The Iola register., 1902-06-06

quaintance, and their home had shell
tered many guests, mostly Americans
making brief visits to the French
capital At the time of the Incl.
dents herein described there were but
two, Darrell and Miss Edith Lorrimer.
The young woman was cousin to Mrs.
Gordon and, like that lady herself,
student of art. Mrs. Gordon, indeed,
was something more than n student,
having won the beginnings of a name
among painters. AS to Miss Lorrimer
and Darrell, the Gordons had enter
tained hope that had recently taken
on the color of fear, for match i'm
plies the desire Of two, and the worst
that can happen is that the woman
alone shall feel 1t.
When Gordon and Darrell returned
to the villa after the incident just de-
scribed, they learned that Miss Lorri-
mer's uncle and aunt had arrived in
Paris earlier than they had been ex-
pected and that the young lady had
gone to take up her abode with them
In one of the big hotels. 1t was in the
nature of flight, and not even Darrell
himself could be blind to the fact. He
suffered the pangs of remorse-that
particularly distressing remorse which
does not permit n man to mention his
fault to his own soul, since the confes-
sion must be tainted with presumption
Indeed, n gentleman cannot even plead
complete innocence, for to say to his
conscience that he has won a heart
without attempt Is to fatter his own
vanity and slur the lady as too willing
The party Of four for the ball was
broken up. The Gordons attended,
upon their guests insistence, leaving
the house about 10 o'clock. and Darrell
rode with them in their carriage lit
tie way, alighting near club, which.
upon second thought, he did not visit.
Instead lie spent some hours roaming
aimlessly about the city, n prey to
great discomfort and full of the best
resolutions concerning the avoidance of
all communications with women that
should go beyond the yea, yea and nay,
nay approved in holy writ.
IL may nave been about midnight
when he wandered into n dark street
which attracted him because it seemed
to be deserted, though the boulevard
from which he had just come was all
alive. A carriage passed him mt n smart
pace, and he looked after it with a
vague notion of something unusual.
The impression gradually became more
definite, and he perceived that his at
tention had been attracted by the pc
10.
TO be more accurate, by the lack of
noise. The wheels rolled silently, and
the beat of the horses hoofs was muf-
fed. Stepping down from the sidewalk
In front of one Of the few lamps upon
the way, Darrell discovered that the
street was paved with wooden blocks,
and then he remembered having read
that an English company was endeav-
oring to introduce new pavement and
had furnished sample gratuitously.
AS he stood staring, with true Amer
ican curiosity for anything partaking
of the nature of an invention, a span
Of horses drawing a closed carriage
swung around from the boulevard, and
some small Outcry was raised. Then
from within the vehicle there came q
single sharp scream as OF terror, a
womans voice raised and almost In
stantly checked, Obviously here was
runaway, and In two seconds Darrell
was hanging upon the horses brides,
dragged and trampled and very nearly
impaled upon the pole, for the animals
had swerved just as he had sprung to-
ward them bringing him much more
squarely in front of them than he had
intended to be. However, he succeed
ed in haltlng the team without sustain
ing serious injury, and as they showed
no desire to bolt again he stepped away
from their heads and back toward the
Vahiala