Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-12-07
@~N
pa ROSE OF "A
NORMANDY
WILLIAM R. A. WILSON
~-21S~
CHAPTER VII.-CoNTINUED.

SI1AE Ell
A Lutte that she had been playing lay
on a neighboring couch. Her hands,
cissred above her bead, grasped firmly
the carved woodwork of the chair,
while her feet were hidden among the
silken pillows strewn about the floor.
Her whole attitude was that of de-
lfcious, dreamy r~estfulness. Her eyes
wandered listlessly over the trim
lawns and the broad terraces by flights
Of steps, over the statues and vases,
glimpses of which could be caught here
and there amid the varying greens of
the s%hrubbery. Gazing at the jets of
water rising out of marble basins, the
precisely arranged flowers and orange
trees lining the walks, she was but
family conscious of their beauties, for
her eyes followed her thoughts on past
the park to the river-edge where the
water-lilies grew in wild p%rofusion I'M
der the shadows of the RECONSTRUCTED
bays. Here they rested for a moment,
then on and up to the horizon, beyond
which lay the great city with its noisy
teeming life, less than three leagues
away from this retired spot where all
was quietude, order and repose.
At length that strange conscious
cess that some was looking at her
exerted its influence over her thoughts,
and she %involuntarily withdrew her
gaze from the window. She turned
her head and beheld mademoiselle
standing in the doorway, watching her
with a strange expression of mingled
vespect and affection; respect, because,
reared as she had been in the atmos-
phere Of the court reeking with that
moral miasma that pervaded every
thing, she could especially appreciate
the beauties of a feminine nature fair
and unpolluted; affection, because in
the young companion she saw bits Of
her own self when at her age: a GER
tain proud consciousness of birth, a
playful humor at times deliciously
feminine, yet a nature capable OF re-
spending to the steiner duties of life.
Then, too, with all her greatness and
wealth, mademoiselle's life had been
= essentially a loveless, artificial exist
ence; hence in the companionship OF
this warm, affectionate young nature,
the everything divine maternal ele-
ment within her was satisfied by hav-
ing something to love.
"Ah! ma mignonne," she exclaimed,
as soon as their eyes met, dreaming
again! Happy indeed ought he to be
who occupies your thoughts" and 60
ing across the room, she kissed the
girl affectionately on the brow as she
arose from her seat.
Renee blushed furiously at these
words. Mademoiselle noticed her con-
fusion with a start of pain, for in her
selfishness she fondly imagined she
could always keep her young friend
with her.
why should the object of my
thoughts be masculine% Renee asked
with a mischievous light in her eye.
why could not those beautiful objects
from the window, the trees and flowers
and all, have held my fancy?"
"Wily d%eceiver," cried mademoiselle
her anxiety and fears melting away
beneath her companions words, "youns
girls do not lie dreaming at sight OF
woodland and river; only one object
of thought could bring the light
saw in your eyes when l entered, and
that object is-a man." and with thess
words she removed her head-gear
which Renee took and put away
Come, tell me, ma cherie, what was
in your thoughts. 1t will rest me aft.
er my ride. Then, perhaps, I can tel
you news from town that will interest
you. Let me see, we have gone thus
far; it was a a Now, who could il
be, for you have met but few? Could
it be the Comte de Miron, that young
scapegrace?"
Renee had seated herself upon a foot
stool and leaned her head upon hel
protectress' lap, whose fingers passed
and repassed with a tender touch
through the masses of her hair. A
these words a look of disgust cam
over her features as she raised her hea:
to speak.
"The Comte de Miron?" she ex'
claimed. II detest that man with hi
smooth manner and eternal scowl.
do not believe that any one who is al
ways scowling can be trusted. Be
sides, | am firmly convinced that he |!
base and rude and cowardly. No, no
ma chere Louise, my mind would hav'
to change sadly ere / would sully i
by thinking Of him."
Mademoiselle looked displeased a
at the first words of her companion
for the Comte de Miron was a favorit,
Of hers because Of his dashing in
souciant manner and ready tongue ans
wit. But at the sound of her Chris
tian name on Renee's lips (the onl.
person she allowed to use it) her fac
lighted up again.
"You are right, Little Wise-Head,
she replied, caressing her. He is nj
fit subject for your thoughts, although
I cannot go so far as you and say tina
he is base and rude and cowardly."
THAT he is base,' replied Renee
IL learned from your W lips whel
You told me of his duel with the Cont,
de Noise, whose sword broke an
who, disarmed and d~efenseless, wa
run through the heart by the Cont
de Miron. That he is rude and COW
ardly I myself learned when in tn
city yesterday"
SLOW now, ma petite" cried mad
emoiselle in alarm, Il was with yo'
nearly all the time myself while W
were in town yesterday. Cannot
send you from Luxembourg'to Madam
dc Piene's in my W chair withou
your meeting with mishap?"
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