Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-15

Yvette Foy laughed aloud in her turn.
You Will not tell me who told you she
said. 1T is you who are clever, and I did
not know IT."
20, | am not clever at ALL" returned
Frances, simply. Il have only followed ms
father from city to city and from camp to
camp. l know only men,"
In her inner heart Yvette thought that
to know men was not the least to be de.
sired OF accomplishments, but she did not
say so. She only drew her arm through her
companions with a smiling, happy air.
The two girls walked apart from the
crowd OF the market place, smiling and
convGrsing. Such a pair for loneliness was
never seen toBether-fair and dark. corn
flower ard the passion flower, pearl and
black diamond.
PITY mes" said Yvette; Il have no
mother"
Nor l." Frances answered with a quick
sigh, instinctiveiy drawing her new friend
TO her. Il times It is hard for
a girl. Do you remember herr"
Yes, truly said Yvette," she held my
father from this folly Of his while she
lived. And when she died-then It was he
sent me to school In Paris-to be out Of
his way!"
"Ah," said Frances reproachfully, do
not speak thus OF your father-if he IL all
that is left to you, as mine is! And be-
sides. my father says he is a good man"
Yvette laughed a little laugh, very deep
in her throat.
YES she said scornfully, "a good man
doubtless-tha is to be some one else's
father. 1t is very we'll for you. my fair
lady, who go cut everywhere into the
world Of men with your father, seeing new
lands and the faces of new folk and brave
soldiers, and great men-very easy for
you to pirate to Yvette Foy Of fathers!"
NAY, nay" said Corn,
blushing, II know what you mean very
we'll, but, indeed, It is not so. There is
no man anywhere, in highland or lowland,
mountain or isle, whose company l would
prefer to that OF my father!"
"Then the more fool you, with such
chances!' murmured Mistress Yvette,
under her breath. But aloud she said, pat
ting -Corn's delicately round
arm on which her hand was lying. "Ah, one
day, my dear! There is a ship coming to
you over the sea. The sails Of II are samile
and the masts pure gold, as the old story
tells, and it's burden is love-love-love!"
1T suppose love for a woman" said
Frances, looking at her wlnsomely under
her eyelashes, 'since you fright me such
dreadful things Of men,"
She sighed.
'Yes, they have been very kind to me
some Of them" she said rehectively, and
and have not always been very kind to
them"
f''That is the safest way to bind a man
to you,' said the voice OF experience, TO
be at the FIRST q little unkind."
Yvette thought a little and then added:
"Afterward not-they tire of 1t sooner than
the other"
Then catching a little fear on the flush
ing face Of Frances Wildwood, Yvette put
her hand tenderly about the g1rfs neck
"You need not fear, little one, with such a
face as yours and those great fatal eyes
love will come to you fresh every morning
across the years, be you kind oil be you
unkind!"
A ,slr, passed across the Grande place.
going IN the direction Of the Aubefge Of
the "Bon Chretien."
"Who is that ?" said Flower-o'-the-Corn
quickly. for a certain martial swing was
asserting itself even through the blue
blouse. the corduroy breeches and hooded
cape Of Pierre the wagner.
Yyette patted her cheek again.
"Ah. dearest" she said, most caressingly,
''you cannot expect your ship to come 70
anchor up here among these wild hills.
That is but Pierre the WAGNER from
Flanders, he whose barrels were ran
sacked the other night by our good, honest
friends Of this Protestant village
The same who brought the dispatches
and the cannon?" said Frances. Il was
there-out on the Causes that night. He
he has never thanked me for saving his
life! I should like to see him again
Better perhaps that you should not
said Yvette in a low tone.
"And whyY' cried Frances, with a kind
OF catch in her voice.
There are things which II Is not hitting
for a girl to hear" said Yvette, still with
her eyes upon the ground. "RememDer,
I an older than you, Mistress Wellwood!'
Flower-o'-the-Corn turned instantly upon
Yyette Foy and held her tightly by the
wrist, looking into her face.
you must tell me now she said, ear
nestly. 81 am no child. l have heard how
men speak to men. He came once and
nv father babe him return. He will re-
turn. Why, then, should I not speak with
him?"
The dark girl looked every way about.
at is not safe TO speak out here" she
urmured. Come to my room and l Will
tell you"
Really she only meant to gain time. She
must fatally prejudice the young man In
the regard of Flower-o'the-Corn, and to
this end she had made certain arrange
ments.
There was a private entrance to the Tenn
plar's house, by means Of a low door in a
little side street leading into a little cir
cular tower in which was a stair. BY this
the girls presently assembled.
At one point there was a little spyhole'
through the inner wall, which gave imme-
diately into the stable. before this Yvette
stopped.
Suddenly she clapped her hands lightly
together. This had fallen out beyond her
evacuation. Seeing and believing being
one, there was the less need Of explanatory
speech.
"Look-look!" she whispered eagerly to
Flower-o'-the-Corn.
With something that made her ashamed
in her heart, yet for the present with no
power to resist, Frances looked. There,
Immediately beneath, were-not Pierre the
Wagner as she had expected, but-the two
strangers whom she had seen at the taking
OF the wagons out on the moonlit plain
a man and a woman. They were engaged
in brushing and refolding a military suit
OF clothes. 1t was to all appearance the
same which Billy Marshall had saved with
Jealous care out OF the sick kings wagons,
and the pair did their work as II we'll ac-