The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-12-07

tie book, It's binding of parchment, pale
yellow, like antique ivory. at is u
tale of my own land" he said softly,
"of Normandy, in the old days when
the tronbadours sang" a
81 have not yet read it," she answer.
ed. "Tell Inc the story"
ut is of the son of Il poor woodcut.
ter. Toiling once by his hut in the for.
est, he saw by chance the daughter of
cade. He Drought her IL cup of water,
and she smiled OH him. So fair she was
that he loved her to desperation and
could not rest nor sleep from thinking
of her face He Travelled far and came
by night beneath her window and sang
songs to her, songs delicate and beauti.
full, in phrases that only his great love
had taught him, and when lie sang he
touched the strings OF his own heart.
The lady listened, and her tears fell
down from the window in the palace
wall. She MAS IL great lady and he the
lowest of the l,nd, and in the hopeless.
ness of Is passion he sang that he
was price Of hostile country, WOO.
ing i'm attire of rags the darling to
whose pr,SCnye he might not rightly
come. His were not like the songs of
the gilded courtiers that flocked her
fathers gate. They were more noble
and true, and his love climbed upon
them as if on stairs of gold and drew
her heart out to him over the sill. One
night she slipped out to his arms In the
darkness. Then he knelt on the yellow
forest leaves and told her the truth and
pleaded as excuse his great love- And
he would have gone from her and left
her to go back alone"
what thenI' demanded Anne.
"She took his hand and kissed him
and went away with him to his hut in
the forest"
Both were silent II moment.
The vivid tints i'm the sky were pal
lng, The rivers silver dullcd 10 mauve
The gloom, all luminous, seemed an
impatient suitor stealing humorous upon
the drowsy day. The day stirred,
glowCd again and spread out IL tuwny
flood as woman drops her hair under
some golden lamp to please lovers
whim.
Think YOU" he asked then very low,
that such love might be2'
"'Twas for love OF her." she said
softly.
When lie spoke again she felt thrill
in his voice.
"Madcmoisclle, suppose man loves
with love that fills all the sky; that
for him there was but the one woman
in the world. Suppose she found that he
was not what she had thought him
when she first loved him; that the idol
she had worshiped was just clay. If
he stood mean and small before the
world-beforc hcr-but still loving her,
adoring her! If 1t were not a princess
going to hut in the forest, but wo-
man prldeful and-and ashamed! Could
she still love him as before? Could
She? Could shc?"
Her eyes could not meet his burning
ones.
Monsieur" she said, quivering,
'when Il woman loves, she will forgive
anything ng-everything- the man she
loves save
She stopped. There was muffied
sound of horse hoofs from the climbing
road.
"Savc whatY"
"Save lack of love for her"
The hoof beats were coming nearer.
She made n desperate effort to compose
herself. He had bent toward her, SO
near she could smell the fragrance of
hazel bushes in his hair
"Thcn ii would not matter, she would
not care" he cried joyously. HE might
be either the prince or the woodcutter,
mademoiscllcY
The last shaft of the sunlight STUN
bled and tangled on her brow. Dark
laid lightly upon the middle distance.
"lf woman loved and was loved so
naught else would count, not even
even If he were despised by all the
world-even"- Her lips were tremu-
lous. She felt his hand on the bench
beside her suddenly touch her own.
There was Il trampling behind them.
Both turned TO the porch, where Lord
Fairfax stood leaning on Joe's arm to
welcome the two riders who had Just
dlsmounted. The young man made an
exclamation.
"Why," exclaimed Anne otis the
governor himself, returned from Fort
Iittw
AS they approached, the girl crimson
ing with the memory of her night er.
rand TO the Winchester fort, the earl
was bending Dulkily over the hand of
Mrs. TillotSon I'm the doorway.
You honor my poor house with this
visit" said the old man, bcaming
ANNE, you know his excellency."
The governor bowed to her courtesy
and set his eyes on the palcr face of the
figure at her side. First low chuckle
began in his throat; then he slapped
his thigh.
$50 that was how the land lay" he
guffawed. mot content with quarrel
ing with my soldiers, eh? And incogni-
to yet, I'll be bound"
The baron stood staring, and Anne
looked a bit frightened
The governor reached n thick arm and
prodded the young man genially In the
ribs.
sly dog, eh?" he winked. "Tut, tutl
Would you stllI deny us poor Virgin
ians? Hath, then, come here! Ladies',
my Lord Fairfax, 1t pleasures me to
present to you M. lie Marquis de la Trou.
erie"