Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-25
CHAPTER p XVIII,
The Ferry OF Beauchire.

CdAFVEh = AAV114.
The Ferry Of Beauchire.
For more than an hour two people had
been following the dogs TRAIL which led
zigzag down the bald precipices OF the
Cause where it overhangs the river. The
stars twinkling above. them grew sparser
and more rainbow-like in their sparkling
as the Adventures dipped lower into the
valley haze. s1.1l
But the two minded nothing but them
selves-neither in the heavens above nor In
the earth beneath-as, indeed, Is the way
of such. They had heard behind them as
they fled from La Cavalerie the sound Of
the chanted evening psalm. telling of peace
and mercy and the stern joy of righteous
ness. And to Yvette Foy 1t was no more
than the crying of the whooper swans high
overhead in the MINDLESS November dusks,
or the winter wolves bowling across the
wilderness In the gray dawnings. But to
Cavalier every note came to him sharp
toothed with remorSe. Each line was hal
lowed by the associations of bygone COM
munions, of gales of the spirit sweeping
over the congregation of the Lords folk.
And clearer than all, Cavalier saw the
empty place where he should have stood,
the little red Bible he had brought from
Geneva. with a hundred places marked,
yeliowed at the bottom of every page by
part with that. 1t was to have accompa-
MED him to the coffin. SO that lin that day.
he might as 1t were, readily find the place
and stand with the charter of salvation
patent in his hand.
All, but it was over. Standing high as
heaven, he had fallen lower than the low
est pit. For others there might be hope !,
for him none.
further from the low easily destructible
walls, which for his sake the hands of the
faithful hill men had built. He overpassed
the ordered lines of trenches, now half
filled with snow, and left behind him the
sound of that slow and sorrowful chanting.
Once he put his hands to his ears to shut
out the call. But it came clearer than
ever, sharp as reproach. They seemed to
be singing over an open grave-the entOmb
ment Of all that was noble and worthy in
Jean Cavalier.
"Ah, we'll" He drew a long sigh-at
least Off among the powers of evil there
be any kindly demons) he had not sold
himself for naught
Was there not at least a soft hand in
his? He could see against the snow the
outline of a woman's form. He knew, even
under the fur-lned cloak, that it was beau
tiful. Once when she turned to guide him.
he could see the stars shine in her eyes,
which otherwise, he knew, We're black as
night upon the pools of the Tarn.
Somewhere below there lay the ferry of
Beaucaire. What awaited him down in
that gulf of blackness? At that moment
Yvette nestled closer to him. He felt the
warmth grow and tingle about his heart.
Many things began to disolye-to alter and
change. Remorse and reproach no longer
troubled him. He heard no more the sound
Of the solemn singing. The dirge music
ceased. The empty grave-well. for every
one on the face Of the world there awaited
a grave.
They went down hand in hand. And in
the stiffness of the night Jean Cavalier
could hear plainly the beating Of the girls
heart, and once as they stood painting on
a ledge her breath came up sweet to him
as the scent Of dew wet wallfower on a
morn in May. Af'-
It was strange with what surety of In
stinct the girl found her way. Where Cav
alier. indurated and accustomed to night
surprises as he was. could see one yard,
she could see ten.
Not once did she fall or hesitate. Down
down they went, cling1ng desperately to
stray tree stems or following threads of
track which the mountain sheep would shy
at and go far about to choose the easier
path. The stars inclosed above them. The
deep gorge of the Tarnl shut them in.
,
All was dark across the water as they
stood on the crisp grass Of the margin,
still hand in hand. ut was not yet
dawn. The wind was still and edgeless
after the icy Cause. But Cavalier. listen
ing intently, could hear the little thin foes
| like rats among the sheayes In barn.
Then mellow and large and full the voice
| of Yvette 'Foy passed across to the farther
shore .sVive lie Role Role Roll" she
cried over and over again in the modulat-
| ed tones Of one who sends summons to
| the kine-herd to turn toward the milking
bars.
lie Role Roll" came back the scarce
| diminished echo, SO clear and loud, that
| Cavalier himself started. He thought some
! one had answered. But for long minute
| there was no sound And then he could
| hear the dip Of oars which grew nearer and
more imminent across the black food.
'1ce." he could hear voice. quick with
| the boathook! Push off there, tell you!
| Shrouded forms-the prov of a boat from
which streamed away a swirl Of phosphores-
| cent light. the grind Of ironshod keel on
| the sandbank. the flash Of an oar feather
ing. the Tending screech Of a metal PRONG or
| on the rocks, and lo the boat they had
come to find was waiting for them.
MY LADY,
''Marquis'
He is here-ready to do the kings bid
| ding!''
So without a word Jean Cavalier stepped
among the servants Of the one king. and
lost thereby his claim to be NUMBERED
| among the servants of the other Kingdom.
| (TO be continued.)