The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-05-13
CHAPTER XIX.
THE CASTLE OF cARrmIoN

a LIZ Oc ARIlLloN
EWo days, four, passed. Serigny had
2s lEaHptin, yet still there was no Off
ssSI declaration of war. I was waiting
IS he had ordered, for the formal dec
1asaffon. on the publication of which
Nas TO join him on board at once and
we would set sail instantly for Biloxi.
ASother anxious day. during which
! vncsllated between an ignoble love
-sfrse a noble duty. Then, late in the
.ssressGng. the whole court vas famed
sa.rtrs u blaze destined to spread
Europe n America. by
u announcement that the war had
bees formally decided upon.
Meas may long look forward to a
crushing calamity, n when it comes
os surprised and ~unprepared, So,
though l we'll knew I must leave
France with all speed. and possibly
never see her shores again, I put 1t
sroft me as persistently as men do the
certainty of death. Every day did
ride 10 Sceaux. by the old wall, and
eensch a glimpse of her 1 loved. When
sassar WAS at last declared there was no
time for parleying with duty. My
Path lay straight and clear before me;
lyeE For once a soldiers duty and a
sa1dfer's adventure ave me no pleas
ure- All my thoughts We're other
where.
H0s-foot again to Sceaux again
71ode on my way to Dieppe, and from
the sas1ce enbrasure at the wall where
my horses had trampled down the To-
Esaee many times. I watched her COM
ssng. 1t was not for long. More hur-
r1edIy h was her custom she glided,
- clarified young creature, in and out
amongst the shrubbery, until the en-
vtous chapel door hid her from my
sight No living thing was in view.
1he sound of no discordant voice broke
~ - -
came never to our first erring mother
In more i1lsidious guise than this.
her was the harm, 1 reasoned. it
was but for an instant's speech with
her ere the bounding seas would roll
Between us. So with nervous haste I
tHAuAbled from my horse n tethered
1rinf -stoutiy to a tree. Over the wall
md 60 the chapel door took another
and there, inside. at the rail,
she tsste!t. I paused. as. a sinner might.
nasitating to mar with heart profane
HT1e devotions of a saint. MY foot struck
h cracking board in the entry, and
Grew her glance toward me. She
s@ry of surprise, and, as l fancied, some
Whit Of gladness in the tone.
You. monsieur? You here? I
Thought you away from Sceaux."
Yes. madame, true; but I returned
TO speak with o before I leave France
u&kGSSA. i StlllC lCiC lO-lO-" i
s,outd not tell her why: my heart. so
as1ss. clogged my utterance. But women
EVER understand.
AS I cast about me for a word, we
ssad drawn closer, and taking the hand
winch half-hid In the folds of her
dress. CLEANED more white n pure, I
Hsoufd a raised 1t to my lips. Even
nss such a time l noted the device upon
a. ring she wore, a device grown so
Familiar: A VOLTS head, sable.
IAN old thing of my mother's,' she
explained, Charles has one, and l."
Eeagerly seized upon a subject which
MaEghs SO naturally prolong our inter-
view
AYE. I know the device well; are
.Yuu OF h d'Artins?"
Yes. my mother was: there are now
name of the race. The last is a wan
,esercrs I know not IL he lives"
Z know. perchance. of such a man,
sMsaIiane; would you tell me more Of
shim. OF yourself?"
II never saw him. my mothers ia
rfser. Her marriage d%ispleased him
greatly. When her first child was
korn. q girl. she sent 1T to him for his
blessing. He denied it, saying he want,
sss,i no more of women. The child died
kss2 infancy. OF my listers birth and