Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-12

speaking more frigidly than the cold that
was stifening her even through her wrap
pings of fur and horse blankets.
Yvette kept her arms tightly about the
girl In spite of the fact that her friend
remained as unresponsive as a doll carved
out Of wood.
But l think 1 can show you cause why
you should think less i'll Of me- she said
gently. like one who suffers long wrongs
she cannot help. Butt trust you with
the secret-my life is in It, and the lives
Of far more and far worthier than I! Yet
l trust you, /, poor Yvette, have also a
right to be called Madam la Marechale de
Montrevel, even as you heard them call me
Just now!"
ut is only one more Of your deceits-
there is no end Of them. have good
reason to know thati' retorted Frances, not
yielding the least from her stiffened atti-
tude of disdain.
Nay, but not this time" pleaded
Yvette. 1T has been necessary, l allow.
l know you have good reason to distrust
me. But that has been the fault Of cir
cumstances rather than any lack of keep
ing faith. l am-do not forget it!-the
wife Of the marshal commanding the French
troops in these mountains. You, who have
such high ideals of duty and affection,
tell me what is better or else higher than
that a wife should strive in all ways to
serve the interests OF her husband. And
Have l not done SO? Was l not ordered
to find out the secrets Of the foolish young
officer of Marlborough? And If you had not
interrupted us would not have turned him
inside out like en- empty sack-aye, this
very night, and the dispatch would have
Onnn N M, hubbard - Nh1 IA
was for this that these cadets of the cross
who are now watching us (for they guard
you as a valuable prisoner OF war; are out
of the face OF the Causes to support the
regular soldiers that l might carry to de
Montrevel h I know in person that l
am here. Do you not see? Wherefore else
should : girl like me remain alone in a
petty village, listening to psalms chanted
tight and morn like the bowling OF dogs
with their noses pointed at the moon, and
prophets pbophesying like old space-wives
afraid OF the last judgment. What but
my wifely duty would have kept me there?"
Flower-o'-the-Corn was looking at her
with great wide open eyes. Blue eyes open
wider and show more surprise than any
others.
But he was kissing you," she objected,
"and-and-you were letting hint
You dear little %simpleton!" laughed
Yvette, why that is nothing! I will tell
De Montrevel tonight and he will laugh
heartily himself. 1t is only part Of the
rules of the game"
Then / do not think 1t at all a nice
game" said Flower-o'-the Corn. III you
did not really love him, Of course, that
might make a difference!"
"of course you think so. dear innocent"
said Yvette, gaily, but women of the
world have other standards. And now
we'll. we have wasted time enough on this
matter. 1t is folly anyway. All kissing is
unless you get something by IT. The main
thing is that you are a prisoner Of war, and
that your father will have to pay $4,000 or
e. 1000 for his daughters liberation-or-'
"or what?" cried Frances with her blue
eyes yet wider open. "My poor old father
never had 5000 pence to bless himself with
what Is the other alternative?
We'll" said Yvette slowly, you arc
a young girl and am a married woman,
but to be honest with you / cannot put the
alternative into words. Unless you have
heard in the Village Of La Cavalerie what