Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-04-06

Mademoiselle, whose attention had
 been fixed upon her note, finished read l ing at this juncture and looked up.
 s'Tell the Sieur de Ia Salle shall be
 most happy to grant his request, and
 that he may come tomorrow. When
 does he sail for those northern shores and cruel savages the Jesuit fathers
 write so much about?'
 Some two weeks hence; from La Rochelle; by the ship Saint Honore,' !"
 was the reply, made precise and with
 out polite establishment by the agi-
 tated state of Tonti's mind.
 And you, Capt. de Tonti, I under
 stand from the Prince de Conti that
 you accompany the Sieur de la Salle,
 as lieutenant or partner in his enter
 prise. I wish you both success. be-
 cause there is not so intrepid an ex- plOrer to be found as the Sieur de Ia
 Salle, and because you, as a gallant
 and worthy soldier, deserve 1t. Kindly carry my message to your friend, and
 accept my thanks in advance for do- ing it." and thus speaking in her stateliest manner, mademoiselle ex-
 tended her hand, and Tonti, bending low to kiss it, bowed deferentially and was gone.
 Hardly had the door closed and mademoiselle had scarcely time to lay aside her dignity when Renee sprang up, and, tossing her book high in air, came dancing across the floor, and, stopping before her astonished con- panion. gave one final pirouette and flung herself into her arms, crying:
 "'Tis he! Iris he!"
 "He? Whom?" asked mademoiselle, puzzled at her words.
 "The man of yesterday; the one you termed the stranger knight but few moments ago."
 "Ah!" exclaimed mademoiselle, smiling,' "Henri de Tonti. The wind blows from that quarter, does it?"
 A flushed face met hers in earnest repudiation of all that her tones indi- cated.
 'How foolish, ma chere Louise! Can- not I but feel grateful for his manly assistance without loving him?" Then with hard effort to appear indiffer- ent she continued: rE
 Would it be grateful in me not to feel anxious for him in his coming meeting with the Comte de Miron, knowing the Comte as do? Did you not praise him yourself as a gallant soldier? Is it right to allow such to fall beneath treacherous blow?"
 True" replied mademoiselle mus ingly, 'he is protege of the Prince de Cont, and has rendered marvellous services to the king in his Sicilian campaign, all of which Louis has for gotten and now allows him to go to die in the wilderness" She then re. lated the history of Tonti's iron hand and other of his gallant deeds she had heard. Renee listened eagerly, her eyes sparkling and her breath coming and going in short. quick gasps. Mademoiselle noticed this and stopped.
 q must tell you no more, mon Dieu! or I shall but add fuel to the flames this handsome Italian soldier has al- ready lighted. Come, mon bijou, do not break your heart over him. He is about to sail. as you heard him say, with my friend the Sieur de la Salle, the, great, explorer, to New France, to be 1ost in some savage wild, or settle down. marry some Indian woman (they call them squaws, believe), and dis appear from our sight. However, to please you and for once do a good act. I am at your service to carry out any plan you may suggest to save our sol- dier knight, and to make it the more completely your own aid that you give him l shall place my most trusted serv- ant and all that possess at your serv- Ice. Now I must see about the qual- ters for the new English horse that ar- rives tomorrow. Adieu, ma petite," and kissing her in half-motherly, half-sisterly fashion, she left the room.
 Renee, left alone, seated herself be- side the open window, and burying her | head in her arms she strove to think l of some plan to save the man who but | a few moments before stood in the | same room with her. The relaxation | from her previous excitement was | soothing, and the warm afternoon | breeze caused drowsy feeling to | creep over her. Gradually her mind | ceased planning. and with her song | gently singing itself over and over | In her ears, only with the words At | last he comes!" unconsciously taking the place of the original phase, she | fell asleep.
 A cautious step sounded upon the gravel walk outside. A shadow fell upon the sleeping girl, who stirred un- easily as though she felt even in her state the approach of some evil spirit. The crafty face of the Comte de Miron peered into the apartment. and lighted up with a sin ster smile as he recognized the sleep er and saw that she was alone. while with deft motion of the hand he cut of lock of her hair and disappeared as rlysteriously as he |