The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-05-13
CHAPTER NIX
THE CASTLE OF cARrILLoN

N.
Two days, four passed. Serigny had
Departed for Dieppe to arm and eouir
Z le pauphin, yet still there was no OFF,
ciai declaration of war 1 was waiting
as he had ordered, for the formal dec
laration, on the publication of which
was to Join him on board at once and
we would set sa.i instantly for Biloxi
another anxious day, during which
i yacillated between an gnoble love
and noble duty. Then late in the
evening. the whole court was famed
into blaze destined to spread
y throughout Europe and America, by
the announcement that the war had
been formally decided upon.
Men may long look forward to a
crushing calamity, and when 1t comes
be surprised and unprcpared SO,
though ! well knew must leave
France with all speed, and possibly
never see her shores again, | put it
from me as pers!stently as men do the
certainty of death. Every day did |
ride to Sceaux By the old wall, and
& catch glimpse of her | loved. When
war WIS at last declared. there was no
time for pafleyias with duty. NV
path lay straight and clear before me;
yet for once a soldiers duty ana Il
soldiers adventure gave me no peas-
ure. All my thonShts We're other
where.
Flot-fcpt f.sSi.i 10 Gsca%:::: asl.n
& RODE on my way to Dieppe. and from
the same embrasure at the wall where
my horses had tralnpied down the TO-
aiiage many times, | watched her com
Ing. 1t was not fer long, More hur-
riedly than was her custom she glded,
glorifed young creature. in and out
amongst the shrubbery, until the en-
yious chapel door hid her from my
sight. No living thing was in view.
The sound OF no DESCENDANT voice broke
the holy peace of God. Temptation
came never 10 our First errlng mother
In more insidious siiise than this.
Where was the harm, | reasoned, it
was but for an ipstant's speech with
b her, ere the bounding seas would roll
between us. So With nervous haste
3tumbled from my horse ana tethered
\ him stoutly tosa tree. Over the wall
and to the chapel door took another
instant, and there. inside, al tie iai!.
she knelt paused, rs a sinner might,
hesitating to mar with heart prcgane
the devotions of a saint. My foot struck
Z a cracking board in the entry, AND
drew her glance toward me. She
sprang up as | entered, With swift
cry of surprise, and, as | faucied. some
whit of gladness in the tone.
You, monsieur? You here?
thought you away from Secaux.'
Yes, madame, true; but l returned
to speak with you before leave France
! forever. came here toto" l
could not tell her why; my heart, so
1 full, clogged my utterarce. But women
ever understand.
la AS cast about me for q word, we
had drawn closer, and taking the hand
which half-hid in the folds of her
dress, cleaned more white and pure, l
would have raised it to my lips. Even
at such a time / noted the device upon
q ring she wore, q device grown so
familiar: A VOLTS head, sable.
An old thing of my mothers" She
explained, Charles has one, and !"
eagerly seized upon a subject which
might so naturally prolong our inter-
view.
Aye, 4 know the device Well: are
you Of the d'Artinsgn s,s
u Yes, my mother was; there are now
q none Of the race. The last is wan
derer; = know Motif he lives"
know, perchance, of such man,
him., of yourself?'
Y = -oeyer saw him, my mothers ia
Their. HSe marriage displeased him
& greatly. When her first child was
Y born, q girl. she sent 1t to him for his
+ blessing. He denied 1t, saying he want
ed no more of women. The child died
: In infancy. OF my sisters birth and
r uiAtlS lie was never tOiQ. Inen ne went
{ away, where, none know"
It thrilled me with a new hope. Who
could guess but my relations with Col
0nel dOrtez might throw me again in
q her way. took her hand again, maxi
Ing prstense to examine the ring more
\ curiously. She made slight demur,
and 4 pressed my first feryept kiss up-
on the hand Of woman. Mans forti-
ttIde could stand no more. Tossing
honor, discretion, duty to the winds, j
solded her close, closer yet, and kissed
1ers brow, her hair, her eyes her lips
che stEu ggIing like a frightened nest
fling all the wilile. It was done.
slammed but irnpe nitent-it was too
new too sweet to wish undone--]
ioosed her genti laa kissed her hand