Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-01-07

cdleu you ududIue DeCdu9c sOu |
were travelling alone" he continued, smil-
ing; French demoiselles never travel
alone. You are mademoiselle, no doubt"
NO, monsieur" l said frankly, Il am
married.
Where, then, is your husband?'' he in
Guired.
He is in London answered. Mon
seur, it is difficult for me to explain it:
l cannot speak your language well
enough. l think in English, and l can
not find the right French words. l ann
very unhappy, but l am not wicked
Good" he said, smiling again, very
good, my child; L believe you. You will
learn my language quickly; then you shall
tell me all, if you remain with US. But
you said the mignOnne is not your SIS
ter"
mo, she is not my relative at ALL,
replied; I'VE were both in a school at
Noireau, the school of Monsieur Emile
Perrier. Perhaps you know it, mon
sieur?''
certainly, madame" he said.
"He has failed, and run away" l con-
tinued; "al the pupils are dispersed.
Minma and 1 were returning through
Granville
Il understand, madame" he respond
ed, but it is villainous, this affair!
Listen, my child. l have much to say to
you Do 1 speak gently and slowly
enough for you?
Yes" l answered, Il understand you
perfectly"
I'VE have had the fever in Ville-en-
bois for some weeks" he went on; 1T is
now bad, very bad. Yesterday l went to
Noireau to seek doctor. but l could only
hear of one, who is in Paris at present.
and cannot come Immediately. At pres
ent we have made my house into hos
pital for the sick. My people bring their
sick to me, and we do our best, and put
our trust in God. But this little house
has been kept free from all infection.
and you would be safe here for one night,
so | hoped. The mgnonne must have
caught the fever some days ago. Now
l must carry her into my little hospital.
But you madame. what am | to do with
! you? Do you wish to go on to Gran
| vile, and leave the mignonne with me!
| We will take care of her as little angel
! of God. What shall l do with you, my
| child?"
.Monsieur," exclaimed, eagerly, take
me into your hospital too. Let me take
care Of Minima and your other sick peo-
ple. am very strong, and in good
health; | am never ill-never, never. L
will do all you say to me. Let me stay,
! dear monsieur"
But your husband, your friends"
he said.
Il have no friends l interrupted, "and
my husband does not love me. If l have
the fever and die-good. very good! am
not wicked; l am a Christian, hope.
Only let me stay with Minima, and do all
l can in the hospital"
| BE content, my child,' he said, you
shall stay with us"
l felt sudden sense of contentmCnt.
for here was work for ME to do. as well
as a refuge. Neither should | be COM
PEELED to leave Minima. l wrapped her
I'D warmly in the blankets. and Monsieur
Laurentie lifted her carefully and ten
derby from the low bed He told me to
accompany him, and we crossed the court
and entered the house by the door l had
seen the night before. A staircase led
up to long, low room. which had been
turned into hastily titted-up fever ward
for women and children. There were
already nine beds in it, of different sizes,
brought with the patients who now occu-
pied them. But one of these was empty.
In this home-like ward l took up my
work as nurses
"Madame." said Mon Sieur Laurentie,
one morning, the eighth that | had been
in the fever-smitten village, you did
not take promenade yesterday
Not yesterday, monsieur"
"Nor the day before yesterday!' he
continued
NO, monsieur" l answered; 81 dare
not leave Minima. l fear she is going
to die"
Monsieur Laurentie raised ME gently
from my low chair, and seated himself
upon it, with smile as he looked up at
me.
.Madame,'' he said, Il promise not to
J Quit the chamber till you return. My Sis
ter has a little commission for YOU to do.
Contide the mgnonne to me. and make
your promenade in peace. 1t is neces-
sary. madame; you must obey me-
The commission for mademoiselle was
! to carry some food and medicine to a
cottage lower down the valley; and
: Jeans eldest son, Pierre. was appointed
to be my guide. Both the cure and his
sister gave me a strict charge as to what
we were to do; neither of us was upor
( any account TO so near or enter the
dwelling; but after the basket was depos
tied upon a fiat stone. which Pierre was
; to point out to me. he was to ring {
small hand-be which he carried witt
/ him for that purpose. Then we were IL
: turn our backs and begin our retreat
: before any person came out of the in
fected house.
| set out with Pierre. solemn looiin:
4 boy of about twelve years of age We
passed down the village street, with il:
q closely packed houses forming a very
1 nest for fever, until we reached the roaC
q by which | had first entered Nille-en-bois
: Above the tops of the trees appeared
r tall chimney, and a sudden turn in tht
:. bv-road we had taken brought us full il
n sight of a small cotton mill. built on th'
banks of the noisy stream. \ mo-,
|. mournfully dilapidated place had neve
y seen.
: In the yard adjoining this deserted fac
h tory stood a miserable cottage with
l. mildewed thatched roof. The place bor
the aspect of a pest house. Pierre le'
h me to a large fat stone, and laid dow
: NV basket upon it. Then he rang h:
a hand-bell noiSily. and the next instan
e was scampering back along the road.
). But | could not run away. The desc
It late plague-stricken place had Il disma
V fascination for me. l wondered wha
r. manner of DerSons could dwell in it; an