Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-04-28

70, 13Ut.
| and he could not refrain from men,
tioning il IN 81 voice that shuddered.
.'Rcst easy. Father Beret." said Alice.
That is one novel have found Who'll
! r. distastefui to me- tried to read II,
but could NOT do it. l flung it aside
! in utter disgust. You and Mother
Roussillon nre welcome to hide it deep
rs Il we'll for all care. l don't enjoy
reading about low. vile people and
| hopeless unfortunates. | like sweet
snd lovely heroines and strong, high
souled. brave heroes
Read about the blessed saints, then,
my daughter. You will find in them
the true heroes and heroines of this
world" said Father Beret.
NJ Roussillon changed the subject.
| for he always somehow dreaded to
have the good priest fall into the strain
! cf argument he was about to begin. A
stray sheep. no matter how refractory,
| feels c touch of longing when it hears
| the shepherds voice. NJ. Roussillon
was Catholic, but a straying one, and
he had promised the dying woman
! who gave Alice to him that the child
should be left as she was, Protestant,
without undue influence to change her
from the faith of her parents. This
! promise he had kept with stubborn per-
sistence. and he meant to keep it az
long as he lived.
! 4 few weeks had passed after M.
| Roussillon's return when that big
hearted man took it into his head to
! celebrate his successful trading ven-
lures with a moonlight dance given
| without reserve to all the inhabitants
| Of Vincennes. 1t was certainly DEM
ocratic function that he contemplated,
and motley to a most picturesque ex-
| tent.
| Rene de Ronville called upon Alice
day or two previous to the occasion
and duly engaged her as his partenaire,
| but she insisted upon having the en-
| gagement guarded in her behalf by
| condition so obviously fanciful that he
accepted II without argument.
IF my wandering knight should ar
1 y
! stand aside and give place to him."
! she stipulated. You promise that?
| You see, I'm expecting him all the
| time. I dreamed last night that he
| came on q great bay horse and, stoop-
| ing. whirled me up behind the saddle
| and away we WENT"
| There was n childish half bantering
| air in her look, but her voice sounded
| earnest and serious, notwithstanding
its delicious timbre of suppressed play
fulness.,
"You promise me? she insisted.
"Oh, l promise TO slink away into a
corner and chew my thumb the mo-
| ment he comesr' Rene eagerly assent
| ed. 'Of course I'm taking great risk,
know. for lords and barons and
knights are very apt to appear sudden
| ~ in place like this"
"You may banter and make light If
] you want to- she said, pouting ad-
| mirably. 81 don't care. All the same,
the laugh will jump to the other corner
of your mouth: see if it doesn't. They
| say that what q person dreams about
| and wishes for and waits for and be-
| lieves in will come true sooner or
| later
| "If that's so," said Rene, you and l
| will get married, for I've dreamed 1t
every night of the year, wished for it,
| waited for 1t and believed in it, and
"a very pretty twist you give to my
| words, must declare" she said, "but
| not new by any means. Little Adrienne
| Bourcier could tell you that. She says
| that you have vowed to her over and
| over that you dream about her and
| wish for her and wait for her, precisely
as you have just said to me-"
| Rene's brown fNce flushed to the tenn
Piles, partly with anger, partly with the
shock of mingled surprise and fear.
| He vus guilty, and the guilt showed
| in hie yes and paralyzed his tongue,
so thai he sat there before Alice with
his under jaw sagging ludicrously.
| Don't you rather think, NJ. Rene
de Ronville," she presently added in
| calm, advisory tone, that you had
better quit trying to say such foolish
| things to me and just be my very good
| friend? If you don't do, which comes
| to the same thing. What's more, /
| won't be your partenaire at the dance
unless you promise me on your word
| of honor that you will dance two
dances with Adrienne to every one
| that you have with me. Do you prom
| ise?"
He dared not oppose her outwardly,
| although in his heart resistance
| amounted to furious revolt and riot.
81 promise anything you ask me to-"
he said resignedly, almost sullenly.
Anything for you"
| "Well. 1 ask nothing whatever on
my own account" Alice quickly replied,
"but l do tell you firmly that you shall
not maltreat little Adrienne Bourcier
and remain friend of mine. She loves
| you, Rene de Ronville, and you have
| told her that you love her. If you are
| q man worthy of respect you will not
| desert her Don't you think / am
rightT
Like singed and crippled moth vain
| ly trying to rise once again to the al
| Turing yet deadly flame, Rene de Ron
vile essayed to break out Of his en-
barrassment and resume equal footing
| WIFI Tue girl 50 SuuueHly DeCOlue Ills
commanding superior, but the effort
| disclosed to him as well as to her that
he had fallen to rise no more. In his
| abject defeat he accepted the terms
dictated by Alice and was glad when
| she adroitly changed her manner and
| tone in going ON to discuss the ap-
preaching dance.
| "Now, let Inc make one request Of
you" he demanded after awhile. ITS
n small favor. May ask it?"
| "Yes, but l don't grant it in advance"
| 81 want you to wear, for my sake the
buff gown which they say was your
| srandmother's."
| "No, won't wear it."
| "But why, AliceP'
| 'None of the other girls have anything
like such dress. It would not be right
for me to put it on and make them all
feel that l had taken the advantage Of
them, just because I could. That's
! whyv
But, then, none of them is beautiful
and educated like you," he said. You'll
outshine them anyway"
4 ssGarn