Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-25
Copyright, 100. BY D. Appleton b eo.lsew York,

through her tears. 'You never cared
anything for me; you were just anus
ting yourself weren't youe Making
fun of foolish girl. Oh, monsieur,
how could you? And now you are
going to leave mel"
Anne" he said at last, .you are
only little girl. and am q grown
man"
Eyes, remember said you were old
for knight, but you were all I had,"
she walled.
But do you know" he continued
at wasn't all play after all-not ex-
actly-and If fingered thera on the
balcony-if you saw me pause, it WAS
because did not wish to leave you.
Ills truly so. Dear little lady, little
playfellow and comrade, am your
knight and will be-
"And is there no other lady in En-
gland OF America? You said no once,
but was it true?"
TT was true and 1t Is true; there in
no lady In England or America, or any
where In the world, for me, except
in this little corner of France, and If
hesitated about going away, 1t was
for you, but don't you see? My duty
II am an English officer. My king is
at war with yours. must go back!"
'sYou love your country, monsieur,
| more than-but you do not love me
ut all, do you?" she asked piteously.
"Of course do he answered
promptly. Il love you very much in
deed; you are the sweetest little girl
know"
ooh, the marquis loves me that way,
and Jean-Renaud, and Josette, and"
"It's different with me, you know.
Not like that at all. You see, men do
their duty because they ought to, and
they love people because they have to-"
''Do you have to love me, Sir Philip"
Eyes, and I am glad to, my dear
little girl. l am afraid If stay here
any longer and you grow any older"
He hesitated; was he actually about to
propose to this child? He resumed,
rather tamely, II had to go away, you
see. Now let me go, and some day
I will come back to you and
'Put me down, monsieur" she said
gravely, with one OF those swift
changes Of mood which he had often
noticed before 81 insist upon it!
There, you may go now, but you will
never come back to me. know 1t.
You will be somebody else's knight,
and T."
Her little head dropped forward. He
lifted his hand to her chin, turned
her face upward and kissed her, and
then drew her nearer to his breast
as he might have done little sister.
Yet it was not such kiss as a brother
might have given, nor was it a sister
whose lips met his own. 1t was the
first time he or any man had kissed
her, save her grandfather, whose love
did not express itself in frequent ca
resses. She was but a child, yet some
thing thrilled and leaped in her heart
at his touch, and there was a faint
echo Of her feeling, a brief response
to her heart-throb, in his own breast.
But in a moment she broke from
his arms-never again could he hold
her so as before. She stood and looked
at him from those glorious eyes of
hers, and time, in one swift moment,
In the meeting kiss, wiped out the diff
ference in years between the two. His
thoughts changed as he gazed upon
her. A new idea came to him. In a
few years she would have grown-why
not?
Monsieur" she said at last, and the
change in her was evidenced by the
gravity and the added dignity of her
manner, you have kissed away the
child. am a woman; you cannot go
now"
"Why not, Mademoiselle Anne? I
can love you-from distance-for 1
swear, child or not, love you-and I
can come back"
Love has nothing to do with this,
monsieur, now; I am French wo-
man. You must not go; you shall
not! You are prisoner. The mar
| quis is absent. The castle is mine I'M
til he returns. l am the chatela1ne
I could never look my grandfather in
the face again if l allowed you to es-
cape"
"And how would you prevent it,
Mademoiselle Anne?"
| "By standing in your way, SOL" she
answered, stretching out her slender
arms and barring the window with her
slight figure. "A feeble barrier, you
say; yet you were my knight-even
though only in play-and 1, at least
do not forget it. Gentlemen do not
pass to freedom over the bodies OF
their ladies' she continued quantity
"Ah!" he cried, looking at her with
mingled pride and vexation, II could
brush you aside in a moment"
"But you would not, Sir Philip" she
went on, lapsing into the old style
Of address. Besides, I should scream
and then-and you cannot go down
those rocks at night. The danger
it would kill me-the thought hurts
me here"
She laid her hand innocently upon
her heart.
THE baron of old did it." he an
swered