Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-13

| B
 My hostess paused and looked at us
 Did she come to you of her own ac- cordY'
 "Yes, madame"
 T never knew her to notice a stran- ger before"
 Madame, do you know. who this is
 Madeleine Jordan
 Tt is the Marquise de Terrier"
 '"The Marquise de Terrier ?'
 "Yes, madame"
 1 "Doi you know her?'
 'ET have known her ever since I can remember"
 '"The Marquise de Terrier! But, M's'r Williams, did she know you?''
 ''She knows me- asserted. But 1 not as myself. I am sure she knows me! But she confuses me with the child she lost! I cannot explain to l you, madame, how positive am that she recognizes me any more than I can explain why she will call me Paul I think ought to tell you, 50 you will see the position in which am ,placed, that this lady is the lady I once hoped < to marry" >-..
 Saints have pity, M's'r Williams!'
 sI want to ask you some questions"
 Bring her down to the fire. Come, dear child" said Mime. Ursule, coaxing Eagle. Nobody is there. The bed rooms can never be so warm as the ] log fire. and this is bitter evening" I The family room was unHghted by candles, as often happened; for such l an illumination i'll the chimney must have quenched any paler glare. We had few moments of brief privacy from the swarming life which con- stantly passed in and out. TX. | placed Eagle by the fire. and, she l sat there obediently while I. talked ito l Mime. Ursule apart.
 "Was her mind in this state when she came to you?"
 l 'tShe was even a little wilder than she is now. The girls have been a ] benefit to her. z z-r..s-4,
 s,They were not afraid of her ?',;ss-
 And who could be afraiG- of the dear child? She is lady that's plain An, M7s'r Williams, what she must have gone through?'
 "Yet see how happy she looks!''
 t'She always seemed happy enough. She would come to this house. So 1 when the Jordans went to Canada l Pierre and both said, Let her, stay, 7 l Who were the Jordans? As@sc s"The only family that escaped with their lives from the massacre when she lost her family. Mime. Jordan told me the whole story. They had friends among the Winnebagoes who protect ed them.''
 Ibid they give her their nameY' ''No, the people in La Baye did that. 1 We knew she had another name But ]. | think 1t very likely her title was not used in the settlement where they lived. Titles are no help in pioneer 1 ing'
 "Did they call her Madeleine?"
 e'she calls herself Madeleine
 How long has she been with your family?''
 Nearly a year"
 t'Did the Jordans tell you when this ! change came over herr"
 Ss+'tYes. It was during the attack when 1zhef child was taken from kers She ] saw other children killed. The In dians were afraid Of her They re spect demented people; not q bit of 1 harm was done to her. They let her alone and the Jordans took care of l her.
 The daughter and adopted daughter of the house came in with rush of outdoor air and, seeing Eagle first, Jran4 to kiss her on the cheek one after | the9other. 1a9so aid z1l
 Madeleine has come down!'s said Marie.
 1T thought we should coax her in ] here some tin.e," said Katarina. 1 Between them, standing slim and 1 tall, their equal in height, she was yet ] like a little sister. Though their faces were unlined, hers held divine youth. Paul has come" Eagle told Kata- rina and Marie. Holding theirs hands, she walked between them toward me ] and bade them notice my height. .I am his cloud mother she said. How droll it is that parents grow down 1 little while their children grow up big!' l Mime. Ursule shook her head pitt fully. But the girls really saw the droll side and laughed with my cloud mother. I left the room and was ! fifnging myself from the house to walk in the chill wind. but she caught na.s
 T will be goody' pleaded my cloud mother, her face in my breast.
 Her son who had grown up big 1 while she grew down little went back to the family room with her.
 . Our singular relationship was estab- lished in the house, where hospitality | made room and apology for all human l weakness. s@: t.
 Nobody of that region except the in ! firm stayed indoors to shiver by fire. Eagle and the girls, in their warm capotes, breasted with me the coIdest winter days. She was as happy as they were; her cheeks. tingled as pink as theirs. Sometimes thought her eyes must answer me with her old self command, their bright grayness was so natural ! believed if her delusions were hu- | mOred they would unwind from her like the cloud which she felt them to be. The family had long fallen into the habit of treating her as child, playing some imaginary character. She seemed less demented than walk