Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-09-09


men to be king over himself.
"A moment. monsieur. You have Civ.
en- me your word: be strong enough to
keep It. have learned to respect and
honor you. but do not love you. You
must keep your word. De Lorgnac,
and go-until l ask you to come back"
Without word he turned on his
heel and walked toward the door. But
| could not let him 60 like that, and
rallied to him. He stopped and turned
toward me. but made no further ad-
vance. and then went up to him with
my hand outstretched.
Monsieur there Is one thing more.
have the honor to be the wife of De
! l.orgnac, and for the present ! crave
your permission to make Lorgnac my
home. Will you not grant me this re-
quest. and will you not shake hands
Uefore you go?"
thought | had tried him too far
and that the man would break down.
but. no. the metal was true. But the
hasgard look on his face went out as
be answered.:
Demise. Lorgnac is yours to its
smallest stone. and l thank you for
this" Then he bent down and touched
my fingers with his lips and was gone.
| listened to his footsteps dying away
along the passage. Would l ever call
him back! 1t was on my tongue to do
20 as he went, but / held myself in
and began restlessly to pace the room.
IF but knew myself! If but knew
myself l called out aloud and then
moved aimlessly toward the window.
Here looked out, but saw nothing of
the view, for l was looking into my
own heart, and there all was mist and
fog. The more / tried to think the
more hopeless 1t all seemed, and 1t
came to me to abandon my position
and, accepting my fate, make the best
Of circumstances, as other women had
done. | could give respect and trust,
and as long as my husband knew this
and l looked after his comforts he
would never know how selishly blind
men are in this respect. But De Lor-
gnac was not as other men. felt that
his keen eye would take in the part ]
was playing, that his great love for
me would penetrate and grasp all my
devices and that he would feel that he
had only wife-not lover as we'll
What was this love that l was in doubt
about? If it meant respect and honor
and desire for constant guiding
presence about me. then felt / could
give that to Blaise de Lorgnac, but ]
felt, too, that more was due to him.
The neigh of horse and the clatter
Of hoofs on stony ground aroused me.
Bending forward over the window, !
looked out and saw De Lorgnac and a
half dozen mounted men riding out Of
the courtyard. My husband rode lit
tie in advance, square and erect, his
plumeless helmet glittering in the sun
light, but he never gave one backward
glance to the window. Even II he
thought l was not there he might have
done SO; he might have given me the
chance. The men who rode behind him
seemed stout, strong fellows. though
their casques were battered and their
cuirasses rusty, and as the last OF them
went out recognized L. Coquille.
know | had no right to pick and choose
for De Lorgnac. but would have given
nv right hand not to have seen that
swashbuckler riding behind my hus'
band. Such men as lie were never EN-
ployed on honest deeds! With stamp
of my foot ! turned from the window
and saw Pierre. the old servant. walt
ing patiently near the door with huge
bunch Of keys on salver in his hano'
AS our eyes met he bowed to the
ground.
81 did not know it was Nine. de Lor
gnac who was here until al hour ago.
he said. M. lie Chevalier has directed
that these should be given over to you'
and the household is outside awaiting
madame's orders"
Half amused, half embarrassed.
took the keys. l felt sure De Lorgnac
had given no such order. but that TINS
was the spontaneous outcome of old
Pierre's politeness. Fastening them In
nv girdle, | said with as gracious yet
dignified an air as l could assume,
Call in the people, please"
Pierre bowed once more to the ground
and vanished to reappear in two min
utes with we'll grown youth. and the
two stood bolt upright before me. This
was the household of De Lorgnac. then.
The smile died away from my lips as
thought of the straits to which a gal
liant gentleman was reduced. pierre"
l said, "you must add Mousette, my
maid, to the household. and see that
the good Lalande Is we'll treated" And
I placed a small purse containing
half dozen or so Of gold crowns that
happened to have with me In the old
mans hands. He held the little silken
bag for q moment, and then his face
began to flush.
"There is no need. madame. We have
enough"
"You forget, Pierre. what am Civ
ing you is NJ. lie Chevalier's. to whom
God grant a safe return"
He took the money. though I saw
suspicious swimming Of his eyes. and ]
hastily asked:
"And do those men who rode out
with monsieur belong to the household
too. Pierre?"
"St. Blaise no, madame! They
came here but yesterday morning and.
with their leader. have drunk and
sworn about the place ever since. They
filed the lower hall with disorder. but
they are stout fellows. and we had
hardly been able to help you so well
last night but for them. They follow
NJ. lie Chevalier for little time only"
we'll knew for what purpose. but
kept silent on that point. saying. "And
how far Is Lorgnac from hereT
"The town, you mean. madame"
Precisely"
"At the foot Of the hill to the right Of
the chateau. We cannot see it from
here. All. it was fine place until NJ.
de Ganache and his bandits Of Hugue-
nots came over from La Roche Canillac
one fine day and put the place to fire
and sword. NJ. le Chevalier has vowed
his death at the shrine Of Our Lady OF
Lorgnac. Ah. he is devil. is NJ. de
Ganache! He is with the Bearnnois
now."
"And is there any news Of the Hugue-