they forgot every
thing in this transport of love. Then the
owlet's cry, resounding from the end of
the road, recalled them to the present
"It is the signal, stammered Nanine.
"Adieul,e He wished to Unfold her again,
but she withdrew herself firmly.
s'Gop' she entreated.
De Frehaut stepped lightly over the
window ledge and disappeared down the
gloomy path.
Recovering herself and deeply agitated,
deeply confused because of her weakness,
Mile. de Leigrealles returned to her house
1t was time Officers armed with search
warrants, were arriving. They got moth
ing for their pains, showed themselves on
the whole sufficiently obliging and went
away after drinking large bumpers to the
health of the Hcitoyenpe."
Nanine shut herself up in her room in
order to avoid the eyes of old Bastienne.
1t seemed to her that any one could read
in her face her remoFse and also her re-
grets Even while dreaming of the fugi
tive she blamed herself for the unpardon
able weakness which had thrown her into
the arms Of man almost as old as her
father.
The following day the mayor came to
reassure her as to the fate of M. de FIRE.
haut. %
"He crossed the frontier, he told her,
"without being disturbed, and my boy
conducted him as far as Vertofl.
'sHe must have been faint with IA
tigue,' sighed Mile. de Leigrealles.
s'Think of it'll So long stretch on foot at
his age"
cat his agel' repeated the peasant, with
a burst of laughter. "Ah, he is not over
80! He was smeared and powdered so as
not to be recognized. But once in Bel
GUM he threw away his wig, and our
Claude found himself confronted by
handsome young fellowp'
"Ahp' murmured Nanine, growing
dreamy and agitated again. AT the same
time her eyes lnoistened, and she unused
over;the brief moments of their love, which
perhaps would never return.
$50
When the Count de Frehaut returned in
1915 with Louis XVIII, he was really ripe
and gray. The king in recompense for
his services created him inspector of for
ests in the Mersin region. M. de Frehaut
INQUIRED for Nile. de Leigrealles. She had
remained unmarried and continued to live
at Eillons. He called to see her, found
her still attractive, notwithstanding her
Is years, and the following year they were
married.
1t was thus that her vision of Candle
mas night came true for Nanine.-From
the French of Andre Thuriet For Short
Stories.
Her Little Dear.
Maid-Mem, the baby has gone off, and
nobody has seen him for an hour and