Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-28

maurice feit aXf9en fpasm OF disgust.
(which was her bmT' he said hastily.
as IL ashamed II hders stand she Is gone
auay-you will TED me where? In the
meantime would Ike TO see her room
For he rememberH well that In the room
where Patrick Wildwood had received him
there had stood. behind screen, the plain
camp bed of the chaplain OF Ardmillans
regiment.
The old woman. with nauseous grumble
about knowing when she could trust to the
generosity of gre&t3man. led the way up
a stair and threw ppen a door. There,
skin, was Flower-o' -the-Corn's chamber
the bed folded down ana showing the linen,
fine and choice, the walls of wood smoked
black from the great open fireplace with
engravfngs of great men and soblongs Of
embroidery and tapestry work all about,
disposed with natural taste under this
beam and over that cupboard door so that
the whole to the eyes of Maurice Raithl
was wonder and a marvel, SO different
from his own bare quarters at the Auberge
of the Bon Chretien.
He almost seemed to hear Flower-o' the
Corn's clear voice dema nding of him what
he did there?' 1t Was like violating vir-
gins shrine.
Go in-go in!'' croaked the vile old
woman, who had meantime repeated the
dose of spirits from a small pocket bottle
behind Maurice's back while he stood en-
tranced. make sure that the little missy in
not theresa pretty as she keeps every
thing! But wager it is the bird you want!
All, you soldiers you are all alike. You
would not give many sous for the poor
nest. All the same, you will not forget old
Elise for showing it to your
Maurice Raith felt that it would be a
proclamation to answer the woman, as 1t
would be an indignity almost personal to
enter the dwelling place of SO pure a spirit
in his great dumping military boots. In
stinctively he took Off ms hat at the open
\ cofd q n xEOr md ca fn1
silently away, his head downcast, leaving
the drunken old woman to follow or not as
it pleased her.
She locked up the chamber AMI grum-
blingly descended.
WHITTIER did you say Mistress Frances
had gomez" he asked as caralessly as he
could.
The old woman, horror OF chalk pale
cheeks and brick-red features. with that
unspeakable headgear of her husband 8
breeches legs swagging this way and that
over her blousy bosom, laid her finger cum
ningly by the side of her nose, with cum
ming action which said, Don't you wish
you may get it?''
Maurice. ever willing to take the plainest
road to the solution of any problem. ex-
tracted the second gold louis from his
pocket. He held it between his finger and
thumb, in full view Of the ancient, blear-
eyed crone. ,a-F
HAS Mistress Frances at the last mo-
ment accompanied her father?'' he asked.
Madame Elise shook her head 50 emphat-
ically that the ruins of a tobacco pouch.
the brass clasps worn to the quick, tumbled
out Of the pocket Of her deaddress and de-
bouched Its contents upon the floor.
NO" she said: ''she stayed here by her
self for two hours last night, reading good
bookseller fathers books-and then came
Mistress Foy and took her away, saying
that it was not becoming that a young girl
so beautiful should be left alone in Such a
wide housed He-he! doubtless she knew Of
your coming, sir!'
Maurice turned on his heel as on pivot
and stamped his way out angrily. But the
crone pursued him, crying, THE gold. good
gentlemanl The golden louis Do not de-
fraud a poor women, and, indeed. would
have kept her If I could, kind gentleman;
much more money would have come to poor
old Elise If she had remained here!'
Over his shoulder Maurice angrily tossed
the piece Of gold, which the unclean bag
caught ere It fell. and slowed away In her
pouch carefully (as containing the means
of procuring many small, square-faced bot
tles-an unlicensed export of the states gen.
eral of Holland, which Madame Elise
counted more precious than whole parks of
artillery.l