Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-12-08
of down here only to capture rotten
stockade and lot of Cabling parly-

on down here only 10 capture rotteli
stockade and lot of Cabling parly-
vOOsY
Beverley, while he did not feel quite
as confident as his chief, was not sorry
that things looked a little brighter than
he had feared they would turn out to
be. Secretly and without acknowledge
ing it to himself he was delighted with
the life he was living.
He began to like walking about aim
lessly in the towns narrow streets,
with the mud daubed cabins on either
hand. This simple life under low,
thatched roofs had q charm. Every
body cried cheerily. "BOn jour, mon
sieur, comment allez-vous" as he went
by, always accompanying the verbal
salute with a graceful wave Of the
hand.
But 1t was always a glimpse Of Alice
that must count for everything in Bev-
erley's reckOnings, albeit he would
have strenuOusly denied 1t. True he
went to ROussillOn place almost every
day. It being fixed part Of his well
ordered habit, and had talk with her.
Sometimes, when Dame Roussillon was
very busy and so quite Off her guard.
they read together in novel or in GER
tain parts of the odd volume of Mon
taigne. This was done more for the
sweetness of disobedience than to en-
JOY the already familiar pages.
Now and again they repeated their
fencing bout. but never with the result
which followed the first Beverley soon
mastered Alice's tricks and showed her
that. after all, masculine muscle is not
to be discounted at It's own game by
even the most wonderful womanly
strength and suppleness. She struggled
bravely to hold her vantage ground
once gained so easily. but the incvita-
BILE was not to be avoided. At last one
bowling winter day he disarmed her
by the very trick that she had shown
him. That ended the play, and they
ran, shivering, into the house.
"Ah," she cried, lit isn't fair. You
are so much bigger than |. You have
SO much longer arms, so much more
weight and power 1t all counts against
me! You ought to be ashamed Of your
selfr She was rosy with the exhlarat
Ing exercise and the biting of the fr0S'
ty breeze. Her beauty gave forth n
new ray.
Deep in her heart she was pleased to
have him master her so super5ly; but
as the days passed she never said 50,
never gave over trying to make him
feel the touch Of her foil. She did not
know that her eyes were getting
through his guard, that her dimDles
were stabbing his heart to its middle.
"You have other advantages" he re-
piled, (which far overbalance my
greater stature and stronger muscles y
Then after pause he added. after all
a girl must be girl
Something in his face, something In
her heart. startled her so that she made
a quick little move like that Of Il rest
less bird.
"You are beautiful, and that makes
my eyes and my hand uncertain" he
went on. Were fencing with q
man there would be no glamour"
He spoke in English, which he did
not often do in conversation with her.
1t was q sign that he was somewhat
wrought upon. She followed his rapid
words with difficulty, but she caught
from them new note of feeling. He
saw little pale flare shoot across her
face and thought she was angry.
"You should not use your dimples to
distract my vision," he quickly added,
with a light laugh. 1t would be no
worse for Inc to throw my hat in your
face"
His attempt at levity was obviously
weak. She locked straight into his
eyes with the steady gaze Of simple,
earnest nature shocked by current
quite strange to it. She did not un-
derstand him, and she did. Her line
hundred shreds Of impression received
from him during their recent growing
intimacy. He was patrician. as she
vaguely made him out, man of
wealth. whose family was great. lie
belonged among people of gentle Dlrth
and high attainmcnts. She magniiied
him so that he was diffused in her un-
agination, as difficult To comprehend
as Il mist in the morning air-and as
beautiful.
You make fun of me-" she said very
deliberately, letting her eyes droop.
Then she looked up again suddenly
and continued. with Il certain naive eA-
preston of disappointment gathering
in her face: IL have been too free with
you. Father Beret told me not To for
get my dignity when in your company.
He told me you might misunderstood
me. don't care. shall not fence