The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-11-08
CHAPTER TX.

baps she was regretting the moments
impulse that had prompted her TO ac-
cept a nameless young painter. Babette.
too, seemingly had A weight on her mind
She crept about her work, laying out
Miss Malling's elegant evening toilet
with a subdued air very different from
her usual noiseless activity. Bahette was
doing her best to get through her duties,
when, as i'll luck would have it, memory
for n moment asserted itself and brought
before her a picture of a pretty black
eyed urchin tossing from side to side in
his small cot and crying ont her name
INCREASINGLY as he refused the cooling
drink offered by a hand he did not love.
The maid snhhed-sobbed andibly.
Miss Mailing raised her eyes from
their contemplation of the carpet and
looked in dignifed surprise NJ the young
Frenchwcman. Noting for the FIRST time
the signs of tears on her face, Miss
Mailing felt angry.
What in heavens name is the matter
with you, Babette? Pray don't let me
have any weeping and waiting. If there
Is one thing that exasperates me more
than another, it is a crying woman
Pardon, mademoiselle; the grief over
came me in spite Of myself. l did not
intend to speak; but, as you have noticed
my sorrow, / will make bold to tell you
that / have a little stepbrother, the only
being in the v,orld who is related TO me,
and I have here a letter telling me he
is very LII, and that he asks for me night
and daylight and day" The poor girls
voice broke for a moment; but she rallied
and went on. IF mademoiselle could
spare me for just enough time to get to
Boulogne and back to see the poor little
fellow!''
And what am | to do in the mean
time?T" Pauline asked icily. "Of course
you can go il you like; but you need not
come back. l am surprised you should
ask me such an insane thing, when you
know the house will be full Of people the
day after tomorrow. l could not possi-
bly, do without you. Pray do not say an
other word about ii, aud please leave off
crying"
Babette moved away to the far end
Of the room, wiped her eyes, and stood
for an instant quite still, REFRESHING the
sobs that shook her frame.
eff my little Pierre dies without See
Ing me l will never forgive you-never!
/ viii watch for IA chance of doing you
a great harm; and 1t will come if | am
patient the girl thought.
After dressing Miss Mailing and max
ing the dressing room tidy, Babette pass
ed through the picture gallery on her way
TO Mira Perkins sanctum for her usual
cup OF tea. Thinking everybody must
be downstairs, she stopped at Jacks easel
md lnnkn1 ~ pnpltnaso nfaf,ra W.
S you think the world is made for
your pleasure? You are too hish a lady
TO trouble yourself with your servants
affairs; bat perhaps they win trouble
themselves with yours. madame! i have
seen you finch and shrivel up strangely
sometimes. People don't shrivel up for
nothing. unless they have . fear of some
thing: and If they have a secret fear,
there must be something bad to cause
IT. Ii my little darling dies without the
comfort Of kissing his Babette once, it
win be Jour fault; and all my life long
4 viii watch. watch, watch, to try to
repay your cruelty to me and himI"-
and she looked as il she meant it.
Jack, who had stopped until the last
moment finishing his rather difficult let
Ter To Ethel IN MS own room, was struck
by the intense hatred in the woman's
face as he opened the door, wondered for
tho moment what could have caused it,
wished the next that he could call it up
at will n Use her as a model for a fend,
and the next moment forgot all about it.
Throwing his letter on the hall table,
he hurried into the drawing room to
make his peace for being late.
paknfka f..,I kx. .rtot a,n4 81 .N. xysfh
Mrs. Perkins, and, with a plentiful she'd
ding of tears, wrote TO the woman who
had charge of little Pierre, TO say that
she could not come to her darling just
now.
The letter was full of loving messages
and promises, and the poor girls heart
felt very heavy rs she put it into the
bag. She had taken it into the hall her
self. There was another letter lying
there ready stamped for the post; she
took il up carelessly, recognized it by the
red seal an the one Jack had had in his
hand when he passed her in the gallery,
and stood transiixed with surprise as she
read the ad lress.
The address of that pretty demoiselie
that l followed home from the museum
BY her orders! Why, there is something
In thisl Why, IL she wants the address
Of a lady who is known to Monsieur
Dornton, does she not ask him. instead
II setting me to follow her like a POI
GcemanJ l shall have that to find outr'
"Babette. l want you" Mrs. Perkins
called from the door that shut of the
servants quarters.
Something in the voice. some subtle
couch Of sympathy, struck Babette's
quick ear. She turned SO sharply that
Ars. Perkins had not time to conceal
The black bordered letter she held in her
hand. With a heart rending cry, Babette
started forward and snatched the letter
from her.