Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-09
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Yvstte Drinks From Her Own Cup.


vel smiled to himself over breakfast, which
he took alone. as he thought how his arm
had reached from the slopes of the Dourbie
and the banks Of the Tarn even to the white
splintered rocks of the Alpines.
He had seen to it that Maurice Raith was
well guarded il the company OF Patrick
Wildwood. Billy and his wife Bet, having
proved rebellious. had been removed to
military prison where they had leisure to
think upon the lost delights of keltonhlil
Fair.
Sole among this five prisoners of the resin
gatherer'S hut Fiower-o -the-Corn alone
found herself free and an honored guest in
the house of the marshal. 1t was, indeed,
with something of repugnance that she hrSt
encountered ltette. But the w1fe Oh the
Marechal de Montrevel was, after all, in a
different position $50 at least thought
Frances WeIlwood) from Yvette Foy of the
little hill village of La Cavalerie.
Flower-o the Corn believed that when a
woman married she changed her nature
The f1rt was no more fiirt. The cat with
the claws that scratch became Puss in
Boots ard a fit chaperone for any young
unmarried female.
1t was therefore, with some sympathy
that Flower-o'- the-Corn received fVette
explanation. how that the arrest was not
her husbands act.
But now that they had been captured
and brought back by the dragon of de
Banville. directed by some unknown spy
domiciled in Saint Veran, what would he
do2 They must wait.
With her lips to Flower-o -the-Corn's ear
she revealed however. that II was possible
(the secret was one which must rot be so
much as breathed, as size valued the lives
of her companions) that this dreadful war
of religion, which had SO long desolated the
country would be brought to an end, and
that in the happiest waS-2nd so on ending
In feminine fashion with an embrace. For
Flower-o the Corn was by nature forg1V-
ing. and she had not forgotten that at the
great Cradle-cairn of Saint Feran, where
the Cadets of the Cross had captured her,
Yvette Foy had saved more than her life.
So it came to pass that, with some appear
ance of permanency, the fugitives were de-
tanned in the camp of the Marshal de Mon
trevel while Jean Cavalier was performing
or endeavoring to perform his promise OF
bringing the rebel Camisards over to the
side of the king.
AS to their unexpected capture in the
Rhone valley the marquis had allowed
them to get far beyond his immediate
jurisdiction before arresting them because
he did not wish that the bruit of the event
should interfere with the success of his
projects of pacificatiOn or the recruiting
of the promised Carnisard regiments by
Jean Cavalier.
So it happened that there came a new
influence. a gracious presence into the house
of Nicholas de Baume, Marquis de Mon
trevel Wise about other matters. he was
sinGularly, and, as one might say, shrewdly
ignorant about women. Like all men who
having lost their mothers in childhood
have known few good women since he was
under the belief that the experience of
many can take the place of the knowledge
of one.
AS to Flower-o' -the-Corn she knew well
that the lives of those dearest to her de-
pended largely upon the impression she
might make upon the notable commander
in-chief of the High Cevennes; and so,
thinking no evil. desiring all good, she set
n anil N the difficult task of oh
tanning the release of Capt. Maurice Raith
and her father. Patrick Wildwood, late
chaplain in Ardmillans regiment
Nicholas de Baume had never had the OPP
portunity to observe Intimately a type of
womanhood higher than the clever maid of
honor of some wandering princess In par
THUS In comparison with such, fvette
Foy appeared to him an even greater won
der than she really was.
Still there was something wanting of
which his heart took due cogniZance. The
sweet and tender nature of the girl Frances
Wildwood her frank Inconsistencies OF
admiration the reproof to all freedom of
language or action which her mere coming
into room seemed 10 enforce with the
authority of a royal command, moved the
grim humorous, hard-b bitten old warrior
like a glimpse of paradise from which all
his life he had been shut out.
All this might have had no III effects
even might have passed unnoticed had 1t
not been for one thing-Yvette Foy had
grown TO love her husband. She who had
played with love cat plays with a
mouse now all suddenly became as jealous
as d young girl in the crisis of her first love
affair.
1t was upon the eve of the day which
Frances had obtained from the marshal
the promise that. subject to the kings rati-
fication, he would liberate his prisoners i'm
media tely on the conclusion OF the dis-
turbances in the Cevennes that Yvette
showed the first symptom of the coming
trouble.
The condition of Patrick and Maurice
had been rendered as comfortable as posi-
BILE They were supplied with food from
the marshals own table. That day Flow
er-o' the Corn had been permitted to con-
vey the good news to them herself and to
hold hour-long conversation with her
friends In the presence of one of de Mon
treVels officers. Consequently, her anxiety
being greatly abated, she was in the best
OF spirits upon her return. While the mar
quis sat watching her she told the history
of her day with spirit and thanked him
again and again for all he had done so
overrunning was her delight that she failed
to notice the darkening brows and unwont-
ed silence of Yvette. The gay talk In
which the Marechale de Montrevel was
wont to take so leading a part was trans
formed into tete-a-tete between the old
soldier and his fair young guest.
The marquis looked across at his baton.
"Ah." he sighed. meditatively, that is
my last plaything. / have gotten 1t Just In
time. AS 1t stands. 1t is a marvel. have
not the modern qualifications. My mother
was an honest woman!
Now by all the rules Yvette should have
smiled. for the remark was quite in her
own vein. Since 1t was obvious that the
marshal meant only to glance, as II were
over her shoulder, at my lords the Duke of
Berwick. the Prince Eugene, the Duke of
Maine and the Count of Toulouse.
But something Selective in the sympathy
of the glance which her husband sent
across the table to Frances Wildwood stir
red all the latent bitterness in the heart of
Yvette.
II presume" she said bitterly to her hus-
band you mean that allusiOn for me.
Well. listen to this. Monsieur lie Marquis. l
am not your mother. but you have made
me your wife. If l not honest enough
for you and your friends, i am at least en-
tirely ready to leave you to your honest
woment"
1t came upon them bolt from the
blue. With all his boosted experience of
women. all his study of character. the mar
quis was taken completely by surprise
as Frances herself, who on her part paled
gradually to the lips the sound of
Yvettes Voice carried first CONSERVATION
and then fear to her heart.
She rose to her feet uncertainty putting
out her hands toward her sometime friend.
What Is it? What Is it? What have
done?" she stammered. Tell me"'
But by this time Yvette was on her way
TO the door She swept her out of her
path. thrusting her from her with fierce