Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-25
CHAPTER v111.-(contlnned.,

ouiesced. What was he to do with
furniture and, save for themselves,
empty He hesitated, stepped into the
window, sat down upon the low sill
and set her on his knee, holding her
firmly, carefully, tenderly. She, too,
forgot that she was lady, and nestled
against him as any child might have
done.
Nov tell me-" he whispered they
spoke softly all the time-"why did
you come here, Amer
I It was the first time he had ad-
dressed her without title.
! II do not know" she answered ~
my room is over there, you know.
4 couldn't sleep. Twas thinking about
the Lady Jehane and her lover the
Baron de Oroisip-an about you, Sir
-Ptdlip." The pause between the
yBir" and philip" was a long one,
(which sweetened the name in his ears
as che continued, II heard a sound and
b thought 1t might be his ghost. So
b camel hurried too. had no time
10 dress"
NsWere you not afra1d?'
1.-THE marquis says the de Rohans
ARE never afraid didn't like 1t, but
4 came on tptoe, and then saw some
timing black outside on the balcony
and I walked over there. Was little
afraid. think, perhaps because am
part American" she added naively.
/! Americans are never afraid, either"
interrupted Grafton promptly.
-tWeII, anyway, saw 1t was you
and Yves not afraid any more. And
I watched you stand and look, and
then I say you get over the wall, and
then I was fearfui1y afraid-for you,
Philip. I thought you might be killed.
/ slipped ont and caught hold Of you,
you came back, and now we are here
together
There was long pause. She slipped
her arm about his neck and held him
as II she feared again that he might
fall. He scarcely knew what to say,
30 he held her close and kept silent
until she spoke once more, drawing
herself away from him little as she
did SO. 81 don't think knights carry
their ladies around like this, do they?
I don't think it's quite proper, is it?
But these stones are SO cold, and I
forgot my slippers, was so anxious
Is it all right. Sir Phillip"
She wriggled her pretty toes as she
anNiously sought for reinsurance from
her admirer and companion.
Proper? OF course, and where is
Jcsette?" he answered. glad to get back
to the form if not the spirit of the
play.
"Asleep." she answered. "the great
stupid! She doesn't care whether there
are any knights in the world or not
But what arc you doing here? You
have. not told me yet"
I'll thought I'd try-the tower,
you know-the wall-to go down"
I. Eyes. and was 1t for me?"
For the life Of him he could not lie
to this confding and innocent little
girl
LADY Anne" he whispered, ut was
for
But he did not seem to be able to
tell her the truth either.
Eyes, Sir Philip, 1t was for
"For freedom them" he said desper-
ately.
"oh!" she auivered, land you were
going to 1eaye-me7"
There was q world Of reproach il
her voice and then silence. Presently
he discovered that she was weeping
Her small frame shook with subdued
sobs. The sight alarmed him, panied
him deeply; he could not throw off
q guilty feeling as he held her closely.
trying to soothe and quiet her. He
was desperately uncomfortable, yet
the scene must be ended if he were
to get away. He could meet her in
laughter on common ground. but
(, sobs were foreign to his philosophy.
He Had not enjoyed experience of this
womanly weakness, which is the
weapon Of the helpless, and he was
powerless before her tears. He could
not bear to see her cry, and suppose
the marquis should see him, what
+, would he think? Would he not con-
clpde that Grafton had broken faith
with him? And yet there was a pass
ing sweetness in the situation too. He
had no wish to terminate the inter-
view; he forgot for the moment that
he intended to escape that night.
Now, my dear little girl" he began
at last, cts all play, you know"
This was most unfortunate state
ment. All her youthful energies had
been bent toward the obliterat!on OF
this bitter fact. That is moment of
the greatest sadness when we find out
our hardly maintained realities have
only been some other persons play!
Its been play all the time" she
sobbed impulsively. Il knew it was
so! l tried not to believe it! Josette
,old me SO, and 1 said she was stupid;
bat she knew more than /! You have
BEEN playing with me from the first,
haven't you? Let me go back to my
/. dolls, monsieur, tbs all I'm fit for"
She tried vainly to break away.
"My dear child" he replied, still
holding her, but utterly at loss to
t,, do coo