The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-31
LAll RIGHTS
mQolZq' s Fortunes
By ~. E. FRANcIs-Auth Of IN N0rh c0untryvLlsss ETC.

t
grown steps of the. portico, and ca14e
suddenly face to face with-RaouI.
Raoul, looking more Worn, more wor-
ried, more wearied than ever, and with
perfect thunder cloud on his brow.
'Ah, the joyful SURPRISE cried Castor
alrily. SO you have come back, my
little uncle?"
He placed his hands jauntily en- the
barons shoulders, ana kissed him on
both cheeks before the latter had time to
recover from his surprise and evident
indignation. In another moment, how
ever, Raoul pushed him sturdily from
him, and turned away without even a
glance at Molly, who had been advancing
with outStretched hand.
Hot tears of anger and disappointment
rose to the girls eyes as she sought her
own room. Why should he treat her so?
What had she done to deserve it? Was
it her fault that she had CHANGED to be
in his nepheWs company at the moment
Of his return, and even had the rencontre
been of her seeking, would the transgres-
sion have merlted such deep diSgrao &c D.?
M. de SauvlSny was too much of an
EnglishEan in education and ways to
share his countryfolkS' exaggerated ideas
of decorum and, under other cIrcunl-
stances, the fact that Molly and a young
man had walked from the garden to the
house unattended by a chaperone would
not have excited his ire. Why should he
be so angry, SO rude, because in this in
stance the young man happened to be
his own nephew? .5s.-
ly-"a perfect bear!'
Yet even while still smarting under the
sense of indignity, she fell to thinking
OF Raoul's miserable face, of the traces
Of further care and suffering so plainly
to be noted there, and her heart ached
for him.
M. de Sauvigny's dispIeasure had ap-
parently subsided--at least in so far as
she was concerned-when they again met
and he greeted her as though he now saw
ner Tor the first time since his return.
BUT he was as gloomy and taciturn as
IN the first days of their acquaintance,
and treated CASTOR with cold severity
which to a less buoyant person would
have been depressing. Molly was con-
sclogs, too, that he took note of every
word that his nephew addressed to her
and felt with an increasing sense or NOR
thcation that he disapproved of the slight
attentions paid her by the latter.
During the ensuing week her position
was far from comfortable. Whether from
the perverSe desire to do that from which
his unc.e would have him refrain, or
from the fact that the passionate affec-
ton which he protested to feel for his
mother cid not prevent his being occa-
sionally bored by her. or simply because
the girls pretty face and bright ways
attracted him, M. CASTOR chose to cult
vate her society with an assiduity which
she found embarrassing. His admiration
did not, indeed, take any decided form
OF expression, for IMMERSED though she
was in the ways of the world, there was
something about Molly which forbade the
smallest attempt at familiarity. They
scarcely ever met except in the company
OF others. The girl being determined to
avoid a possible tete-a-tete with him as
the most punctilious of French "demoi-
seles' could have shown herself. So Gas
ton was obliged to content himself with
paying her a few complimentary which
his uncle sneered openly-following her
about from room to room. fetching and
carrying for her on every. conceivable
occasion, frequently signing in a marked
manner and rolling his fine eyes with
great effect. Molly could not help laugh
ing at him now and then, but usually
QlScoCntenanced his attentions and en-
deaVored to keep him at a distance;
line Of conduct which piqued the young
man to further efforts to ingratiate him
self. In fact he began to feel more and
more interested in her, and to congratu-
late himself cordially on the fact that
the tedium of his life at the chateau
endured by reasons best known to him
Self--waS enliVened by the presence Of a
charming companion.
Meanwhile Raoul watched them both
With the eyes of q lynx, and as the girl
could not but feel, endeavored by every
means IN his power to keep them apart;
expressing, moreover, in manner if not
in words, an Indignation at Gaston's at
ttude towards her which filled her with
was not absolutely heart-Whole; she was
sharp enough to take NJ. de Treilles' pref
ty speeches for what they were worth
and he was the last man in the world
to really have attracted Ter.
But RaouPS apparent diStrust of her
cut her to the quick. Was it possible
that he imagined she encouraged his
nephew's advances, that she, the penni-
less orphan, was perhaps taking advan-
tage Of her position to endeavor to en-
trap TINS young man? Doubtless to an
unprincipled girl, the conquest would
nave been easy, and a marriage with a
scion oS SO noble a house, appa emily
wealthy enough to have secured her a
comfortable If not brilliant future, would
ISVe seemed no lnconsiderable triumph.
but to Molly, the mere idea of being sus-
peGteu OF SUCH an ambition was so hui
LlllIlatIng, so insulting, that had it not
eeeen Tor the deer. pity with which M. de
oduVlgny inspired her, and the odd iik-
ing which she did not cease to feel for
once.
One evening, however, matters came tn
a crisis, Molly was playing dominoes
with Nine. de Tre.lles in the little salon
after dlnner, Raoul being ostensibly read
lug me newspaper while CASTOR wan
look out Of the window, now lingering the
knIck knacks on the table now making a
pretense of assisting the domino PLAYERS
with valuable advice
All at once NJ de Sauvienv cr,,non1ed
up MS paper with a smothared exclam7-
tlon, and Molly, glancng up, san him
gazing 51z Indignantly at Castor, who was
10y 10y SIluing ing, me I'D OF the empty domino
poX up and down, and who returned his
uncle look with one Of innocent won
der. NO word was spoken, however, and
presently Raoul caught up the paner once
more, settled himself in his chair wifi
much rustling Of the former and creaking
OF the latter, and soon was apparentIv
again absorbed But the incident ha3
startled and disturbed Molly to such a
degree that she so far forgot herself as
70 win two games of dominoes running
Whereupon the countess, in a net roSe
from the table, declaring herself fati5h1ed
and requesting her san to give her his
arm upstairs.
molly was absently preparing to nut the
domlnoes away, when, on removing the
10 OF the box she discovered neat liz
tie three-cornered note snusly ensconsed
at the bottom. She turned white to the
very lips, and inctinc lively glanced At
Raoul to find his eyes fixed on hers with
an expression OF doubt and uneasiness
which hurt her even more than his nenh-
eW's imperunent act
Hardly knowing what she did She rosa
ana walked towards him, holding the I'M
opened note in her extended hand. Her
eyes were flashing with indignation, but
word. d
Raoul took the letter in silence. tearing
II 5eVershly into countless pisces; and
Molly found her way to the door walk
ing, with difficulty for the room appeared
TO be spinning round and round.
CHAPTER Xxx.
RAOUL RECOLLECTS HIMSELF.
Raoul rang the bell, and desired Isi6ore