The Washington times., 1901-07-28

You are perfectly right. medcmoiselle.
! must pass through the village on my
way to Tregastel, let US walk there to-
gether.''
They went on few steps, then the girl
said shyiy. This country is beautiful. 1
did not know that there was anything so
beautiful In Brittany"
You mean Trestraou and the bay down
there?"
Il mean all the country, monsieur.
have walked all the way from Lannion;
oh, the country is beautiful, it is like
Heaven; see that golden sunset. and the
pale green sky above 1t, eh, Mon Dieu! 1t
is superb
She had fair sweet face. her deep blue
eyes looked happy she spoke, they
glowed with enthusiasm
Chariot stared all around him in sur
prise. He saw nothing beautiful In the
| wide extent of land and sea-scape stretch
ing out from Ia Clarte to Tregastel and to
Ploumana'ch he was used to 1t; he had
often seen that glow against which the
church spire and the picturesque cottages
of la Clarte looked SO rich a purple. Pres
entity the road mounted still higher. and
they came in sight of weird moorland,
broken here and there by monster rocks.
one above another, huge masses that
made fitting foreground to the famous
rocks of Ploumana'ch, now rosy red as
the sun sank to rest. Among the misshap-
en- rocks w;is~ seen the glitter of the sea;
soon the water found its way in by va
rious channels, till it threatened destruc-
ton to the cottages of Ploumana'c ch, nes-
tied among the huge masses of rosy
stone.
AT this sight the girl clapped her hands
with delight
''Aha,.''. Chariot said. as if he had made
a discovery, you are from Paris. see
that plain enough
AT the question the girl recollected her.
self
Yes, / am from Paris she said coldly.
but surely country folk must admire
such beauty as this. Please tell me, sir.
if those cottages on our left do not belong
to la Clarte? 1 seek Nine Monod who
dwells near. the church"
Chariot haf-closed his eyes as he look
ed at her.
u will take you to her doorstep. but we
have some way to go. We must turn
round by the other side of the church.
Have you come to live here, NADIA
moiselle?" he asked politely, you will
ma II very dutl alter rams.
She blushed vividly as she answered:
II shall not be long alone. my mother
and my brother will soon join me, they
they are bringing friend with them who
had an accident" She looked up. The
mans eyes were fixed on her full of in
tense curiosity. She stammered out,
THAT is why they come, they bring him
back to his mother who lives in this coun-
try"
is that so?'' Chariot spoke eagerly.
Does the sick man happen to be work.
man who was injured by the machinery
of the great exhibition? Is his name Jo-
seph Lenet?"
Her blue eyes opened widely with sur
prise; she stared at him without power
to speak.
If had known this when 1 met you
by the cross / would have presented you
to Nine Lenet; she was in her cottage
close by. Eth. but she would have rejoic-
ed to get news from her son, from you,
who knew him so weIi!p
The girl shivered. her eyes dropped;
this was a pity. for the intense cunning
of Chariut,s expression would have put
her on her guard.
He was saying to himself: Il knew it.
heaven be praisedi This is Joseph's
sweetheart, maybe she IS his wife. cor
bleu, / know how to stir up strife be-
tween her and Louise.
That's 5ust what l must do the girl
said. shyly. Joseph said l was not to
see his mother till he had explained ev-
erything to her, after that he viii take
me, and she will receive me like a daugh-
ter; no, l must not seek Mime. Lenet
alone
But that is just what you shall do"
he told himself with fierce oath. Then
aloud:
That is what you think? Well then,
my girl, / will tell you just what is a
secret for the rest of the world: listen. l
am about to become your stepfather;
see that you love my future son. Joseph;
ah he is, indeed, an admirable youth,
the best of sons. Eh, but he does not
quite understand his mother; my poor
Louise opens her heart to me, she tells
me all: If will be balm to her that her
son is bethrothed to SO charming girl"
do you really think so? My mother
thought / had best stay with her friend.
Nine. Monod."
Yes, yes, but your mother does not
understand Mime. Lenet. She has not seen
Mime. Lenet; how then can she Judge? 1,
on the contrary, see her every day: I
share every feeling of her heart; it Is a
large heart by the bones of Saint Bla-
vet, it is filed to overiowing with the
milk OF human kindness. Ma fol, what
do l say. had clean forgotten; you must
indeed hasten to Nine. Lenet. not tonight,
1t is too late, but early tomorrow. My
Louise, precious woman. is on the eve
of departure for Paris. she goes to seek
her son. and you say Joseph Is coming
here. Her departure must be prevented;
no one but you can do it. can give this
news. II Is easy for you to explain your
presence; you have come to assure her
of her sons -recorery. and to add that
you have promised to make him q happy
husband-are you perhaps already his
wife?"
The giri shook her head; she felt trou-
hled; something told her she was i'm
prudent TO confiee in a stranger, but then
he said he was about to marry Nine
Lenet- Surely II must be safe to trust
a member of the same family She hung
her head.
'It is settsd then; I may count on you
to prevent Nine. Lenet's useless Journey.
II you will not go to her l must trudge
all the Way back to make sure that she
does not start tomorrow morning, for l
have work to do at TregasteI tomorrow
till evening"
She wasis,iil silent for several minutes,
then she said slowly:
Il do not think IT can be wrong to do
that even If say nothing about myself
Yes, sir. you may count on me-
He took her hand and heartily shook It,
That is right. that is excellent, my
brave girl; you must tell me your name.
SO that | may remember you in my pray