Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-23

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scene as carefully as might be, and Oh
sent 1t by mounted messenger to IN
Burg"
THE young ladies they wish to Sd
YOU" said the baroness. "They aI
kind-hearted; they would like to d
what they can. But tell them nd
they Will make you to be very tired
"On the contrary, it will rest mi
Let them come" said.
But | warn YOU said she, liftin
her finger as she left the room, do nd
fall la love. They are full of mischief
They do not study. They do not carl
You know they make much fun al
day"
The young ladies came in presently
They wore gray gowns admirably htI
ted to their fine figures. They brough.
big bouquets and set them, with
handsome courtesy, on the table BID
side me. They took chairs and sa
solemn-fxced, without a word, as II
we're a Quaker meeting they had com
TO. never saw better models of sym
pathetic propriety. was about I
speak. One Of them shook her head
a finger on her lips.
DO not say one word" she said sol
emily in English. 1T will make yo&
YER sick"
1t was the first effort Of either o
them to address Inc in English. As
soon knew, the warning had exhausted
her vocabulary. The baroness wen
below in moment. Then the on
who had spOi.en came over and 80
near me. smiling.
"She does not know you can speal
French" said she, whispering and ad
dressing me in her native tongue, al
the other tiptoed to the door. "Od
your life. do not let her know. Sh&
will never permit us TO see you. Sh(
will keep us under lock and key. Sh(
knows we cannot speak English, ed
she thinks We cannot talk with you'll
1t is a great lark. Are you better?"
What was | to do under orders frou}
such authority? AS they bade me.
hope you will say. for that is what
did. had 10 easy conscience about i'll
must own. Day otter day I took my
part in the little comedy. They camd
in Quaker-faced if the baroness were
at hand. never speaking, except to her'
until she had gone. Then--well, such
animation. such wit. such bright eyesI
such brilliancy. have never seen Cd
heard
My wound was healing War and
stern duty were as things of the fad
past The grand passion had hold OF
me. tried TO fight it down, to shakd|
1t on. but somehow it had the claws OF
a tiger There was an odd thing about
II all: I could not for the life of md
tell which OF the Two charming girls
I loved the better 1t may seem in1
credible; could not understand it my
SELF They looked alike, and yet they
were quite different. Louison was d
year older and of stouter build. She
had more animation also. and always
q quicker and perhaps a brighter an
swer. The other had face more Sc
rious. albeit no less beautiful. and q
slower tongue. She had little to say
but her silence had much in it to adj
mire, and, indeed, to remember. They
appealed to different men in me with
equal force, did not then know why
A perplexing problem it was, and had
to think and suffer much before | saw
the end OF 1t. and really came to know
what love is and what it is not.
Shortly I was near the end of thia
delightful season of illness. had beerl
out of bed week. The baroness had
read to me every day, and had been 90
kind that I felt great shame for
my part in our deception. Every al
ternoon she was off in a boat or in
her caleche. and had promised to take
go.
You know" said she, Il am going
to make you stay her full month.
have the consent OF the general
l had begun to move about little
and enjoy the splendor OF that forest
home. There were, indeed, many rare
and priceless things in it that came
out Of her chateau in France She had
some curious old clocks, tokens OF
ancestral taste and friendship. There
was one her grandfather had got from
the land OF Louis NIV.-le Grand Mon
argue. of whom my mother had begun
to tell me as soon as could hear with
understanding. Hnother came from the
bedchamber of Philip ii, OF Spain-a
grand high clock that tolled the hours
in that great hill beyond my door.
A little thing, in 4 case Of carved
ivory. that licked on a table near my
bed. Molierc had given to one of her
ancestors and there were many others
Of equal interest
Her walls were adorned with art
treasures OF the value of which had
little appreciation those days. But
remember there We're canvaSses OF
Correggio and Rembrandt and ST.
Joshua Reynolds. She was, indeed. a
woman OF fine taste, who had brought
her best to America; for no one had a
doubt. in the time OF which am writ
ing. that the settlement Of the Com
pagnie de New York would grow into
q great colony. with towns and cities
and fine roadways, and the full com
plement OF high living. She had built
the Hermitage-that was the name OF
the mansiOn-fine and splendid as i.
was. Tor q mere temporary shelter
pending the arrival OF those better
days.
She had 4 curious fad, this hermit