The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-07-07
CHAPTER Nv.

~ AMDA6Ats
The road swept onward with gentle
surves. at one time hanging 10 tho edge
Of the hillside. at another walled In on
sither hand by rocks covered with fern
and bracken. 90 whose Jagged and broken
surface-whereon purples. greens and
browns seemed To absorb themselves into
zach other--there clung the yellow agri-
inony and climbing rose. with It's sweet
bloom full OF restless. murmuring bees.
Sometimes the path lost itself In some
Fcool arcade OF trees, where the sunlight
fell In oblique golden shafts through the
leaves that interlaced overhead. and then
suddenly. without warning, we would
come 10 a level stretch on which the mar
guerites lay thick as snowhakes. and
across which the wind hustled roitously.
AS we cantered along side by side my
companion again broke forth into joy
Gus song that sprang full throated and
clear from a heart that never seemed 10
have known moment of pain. Ills was
IL 1.-THE, leopardlike strength, and as
looked at him my thoughts ran back 70
the time when we first met, on his return
from the Venetian embassy, whittier he
had gone when NJ. de Bruslart made a
mess OF things. do not know why IL was.
but he singled me out for his particular
notice. and, though II was openly known
that he was betrothed TO the second
daughter of M. d'Ayen, l. like fool was
iattered by the attentions OF this gay
and brilliant cavalier. and day by day we
were thrown together more and more,
and sort OF confidence was established
between us that was almost more than
friendship. There was, as / have said.
that In his masterful way that had the
erect OF leaving me powerless, and.
though he could put all its light I'm his
eyes and all it's tones in his voice, | felt
instinctively that he did not love me.
but was merely playing with me 10 ex-
ercise his strength and dragging me to-
ward him with resistless force. In
short. the influence OF DE Clermont on
me was never for my good, and our inter
course always left me with the conviction
that i had sunk little lower than be-
fore. and IL was at times like these when
met De Lorgnac's grave eyes that I
felt the upspoken reproach I'm their
glance and would struggle TO rise again,
and then I'm the consciousness OF my own
folly felt i fairly hated him for seeing
my weakness What right had De Lorg-
nae even TO think of me? What did IL
matter 10 him what did or said? So 1
used TO argue with myself, yet In my
heart OF hearts felt that my standard OF
right and wrong was being measured by
what imagined "A man TO whom i had
heardly ever spoken might think.
When l make this confession and say
that the influence OF De Clermont over me
was never for my good. i do not mean to
imply that was guilty OF anything more
than foolishness, but the effect Of II was
TO sap my high ideas, and / now know
that this man. aided by his surrundings-
and they were all 10 his advantage-took
the pleasure OF a devil I'm lowering my
moral nature and I'm moulding me TO be-
come 'of the world" as he would put II.
God be thanked that the world Is not as
he would have made IL. At that time.
however, was dazzled, all but overpow-
cred, by him. and day by day my strug-
giles were growing weaker. like those OF
some poor fly caught IN pitiless web.
The knowledge OF all this was 10 come to
me later. when by Gods help escaped.
but then was blind and foolish and mad.
My companions song was interrupted
by Lalande, who came galloping back In
hot haste and In no good temper TO say
that the whole party had halted 20 wait
for me. and. auickening our pace, we hur-
ried onward and found them about mile
farther on. To say that Nine. de Termes
was surprised at seeing De Clermont IS to
say little, and l could see, too, that she
was not very well pleased, but he spoke
20 her SO fairly and gracefully that In
spite OF herself she thawsd. and half an
hour later he was riding a her bride
hand, bringing smiles that had long been
absent to her face. He was overjoyed 10
hear OF the vicomtes recovery and said
many flattering things about him. for he
knew him well. sIaving served under him
in the campaign OF Languedoc. and then
he went on 10 become more communica-
tive about himself. saying that he was
the bearer Of a dispatch TO the king OF
Navarro. adding. with a laugh. "a dupli-
cate. you know. the original being carried
by M Norreys, the England free lance.
Ma fol! But / should not be surprised II
] reached the Bearnnois before the slug
gish ISLANDER
Hardly, II you loiter here. NJ. lie Mar
Quis," | said.
'You must bear the blame for that,
madame, but ! will add that my orders
are to-pass through Perigueux as we'll.
and so, madaine'-and he turned to my
friend-"lf you will permit Raoul de Cler-
mont TO be your escort there he win look
upon IL as the most sacred trust OF his
life"
He bowed TO his saddlebow and look
Cd so winning and handsome that ma
dame replied most graciously in the az
firmative. A little beyond la Jonchere
something very like an adventure betell
us, the first on this hitherto uneventful
journey. At the crossroad leading to Bour-
ganeuf we met with party OF six or
eight men who did not require a second
glance to make us see that they were ca
pable OF any mischief. They had halted
20 bait their horses and, flung about In
picturesque attitudes, were resting under
the trees--as III looking n set OF fellows
as the pleasant shades of tho planes had
even fallen upon Had they known before
hand that we were travelling this way
they would very probably have arranged
an attack on US. but as II was we came
upon them rather suddenly. and as our
party. which had been added 10 by De
Clormonts two lackeys, was somewhat
too strong TO assault openly without the
risk OF broken heads and hard knocks
things which gentry OF this kind do not
much affect--they let us alone, contenting
themselves with gathering into n group TO
watch US as we went by. and this we did
slowly. our men with their arms ready
As we approached, however. and saw their
truculent faces ! had doubts as TO
whether we should pass them without
bloodshed and begged DE Clermont In
a low voice 20 prevent any such thing
He had drawn a light rapier that ne
wore, but as I spoke he put II back
with snap. and. holding out his hand.
asked for the loan OF my riding whip
a little. delicate. agate handled thing
1T Will be enough" he said as i gave