The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-12-02
CONTINUED
CHAPTER XIX.

| we Q1u OeS4 girl anu DOS toSelueI q
brief half hour, needless and gay
When she reached the arbor end our
chapter Of youth was ended.
saw her bloodless face as she step
ped upon the terrace.
| The man stretched his arms to her.
AS if the blight Of her spirit fell upon
him, the light died out Of his face,
and he dropped his arms. at his sides.
he was a courtly gentleman, cadav-
erous and shabby as he stood, all the
breeding Of past generations appear
ing in him.
"Eagle?' he said. The tone Of pite'
Gus apology went through me like g
sword.
She took his hands and herself drew
| them around her neck. He kissed her
on both cheeks.
ooh, Cousin Philipper
81 have frightened you, child! J.
meant to send a message first. But /
wanted to see you'll wanted to come
homev'
cousin Philippe, who wrote that let
ter?''
'The notary. child. I made him do
it."
"It was cruel" She gave way and
brokenly sobbed, leaning helpless
against him.
The old marquis smoothed her head
and puckered his forehead under the
sunlight, casting his eyes around like
a culprit.
sIt was desperate. But could dc
| nothing else. You see it has succeeded.
While lay in hiding the sight of the
child and your youth has softened
Bonaparte. That was my intention,
Eagle"
"The peasants should have told me
you were living"
'"They didn't know I came back.
| Many Of them think I died in Amer
lea. The family at Les Rochers have
been very faithful, and the notary has
held his tongue We must reward
them, Eagle. I have been hidden very
closely. I am tired Of such long hid
ing"
He looked toward the chateau and
lifted his voice sharply:
"Where's the baby? I haven't seen
the baby~
With gracious courtesy, restraining
an impulse to plunge up the steps, he
gave her his arm, and she swayed
against it as they entered.
When I could see them no more I
| rose and put my snuffbox in my
breast. The key ratified in it.
l was beyond the gates, bareheaded.
walking with long strides, when an
old mill caught my eye, and turned
toward it as we turn to triAes to re-
neve US from unendurable tension.
The water dripped over the wheel, and
long green beard trailed from its chin
down the sluice. In this quieting COM
pany Skenedonk spied me as he rat
tied past in the post carriage, and.
| considering my behavior at other
times, he was not enough surprised to
waste any good words Of Oneida.
He stopped the carriage and got in.
He pointed ahead toward curtain OF
trees which screened the chateau.
"Paris," answered.
"Paris," he repeated to the! position,
| and we turned about. I looked from
| hill to stream, from the fruited BRAN
bles Of blackberry to reaches Of noble
forest realizing that I should never
see those lands again or the neighbor-
ing crest where my friend the marquis
slept.
We posted the distance in two days.
Paris was horrible. with a lonesome
ness no Cne cc:li,l have foreseen In its
crowded strrc:> \ taste Of war was
in the air troops passed to review.
Our post carriage met the dashing
coaches Of say young men I knew,
who stared at me without recognition.
Marquis du Plessy no longer made way
for me and displayed me at his side.
/ I drove to his hotel In the Fau-
bourg St. Germain for my possessions.
It was closed, the distant relative who
inherited after him being an heir with
no Partisan tastes The caretaker,
however, that gentle old valet like q
woman, who had dressed me in my frs
Partisan fnery. let US in and waited
upon US with food I sent him out to
buy. He gave me letter from my
friend, which he had held to deliver
on my return in case any accident be
fell the marquis. he wccs tremulous
In his mourning, and all his ardent care
Of me was service rendered to the
dead.
I sat in the gar5en with the letter
spread upon the table where we had
dined. It's brevity was gay. The
writer would have gone under the
knife with jest He did not burden
me with any kind Of counsel. We had
touched. We might touch again. 1t
was as If g soul had sailed by, waving
its hat.
Ny Dear Boy-I wanted you, but it WIS
best you should not stay and behold TIE
depravity Of your elders. It is about
woman.
May you Gene 10 {. Cetlei tiIA O1iS e1e@4
the unsteady one Of France Your fr1sno
and servant, ETIENNE OU PLESSI.
Garlic Is the spice Of lie, my boy!
asked no questions about the affair
in which he had been engaged # ne
had wanted me to know he would have
told me.
| The garden was more than could
endure. 1 lay down early and slept
late, as soon as I awoke in the morn
ing beginning preparation for leaving
France. Yet two days passed, for We
were obliged to exchange our wor1
post carriage for another after waiting
for repairs. The old valet packed my
belongings, though wondered what
was going to do with them in Amer
lea. The outfit Of young man OF
fashion ove-dressed refugee Of di
minished fortune.
For no sooner was 1 on the street
than q sense Of being unnliStakably