Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-08-10

be uttered. He was the ~strangest enig-
ma OF all. Why did we fear him Why
did Nine. de Pavannes, who apparent
ly had known him before. shudder at
the touch OF his hand? Why did his
shadow come even between her n her
sister, n estrange them, 80 that from
the momen Pavafines' wife saw him
standing by DANES side, she forgot
hat the latter had cone to save, and
looked on her in doubt and sorrow, al
most with repugnance.
We left the vidame going back to the
fireplace. He stopped to set down the
candle by the hearth, They are not
here" he said, as he Strengthened him
self again, and o ~ruriously at his
companions. He had apparently been
too much taken up with the pursuit to
notice them before. THAT is certain,
so l have the less time TO lose,' he con-
tinued. But 1 would~-yes, my dear
coadjutor, i. certainly would like to
know before / go what you are doing
here. Mirepoix-Mirepoix is an honest
man. / did not expect to find you in
his house. And two ladies? Two! Fie,
coadjutor. Ha, Nine. d'O, is 1t? My
lear lady" he continued, addressing
her In a whispered tone, do not start
at the sound of your own name! 1t
would take a hundred hoods to hide
your eyes or bleach your lips to the
common color; l should have known
you at once, had l looked at you. And
your companion? Pheugh!'
He broke Off, whfstling softly. 1t
was clear that he recognized Nine. de
Pavannes, and recognized her with as
constituent. The bed creaked as l
craned my neck to see what would fol-
low. Even the priest seemed to Trims
that some explanation was necessary,
fnr ha Ala not whit tn he questioned.
Mime. de Pavannes," he said, in a
dry, husky voice, and without looking
up, was spirited hither yesterday, and
detained against her will by this good
man, who will have 20 answer for 1t.
| Nine, do discovered her whereabout
and asked me to escort her here with
out loss of time to enforce her sisters
release"
And her restoration to her distract
ed husband?"
Just So the priest a~ssented, ac-
curing confidence, | thought.
And madame desires to go?"
Surely! Why not?"
WELL the vidame drawled, his
name such as to bring the blood to
Nine. de Pavannes' cheek, lit depends
on the pei son who-to use your phrase,
NJ. lie Coadjuteur-splrited her hither.'
AND that" madame herself retort-
ed, raising her head, while her voice
quivered with indignation and anger,
was the abbess of the Ursulines. Your
suspicious are base, worthy of you and
unworthy of me, NJ. lie Nidame'
Diane!" she continued, sharply, tax
ing her sisters arm, and casting a dis
dainful glance at Beers, 'let us go. l
want TO be with my husband. L am
stifled in this room"
I'VE are going, little one" Diane
mrrmured reassuringly. But | noticed
that the speakers animation. which
had been as a soul to her beauty when
she entered the room, vas gone. 4
strange stillness-was it fear OF the
vidame?-had taken it's place.
"The abbess OF the Ursulines?" Be
zers continued, thoughtfully. "She
brought you here, did she?" There
was surprise, genuine surprise, in his
voice. "A good soul, and, l think |
have heard, "a friend Of yours. Umph!'
"A very lear friend madame an
swered stifly. Nov Diane!"
"A dear friend! And she spirited
you hither yesterday" commented
the vidame, with the air of one solving
ar anagram. And Mirepoix detained
you; respectable MirepoiX, who is said
to Ia n well-flled stocking under his
pallet, n stands we'll with the bour.
geoisie. He Is in the plot. Then at 6
very late hour, your afrectionate sis.
ter, and my good friend the coadjutor
enter to save you. From what?"
Continued Next Week.)