Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-17
hat Father Sebastian was dead and


for you. His voice quayers whenever
he speaks of you"
"Doubtless he made his old joke to
you about the birthmark on my shoul-
DER said Father Beret after mo-
ment of apparently thoughtful silence.
"He may have said something about 1t
in a playful way, ehY,
"True, true; why, yes, he surely men
toned the same" assented M. Rous-
sillon, his face assuming an expression
of confused memory. ut was some
thing sly and humorous, | mind, but 1t
lust escapes my recollection. A right
Jolly old boy is Father Sebastian. In
deed very amusing at times"
cat times. yes" said Father Beret,
who had no birthmark on his shoulder
and had never had one there or on any
other part Of his person.
"How strange. Alice remarked. Il,
too have mark on my SHOULDER
pink spot, Just like small, i've petaled
flower We must be Of kin to each
other, Father Beret.D
The priest laughed.
..If our marks are alike, tnut woul0
be some evidence of kinship," he said.
"But what shape Is yours fatherY
ave never seen IT, he responded.
Never seen it! Why?"
"Well, it's absolutely invisible" ana
he chuckled heartily. meantime glanc-
ing shrewdly at NJ. Roussillon out OF
the tail of his eye.
cts on the back Of his shoulder"
| quickly spoke up NJ. Roussillon, and
| YOU know priests never use looking
glasses. The mark is quite invisible
| therefore so far as Father Beret is con-
! cernedw
.sYou never told me Of your birth
mark before, my daughter said IA
Their Beret, turning to Alice with sud
den interest. 1T may some day be
! good fortune to you"
"Why so, father?"
1If your family name Is really Tarie-
ton, as you suppose from the inscr1p-
| ton on your locket, the birthmark. be-
ing Of such singular shape, would prob
ably identify you. It is said that these
marks run regularly in families. With
| the miniature and the distinguishing
| birthmark you have enough to make
/ strong case should you once find the
| right Tarleton family"
/ "You talk as they write in novels,
| said Alice. 1--WE read about just such
things in them. Wouldn't it be grand
II / should turn out to be some great
parsonage in disguisev'
The mention Of novels reminded
Father Beret OF that terrible book
which he last saw in Alice's possession
and he could not refrain from men.
tioning it iii voice that shuddered.
crest easy. Father Beret,' said Alice.
THAT Is one novel have found Who'll
" distasteful to me. tried to read Il,
bit could not do it. flung It aside
in utter disgust You and Mother
Roussillon are welcome to hide It deep
as well for ali l care. l don't enjoy
reading about low, vile people ana
hopeless unfortunates like sweet
and lovely heroines and strong, high
souled, brave heroes"
!: .Read about the blessed saintss then,
my daughter. You will find in them
;. the true heroes and heroines OF this
: world" said Father Beret-
NJ. Roussillon changed the subject,
for he always somehow dreaded to
have the good priest fall into the strain
Of argument he was about to begin. A
) stray sheep. no matter how refractory,
, feels touch of longing when it hears
: the shepherds voice NJ. Roussillon
: was a Catholic, but straying one, and
he had promised the dying woman
, who gave Alice to him that the child
] should be left as she was. Protestant,
without undue influence to change her
: from the faith of her parents. This
promise he had kept with stubborn per-
) sistence. and he meant to keep 1t as
long as he lived
A few weeks had passed after NJ.
Roussillon's return when that big
hearted man took it into his head to
celebrate his successful trading ven
lures with moonlight dance given
without reserve to all the inhabitants
, Of yincennes. 1t was certainly dem
ocratic function that he contemplated,
, and motley to most picturesque ex-
tent
Rene de Ronville called upon Alice
day or two previous 70 TIC oScaSaoA1
and duly engaged her as his partenaire.
but she insisted upon having the en-
gagement guarded in her behalf by
condition so obviously fancifui that ne
accepted it without argument.
"If my wandering knight should e.
rive during the dance. you promise 70
stand aside and give place to him,
she stipulated. You promise thatl
You see I'm expecting him al the
time. / dreamed last night that he
came on great bay horse and, stoop.
ing. whirled me up behind the saddle
and away we wentr'
There was childish, half bantef1n1
air in her look, but her voice sounded
earnest and serious, notwithstanding
its delicious timbre of suppressed play.
fulness.
.You promise me?' she insisted.
"Oh. promise to stink away into .
corner and chew my thumb the mo-
ment he comesr' Rene eagerly assent
ed. "Of course I'm taking great risk,
I know, for lords and barons and
knights are verX apt to appear sudden
" in a place like this"
i "You may banter and make light y
49,, won't RI Shn said poUting ao.