Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-21

poor folk Of the Cevennes sharp swords and
the armament Of war it may chance that
we will give you in return bread to eat
yea, bread that the world wotteth not Of.
Come thy ways in, lad.
And Maurice went in very gladly. For he
thought within him that he would
Frances. But that wise maid much alive
to his intent, only listened without the door
to his converse with her father, which, to
do Patrick Wildwood justice, was of the
gravest Sort and continued with increasing
unwillingness on Maurice Raiths part.
Think 1t not, SIR" said the old man, and
! frger that by the best deeds in the world
| you can win one atom Of favor in the next
world
Right happy should I be- said the young
man, soberly smiling in his hosts face, IF
| my good deeds could win me one or two
| things that I desire in this under world"
"Ah, yes said the old pastor, shaking
| his white locks not intolerantly, the favor
| of some maiden or the like far in the north.
| Have I also not been young? And do not 1
| know the hearts Of the young?'
There was clang without, the patter OF
\ little feet, hush, and then a rustic.
1T is Cavalier" said the old man, with
! a keen pleasure on his face, Jean Cavalier,
| who is to me as the son of mine old agev
Then rage and modification took hold of
| Maurice Raith. Had he not heard and in
| terpreted-that is, misinterpreted, as those
| too keen on circumstantial evidence usually
I do. 1t was not the patter of Flower-o the
| Corn's little feet to the outer door to which
! he had listened. 1t was not the whispered
| colloquy of lovers. standing a moment be-
| hind it, intent upon each other after it had
| been closed with care, that made the little
| waiting hush.
What Maurice Raith actually heard in the
| little tower over the western gate in the
village of La Cavalerie was the hurried
| rush Of certain young woman. not alto
gether superior to the weaknesses of her
! sex, to the door of the turret chamber
which held her bed room. her pause for
| breath in the safe darkness of the stair
! way, and then the further waiting finger
, on lip, for the entrance of the visitor.
| A day or two before Jean Cavalier might
also have had his illusions. But now his
mind was busy with other things. He en-
| tered briskly according to his CUSTOM hum
| ming cheerful psalm The old man took
| his hand and led him within, where on the
| great oak settee he took his seat with the
| aplomb and assurance of a favorite son of
| the house.
Maurice Raith could scarcely contain
| himself for anger. He it was who had seen
her first. She was of his nation, of his re-
| ligion. of his kin almost. Were not all
Scots in the armies of the low countries as
| brothers and sisters?
| But his last was an argument which for
| the time being he could not advance. What
had Pierre the Wagner to do with Ardmil-
| lans regiment or the Scots Dutch, who had
| stood by William at Steinkirk?
| This Is a young man from our brethren
1
| brought us the weapons of war and the
| tidingS Of good cheer"
| And with his continual bright smile Jean
| Cavalier held out his hand. There was
! something invincibly winning about the
| young man-perhaps even more for men
| than women. Though, indeed, thinking him.
| self secure from the influence of women he
! was really weakest on that side. So he sat
| there securely counting, even Flower-o'-
| the-Corn, but little maid by the waysde,
to be smiled upon as he should pass by.
| or what might be his feelings on the SUBJ
| tect. The young man ground his teeth and
| muttered bitterly of the Inconsistency of wo-
| men-concerning which on the present occa-
sion he had not the slightest right to make
remarks.
| But Maurice Raith had suddenly grown
so fercely jealous that had an angel from
| heaven come down to appease him he would
| have turned upon the intruder with the re-
| mark that he for one knew better, and was
/ not to be hoodwinked
| "Ah. Dubois" said the young man, care
| lessly, you here. are you? For my part
came In only to pass the time till you
/ were due to arrive at my rooms on the other
side Of the tower gateway"
| Aye" said Maurice, 1ercely, $50 much
was In my own thoughts also!
| Cavalier glanced momently across at the
Scot: but. though conscious that he was in
| some degree ruffled, the young Camisard
/ never Tor moment supposed any connec-
ton between his agitation and himself, con-
| tinuing sweetly and calmly his talk with
| the old pastor.
Presently, then: presently" he said, nod
ding and smiling to Maurice with such un-
| conscious graciousness Of charm that Maui
rice, II he had not heard the light-fiying
footsteps and diagnosed Chow wrongfully
i we know the hushful pause, could have
found 1t In his heart to forgive him. AS it