Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-09

08a0y <N8 M4&< W3M4 AAem 1t
co0pn1y IN. She wrapped herself IN
long black riding cloak; It made her
| feel happier to have some Sembiance
Of mourning about her. In these last
uneventful days she had missed her
loved mother more than ever; and
without Gillonne she found it doubly
| forlOrn.
Anne and Mathurine also felt chilly,
and they had also wrapped themselves
| in their cloaks, SO that as they moved
about among the closely-planted chest
| nut trees of the wood the three figures
were almost invisible. Jeanne wonder
ed where the village was. The leader
| OF the escort came up daily to the inn
| to inquire for the Countess, and to say
that he had not heard from his leader.
| Jeanne observed that he never added
| the full title, and she wondered at the
mystery. In one corner of the wood
! she espied an open glade, freer from
trees, and filled with scanty tufts of
| bracken, while briars and brambles
lorded it over everything else. The
| tender peach-colored blossoms still
fingered, and there was an abundance
| of black fruit on the brambles, but it
| tasted dry and parched, the girl
| thought-very inferior to the black
! berries of Brittany
| Jeanne went on into the wood, leav-
| ing her women absorbed in the con-
| sumption Of blackberries; she turned
| to look after them. and found that she
| had strayed from the narrow path she
| had at first followed. But she was
fearless; a call would she felt sure,
bring the girls to her side. Something
| in the mysterious green atmosphere In
| which she found herself-in the ex-
| quisite contrast she saw between the
stalwart chestnut trunks and the fam
! like green leaves spreading overhead,
! as il they would roof the blue sky
| out Of sight till winter came again
filled Jeanne's heart with peace and joy
unspeakable. Before her was fallen
tree, and she sat on it, glad of the
pause, and glad to be alone and free
from distractions, for she could think
while she sat drinking in the beauty
of her surroundings. While she rode
| beside Laval she had not fully realized
her position, but since her arrival at
the Flaur de Lys she constantly asked
| herself what it meant. NOW, apso-
lutely free from interruption, she went
further still: she asked herself why
she had consented to be dragged ABOUT
the country while the Count, instead or
going straight to Ambrose or Lyons,
and claiming royal protection; she
saw that pure cowardice had kept her
ilent-a fear of vexing the Count or
Laval.
But why have I feared to vex him?
More than once have doubted his non
esty. and have, l fear, wronged MIN,
for I do not believe that story of the
woman at LIE Occur Loyal; and yet"
She leant her fair, rounded cheek in one
hand, while her elbows rested in the
palm of the other. Surely, she thought,
it was better not to doubt any one IN
the long life that lay before her. A
little sad smile stole into her ayes as
she remembered her complaint to Rol-
land; she had wished to be boy, so
that she might act for herself. And
now-now a sudden light came to her,
she understood why she had been will
ing to trust to the guidance Of Laval.
1t was natural longing for protection,
for help; not mere cowardice, rather
an inward shrinking from the danger
and difficulty of her desolate position.
That thought Of ROLAND .had. brought
strange desertion that she looked mp
eager to find distraction in outward OBJ
jects-looked up and held her breath
with surprise.
Near Ter. partly hidden by the spread
ing chestnut leaves, were two men. One
was very tall, the other was shorter,
younger, and more thick-set. The face
of the tall figure was hidden by his
large tapping hat, but she could make
out the profile of the other face. He
was speaking, but in so low voice
that, though she saw the movement of
his lips, no sound reached her. She
vas sure that they did not belong to
her escort, and she aelt frightened at
being so completely alone; she dared
not call her women lest her cry should
attract the attention of these strangers;
yet they did not look like robbers. She
fattened herself against the trunk of
q tree, and tried to keep still. She had
the courage to keep her face turned
away; the black cloak and hood she
wore would be much less noticeable if
she kept face and hands both out of
sight. Her chief dread was lest Anne
and Mathurine should tire of eating
blackberries, and follow her footsteps.
But fortunately the figures moved out
Of sight before any disturbing sound
invaded the silence.
Even then Jeanne would not call to
her women. She tried to find her way
to them, but 1t was not easy; the trees
seemed to be closer than they had
been; and if Mathurine had not laugh
ed heartily when her companion prick
ed her hand with bramble thorns. her
mistress would have been much longer
in eXtricating herself from the green
maze around her.
The young Countess met her hostess
at the entrance of the Fleur de Lys, and
the quicker of anxiety in the woman's
face made Jeanne stop, and ask if
there was aught amiss.
"The gracious lady's absence terrified
me-" the woman answered; there are
marauders about and, pardon me-" she
added humbly sit Is not safe for so
young and beautiful lady to go abroad
unattended except by women"
She spoke in shifty nervous voice
exactly, her hearer thought, as though
she were telling an untruth.
Jeanne was disposed to return a
naughty answer; and then she passed
on IN silence, and went upstairs to her
chamber at the back of the house.
She liked this chamber because it
was away from the noise and smell of