Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-22

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 remark 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.
l 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. hercely, so much
was in my own thoughts also!"
Cavalier glanced momentarily across at
the Scot, but, though conscious that he
was in some degree ruined, the young
Camisard never for a moment supposed
any connection between his agitation and
himself, continuing sweetly and calmly
his talk With the old ~pastorn
Presently, then; presently" he said,
nodding and smiling to Maurice with such
unconscious graciousness Of charm that
Maurice, IL he had not heard the light
flying footsteps and diagnosed chow wrong
fully we know the hushful pause. could
have found it in hts heart to forgive him.
As 1t was he only sat sulky, lingering
his hat and wishing himself out Of It.
But there was no undue haste about Jean
Cavalier. mo wonder" thought the sus-
picious Maurice; lin a little while he will
make his excuse to go. and there in the
dim-lit passage-at the stairhead, in the
obscure Of the landing. she will meet him
l know the ways Of such"-(he did not say
how he knew nor yet how his knowledge
gave him the right of criticism upon others,
even should his diagnosis be c~orrect).
He woke to find himself being addressed
by the old pastor. The chaplain Of Ard
millan's regiment had a bottle Of wine in
his hand and his tone was that Of apology.
Water, as l remember said he, was
made sometime before wine, yet l know
not how long; and If 1t be the pleasure or
necessity of you two young men that you
should go forth into the night. let It not be
said that you went without such hospitality
as might be shown you by Patrick Well
wood. l have called my daughter, but I
fear that deep sleep hath fallen upon her
young eyelids, inasmuch as she hath not
answered. So l must cen be mine own
drawer and setter out Of drink and
victualsl"
And with that the minister betook him
self with a grave and suitable dignity to the
corner cupboard, whence he was bringing
out the silver trays and glasses, wiping
them with a clean white napkin and set
ting them in order, when aroused by the
unwonted blinking and perhaps with an ear
attuned to what was going on underneath,
Flower-o'-the-Corn came swiftly Gathering
Down the stairs, with the sharp clacking
noise which her heels always made upon
the stone stairs, and as is indeed GUS
tomary with maids OF quick. nervous tenn
per when they are in haste. She burst In
upon them without warning, all at gaze
open-mouthed upon her, her father with
the uncorked bottle in his hand.
Father" she cried. 90, how wicked you
can be! Did l not tell you that you were
never-never to touch those glasses. You
known that the last time you broke four
besides those which rolled upon the floor"
And at the rebuke her father hung his
head shamefacedly.
Its ue-'ti but too true. Frances"
he said. "I own it. 1t was my fault. But
indeed / bethought me that you were gone
to bed. For / called thrice and you an
swered notl"
81 was" she began, but did not con-
tinue. For it had not come to that Of 1t
vet with Frances Wildwood, that she could
In anything speak the thing which was not
Ito her father.
Then the while she sat before the youths
the limited and austere hospitality of the
Tower on the Wall Patrick Wildwood dis
coursed at large upon the virtues OF early
rising and simplicity.
Young men," he said, "I beseech you,
mortify your members while ye are yet
upon the earth. Be ever birds OF the morn
ing! Rise and see the sun color the sky
ere his bedclothes are we'll on. Early ris-
ing is good for the grace Of God, as 1t hath
been held to be for the cultivation Of the
muses.. Gentlemen. 1 offer you a little sim
pie country refreshment. 1t will neither
80 Nktg lima nf MIGHT
But. as l say, since you ave in haste, drink
your draft and be gone, like men who have
only so many posts to travel along life's
way. and but small time to discount at each
one!"
Flower-o'-Corn smiled and allied the
glasses to the brim. Then she presented
one to Maurice first, as to the greater
stranger In the house, and afterward one
also to Jean Cavalier.
"Do not heed my father" she said. "His
words are more inhospitable than his
heart. He cares not for anything save that
he may draw a lesson from It,"
Frances, Frances" said her father re-
proachfully. pray nave a care. Remember
that for every idle word that man shall
speak he shall give an account. And what
will these young folk think of you and your
upbringing. / bid you think shame!'
Yet IL was evident enough WHAT oue dt
least of these young folk thought. For, as
for Maurice Raith, he hardly took his eyes
of the sweet, saucy face Of Flower-o'-the-
Corn, while even the more self-contained
prophet, Jean Cavalier, slipped his glass and
looked over 1t at the girl with a marvel
ing air.
Yet. even as he looked, he silently re-
buked himself, not knowing how much more
deadly was the snare which should one day
take him.
"The lust OF the eye! The lust Of the
eye!" he murmured. And then in a louder
tone: 'well, Master Pierre Dubois, you and
I have infinite business together and it is
high time that we began II, II we mean to
finish It in time to see the morning sun
shine over the Cause Noir yonder, which,
as our old pastor here tells US, is the
straight way OF salvation!"
NAY, that said / not" cried Mr.. Patrick
Wildwood, shaking his head and smiling
we'll enough pleased, you are as bad as
Frances, twisting the word OF my mouth.
l said not that to rise early was the way
OF salvation, but only that, other things
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