Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-04-27
Chapter I.

r.
Is was the. old. old story, which
whether told in foreign or native
tongue, under blue skies or within
the narrow limits of four walls,
bfeathed in palace or in hut, lacks no
sweetness, feels no want,
Bnt this time the words would have
seemed to find more fitting expression
in the simple English. You love mei
All. love you.r for the Scene was in
an old English garden, and the blue
skies above were English skies-fair
eiioCgb, perclianGe, to-day, to deceive
one into the belief that they had wan
derrd into Southern France. belief
which might be strengthened into al-
most certainty should their gaze rivet
itself upon the man who had. put the
questions face handsome enough to
have proved dangerous enough TO
many a w0inan's heart--witll eyes that
blazed an ifnpassioned ardor that
would brook neither confinement nor
obstruction: a nose straight and CHS
eIed as from marble; a mouth OF Won
dr0ns sweetness, with its weak lines
hidden beneath the long, dark mus
tacbe, through which shone the glist-
ening teeth: hand. white and firm-a
hand which was. indeed velvet to the
touch but iron in its grip--a hand indi-
catiye Of the man. soft, warm, caress-
ing whenit served his purpose--a hand
20 one moment caress a woman's cheek
theuext 10 bury stiletto in her heart.
But wiser, oltier women than Flor
ence yane had lived In this mans
smile, intoxicated themselves by his
cares, blinded themselves even to his
perjury and the ruin that it brought to
them, not TO find some excuse for the
fact, that to her his hands were magic,
his smile sunshine, his presence heav-
en-.
Wiser older women, but none more
my, no one, no single one of all the
many $50 beautiful II ever man might
plead palliation for temptation too
strong to be resisted, that pailiatioh
might justly be accorded Louis Ger
gais
Scarce was it to be wondered that,
stseped though he was in e. J, that
though all women had become to him
but the pastime of an idle hour, he yet
should have paused, awe-struck. be-
fore the exquisite English flower just
budding into blossom in this quaint old
English garden
"Ah, je t'aimer' She answered him,
in his own liquid tongue. and as she
spoke. she raised her eyes TO his: eyes
OF marvellous, glorious beauty they
were--yiolet In their blucness. and
shadoweti by lashes black as night
lashes which swept a cheek OF the
lily's purity, fiecked with the crimson
OF the rose. Her mouth--such mouth
as one might fancy Cupid uplifting for
his Venus s-mother's kiss-was parted
in dazzling smile, fully disclosing the
small, even teeth of exquisite white
ness. Her head, small, and covered
with rippling masses of chestnut hair,
which had barely escaped redness. and
through which the red cleaned Ike
strands Of tinsel, was set proudly. al
most haughtily, upon her slopins
shoulders The simple dress adapted
itself to every curve OF the lovely. girl
ish form; the foot which peeped from
beneath it's hem was u worthy appli
cant for Cinderella's slipper The
hands. all destitute of ornament, were
OF equal beauty.
She was faultlessly, peerlessly beau
tifui, with beauty which might bring
world to her feet; but she neither
knew nor dreamed of world beyond
that which Louis Gervaise's love migh'
bound. Yes, Ii has come to that-"Ah
je t'aimew
No one could have heard the simpls
words, aud doubted that they spruns
from her very soul, as the incense
which permeates the church emanate'
from the sacred vessel swinging from
the altar.
With this girl love was no common
thing, no toy to he played with to-day
and cast away tomorrow 1t was th'
lever which swayed her soul to good o.
evil. as the hand which held the bal
ance might ordain.
All. wretched Fate which put tha
balance In Louis Gervaise's keeping
Hers was character which might b'
softened into infinite tenderness, o
hardened Into desperate heartlessness
She must be either wax or flint. thi
grit there was no midway land OF
which her feet might rest.
GIVE me your hands! exclaimed tn
man, almost fiercely. still speaking II
his own tongue. which she understood
and in which she answered almost a
II It were her own M
She swayed forward little as sh
spoke, and obediently placed within
the grasp which closed upon them. tn
little, rose-tipped fingers.
"Now, swear to me, Je t'aime! n
said
"Ah, Louis, what oath could max,
my love more true. more last,ngT
'Swearr' he repeated.
81 swear!" she whispered then: "bu
I swear 1t on your love and mine
which makes its foundation"
Swear that you will be miner h
contjLued-"that you win let no obsta
Gle come between us! That you will
II need be, give up father. home
frlersds, and follow me. your husband
The lovely face had paled, but a
these latter worsis-a momentary bright
ness illnmined It with a passing rad
ance. But she sadly shook her head.
"Papa will never give his consent
Louis. / know it'll am sure OF Il
And am so young. How could mar
~ Won. IL he forbade IL? Ii you VII