The Washington times., 1902-10-12

which she stood, were not to be resisted
so 1 sent the carriage on. She looked
open-mouthed after Skenedonk, ant
| bobbed her dutiful, frightened courtes,
at me.
The marquis peasants were by nj
means under the influence OF the EN-.
pire, as I knew from observing the Lac
whom he had sought among the drowned
in the mortuary chapel Of the Hotel
Dieu. and who was afterward found il
a remote wine shop seeing sights. The
goose girl dared not speak to me unless
/ required 1t of her, and the unusual
notice was an honor she would have
avoided.
What d9 you do here?' inquired
Her little heart palpitated in the an.
swer-"oh, guard the geese"
DO they give you trouble?"
mot much, except that wicked gan
der" She pointed out with her knitting
needle a sleek white fellow, who flirtet
his tail and turned an eye. quaverins
as If he said-"La. la, la!'
What does he do?''
"He would be at the vines and the
corn, monsieur"
Bad gander!''
81 switch him. she informed me
like magistrate.
but that would only make him rum
ALSO l have a strir- in my pocket
and tie him by the leg to tree"
Serves him right Is the Marquis du
Plessy at the chateau?"
Her face grew shaded, as a cloud
chases sunlight before 1t across a mead
ow. do you mean the new marquis. the
old marquiss cousin. monsieur? He
went away directly after the burial"
What burial?'
"The old marquis burial. That was
before st. Johns day
BE careful what you say, my child"
Didn't you know he was dead. mon
sieur?"
81 have been on journey. Was his
death sudden?''
/ sat down on the grass with my head
in my hands. BelIenger had told the
truth.
One scant month the Marquis du
Plessy fostered me like son. To this
hour my slow heart aches for the COM
panionship Of the lightest. most delicate
spirit / ever encountered in man.
Once lifted my head and insisted:
ut can't be true!"
Monsieur" the goose girl asserted
solemnly. "it is true. The blessed ST.
Alphin, my patron. forget me If l tell
you lie."
Around the shadowed spot where
sat heard trees whispering on the hills,
and a cart rumbling along the hard
ened dust of the road.
Monsieur spoke the goose girl out
of her good heart, 'if you want to go to
his chapel l will show you the path
She tied string around the leg of the
wicked gander and attached him to the
tree, shaking wand at him in warning.
He nipped her sleeve, and hissed, and
hoped, his wives demonstrating softly;
but mis- guardian left him bound and car
ried her knitting down valley to a
stream, across the bridge, and near an
opening in the bushes at the foot of
hill.
Go all to the right, Monsieur she
said, land you will come to the chapel
where the Du Plessys are buried
L gave her the largest coin in my poe
ket, and she flew back as we'll as the
spirit of childhood could fly in wooden
shoes. All the geese, formed in aelne,
waddled to meet her, perhaps bearing a
memorial of wrongs from thir husband.
The climb was steep. rounding a dark
ened ferny shoulder of lush forest, yet
promising more and more top of sun
light. AT the summit was a carriage
road which ascended by some easier
plane Keeping all to the right as the
goose girl directed, l found a chapel
like a shrine.
1t was locked. Through the latticed
door l could see an altar. whereunder
the last Du Plessy who had come to rest
there. doubtless lay with his kin.
sat down on one of the benches under
deep. But all that suny hillcrest seemed
frightened by the marquis. 1t was
cheerful as his smile. Let us have a
glass of wine and enjoy the sun.
coil in
around his chapel. "And do you hear
that little .citizen of the tree trunks,
The perfume of the woods rose invis.
bly, to a cloudless sky. My last tryst
with my friend was an hour In paradise's
The light quick stepping of horses and
their rafting harness brought Madame
de Terriers carriage quickly around the
curve fronting the chapel. Her presence
was the one touch which the place
lacked, and l forgot grief, shame, in-
patience at being found out in my trou-
BILE. and stood at her step with my hat
in my hand
She said-"O Lazarre!"-and Paul beat
on Ernestine's knee. echoing-"O Zar!"
and my comfort was absolute as release
from pain because she had come to visit
her old friend the marquis.
| helped her down and stood with her
at the latticed door.
How bright 1t is here!" said Eagle.
1T is very bright. came up the hill
from dark place"