Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-19

dld not appear at supper mad leisure
to give my brain full license and in
the course of an hour thought OF n
hundred keys to the mystery. But
none exactly fitted the lock or laid
open the secret
A false alarm that evening helped
to puzzle me still more. I was sitting,
about an hour after supper, on the
same seat in the garden-I had my
cloak and was smoking-when madam
came out like a ghost, and, without
seeing me, fitted away through the
darkness toward the stables. For
moment l hesitated, then l followed
her. She went down the path and
round the stables, and so far I under
stood; but when she had in this way
gained the rear Of the west wing, she
took track through the thicket to
the east of the house again, SO came
back to the garden. This gained, she
came up the path and went In through
the parlor door and disappearcd-aft-
Or making clear circuit Of the house,
and not once pausing or looking to
right or left! confess was fairly
baffled. sank back on the seat
had left, and said to myself that this
was the lamest of all conclusions. l
was sure that she had exchanged no
word with any one. l was equally
sure that she had not detected my
presence behind her. Why, then, had
she made this strange promenade,
alone, unprotected, an hour after night
fall9 No dog had bayed, no one had
moved, she had not once paused, or
listened, like a person expecting
rencontre. I could not make it out.
And l came no nearer to solving 1T,
though lay awake an hour beyond my
usual time.
In the morning neither of the ladies
descended to dinner, and I heard
that mademoiselle was not so we'll.
After lonely meal, therefore,
missed them more than should have
supposed retired to my favorite
seat and fell to meditating.
The day was fine and the garden
pleasant. Sitting there with my eyes
on the old-fashioned herb-beds, with
the old-fashioned scents in the air,
and the dark belt of trees bounding the
view on either side, could believe
that had been out of Paris not three
weeks, but three months The quiet
Tapped me round. l could fancy that
had never loved anything else. The
wooddoves cooed in the stiffness; occa-
sionally the harsh cry of a jay Jared
the silence. 1t was an hour after noon,
and hot. l think I nodded.
On sudden, as if in dream, l saw
Clon's face peering at me round the an
gle of the parlor door, He looked, and
in a moment withdrew, and 1 heard
whispering. The door was gently
closed. Then all was still again.
But was wide awake now and
thinking hard. Clearly the people of
the house wished to assure themselves
that | was asleep and safely out of
the way. AS clearly, it was to my
interest to know what was passing.
Giving way to the temptation I rose
quietly, and, STOPPING below the level
OF the windows. slipped round the east
end of the house, passing between it
and the great yew hedge Here found
all still, and no stirring. So, keeping
wary eye about me, went on round
the house-reversing the route which
madam had taken the night before
until | gained the rear of the stables.
Here had scarcely paused second to
scan the ground before two persons
came out of the stable-court. Thew
were madam and the porter.
they stood a brief while outside and
looked up and down. Then madam
SAD something to the man and he
nodded, Leaving him standing where
ne was. she crossed the grass with a
QUICK, light step and vanished among
the trees
In moment my mind was made I'M
TO follow; and as Clon turned at once
and went In, was able to do so before
II was too late. Bending low among
the shrubs. | ran hot-foot to the point
where madam had entered the wood.
Here | found narrow path and ran
nlPniy along 1t and presently saw her
gray robe fluttering among the trees be-
1ore me- It only remained to keep out
OF her sight and give her no chance of
discovering that she was followed: and
thls set myself to do. Once or
twice she glanced round, but the wood
was OF beech, the light which passed
between the leaves was mere twilight
and my clothes were dark-colored I
mad every advantage, therefore and IT.
ne to fear SO long as 1 could keep her
IN view and still remain myself at such
distance that the rustic of nv tread
would not disturb her.
Assured that she was on her wav m
meet her husband, whom my presence
Kept from the house, 1 felt that the
crisis had come at last; and I grew
more excited with each step took.
True, I detested the task of watching
her: it filled me with peevish disgust
But IN proportion as I hated 1t I was
eager to have it done and be done with
II, and succeed, and stuff my ears and
I,