The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-22

her hand upon hook that lay upon the
table-the book into which Francois had
put the yesterdays. a yesterday fell out.
1t was Il striking photograph of Coralie
of the opera. Francois picked it up
sllilfully.
My beloved mother, he said, before
her marriage to the hero, my father"
"Which?' asked Cordelia innocently.
She had caught sight of more than one.
''1'he others are my sisters, he has
tened to add
You have a great many sisters" she
remarked with interest How many?'
Now. Francois had no means of know
ing the exact number of yesterdays
which Miss Lennard's sweet blue eyes
had seen, so he left an easy margin and
answered
rFourteen!"
ideally? Fourteen? Do let me see
them
Spare me your eyes. your
Where are You, Cordelia. Time $
Ifp!'' the colonel's big voice rolled through
the open door from the mess-room.
You are coming ashore tomorrow
asked Cordelia timidly We've could
20 over the fort Your friends might
like to come alsoE'
Francois was transported with his
luck
AIas dear mademoisle," he replied,
with what JOY and dispatch would /
come TO see the fort naturally affords
me precisely the excuse / need to bring
Some of my comrades with me, but that
favor is denied to US by your Jealous
collntry."
80 ., s1.rl,tf I1i
.'Snould you really care to Gomez! she
asked demureIy ut length
Tile aidor Gf his reply left nothing to
be desired.
.tlhcn / think | can manage it. My
rather always allows me to do rs | like.
WHY shG,!d we not go over the fort?'
She looked .nQuirin4ly at him.
But Capt. Cannon? What Of him.!
Seine instinct told Francois that Cam
mons red head held the acutest material
available at Fort Tcheu.
Cordela opened her eyes with a GER
tam dignilicd establishment.
Are you not aware that my father is
tb" commandantT'
Had Francois belonged to any other
race he must have betrayed his real
BY some useless denial. As it
was he tried to touch the fingers that
somehow eluded his while he replied
with Il fine theatrical earnestness.
Il comprehend that, dear Mademoi-
seIle, but were | NJ lie Captaine Cannon,
l should use every artitice to keep other
men from worshipping at the shrine of
my own devotion
C0rdelia colored.
MY father is calling me- she answer
ed coldly.
He followed her ON deck trying to soft
en- her evident annoyance, but it was
only ut the last moment when she was
already ON the gangway. that he ventur-
ed to whisper, a demainy' but Cordelia
gave no sign.
Thus another day passed The Rebec-
ca arrived with coal, and the little gum
Loaf was filling up her bunkers, when
Francois in desperation sent AN implor-
ing note to Miss Lennard, begging her
10 see him aguin. That if it facilitated
matters. the whole Ships company We're
ready to go ashore with him. For i'm the
interval he had begun to imagine that
Cordeia's invitation to others beside
himself meant natural desire cGl her
rart to veil her real motive which was
no doubt to secure tete-a-tete.
4 couple of hours later an invitation
to luncheon arrived from Col. Lennard
fol-. Can't. Merovinge and the officers of
the Ioup-garou Francois was naturally
of the party that went ashore in res
ponse. He had no manner of doubt that
the festiyity had been worked by Corde-
Ira, and was in some shape an answer
to his impassioned appeal.
At luncheon he surpassed himself
Even Merovinge gave place to him. The
others had also their orders, and were
as comparatively silent as it is given to
Frenchmen to be. They allowed Fran
coils to take the floor, so to speak, and
he awaited himself of the chance in a
manner that thrilled his conppatriots
He was magnificent. He summed himself
i'm the smiles of the fair, he told stories
of the duels he had fought and the dam
GERS he had braved, he dwelt ON his APP
rroaching departure with point and a
n1iver of feeling that wOn HIM many
compliments later ON round the mess
fable ON board. All the time Cordelia's
attention never tagged, she sympathized
and looked terrified in the right places,
in fact she satisfied even the eXigent
vanity of her admirer.
Francois however, directed most OF
his conversation to Pat Cannon, whose
labored poIitenesscs delighted Cordella.