Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-06

bargain has ever crossed my mind.
You were kind enough to think we'll Of
me last night, M. de Cocheforet. Why
should the mention of mademoiselle in
a moment change your opinion? I
wish simply to speak to her. have
nothing to ask from her; neither
favor nor anything else. And what
say she will doubtless tell you after
WARDS. Ciel, man" continued angrily,
what harm can do to her, in the
road. In your ,sight?"
| He looked at me sullenly. his face still
! flushed. his eyes suspicious. What co
| you want to say to herr" he asked
| jealousy. He was quite unlike himself.
His airy nonchalance, his careless
gaiety, were gone.
"You know what do not want to
say to her. NJ de Cocheforet,," 1 an
swered "That should be enough"
He glowered at me for moment
still i'll content. Then, without q
word, he made me gesture to go to
| her.
She had halted a score of PAGES
! on foot. rode towards her. She wore
her mask, so that lost the expression
/ of her face as approached, but the
, manner in which she turned her horses
| head uncompromisingly tcwarde her
| brother and looked past meas If
/ were merely log in the ,road-was full
of meaning. I felt the ground suddenly
cut from under me. I saluted her,
trembling. ."Mademoiselle, said.
will you grant me the privilege Of
| your company for a few minutes, as we
| ride"
"To what purpose, sir?" she an
! swered, in the coolest voice in which
think woman ever spoke TO a man.
"That may explain to you great
many things you do not understand -
murmured
Il prefer to be in the dark" she re-
/, piled. And her manner said more than
her words.
But, Mademoiselle," I pleaded
! would not be discouragcd-"y you told
me one day that you would never judge
me hastily again."
| Facts Judge you, not I. Sir" she
answered icily. 81 am not sufficiently
! on level with you to be able to judge
you'll thank God"
,shivered though the sun was on me
and the hollow where we stood was
warm. "still--once before you thought
] the same!" | exclaimed Afterwards
J you found that you had been wrong.
1t may be so again. Mademoiselle."
Impossible" she said.
That stung me. moi" said flcrcely.
| 1T is not Impossible 1t is you who
are impossible. tits you who are
heartless, Mademoi:eile. l have done
much, very much, in the last three
dayc to make things lighter for you.
ask you now to do something for NE
which can cost you nothing"
''Nothing?" she answered slowly:
and her scornful voice cut me as if II
. had been knife. DO yo,l think, Mon
/ sieur. it costs me nothing to lose my
| sef-respect, as I do with every word I
speak to you? Do you think it costs
me nothing to be herc, where / feel
every look you cast on me is an insult.
every breath talre in your presence 8
contamination. Nothing. Monsieur"
She laughed in bitter irony. "Oh. lie
sure. something! But something which
despair Of making clear to you"
Il sat for moment in my saddle.
shaken and quivering with pain. 1t
had been one thing to feel that she
hated and scorned me, to know that
4 the TRUST and confidence which she had
begun to place in me We're changed to
1oathing. 1t was another to listen tc
her hard, pitiless words, to change
4 color under the lash of her gliding
tongue. For moment Icould not find
voice to answer her Then l pointed
to M. de Cocheforet do you love
him." said, hoarscly, roughly. The
gliding tone had passed from her voice
to mine. She did not answer.
/ Because, if you do" / continued
you will let me tell my tale. Say no but
once more. MademoiseIle-I am only
human and go. And you will repent
/ 1t all your life"
| had done better had ! taken that
tone ITOIn Lne DeSluuluS. one WluCeu
her head dropped, she seemed to grow
smaller All in a moment. as it were
her pride collapsed II will hear you,
she answered feebly.
"Then we will ride on, II yor
please" said, keeping the advantage
had gained. "You need not fear
Your brother will follow"
J caught hold of her rein and turned
her horse. and she suffered 1t without
demur. In moment we were pacin,
side by side, the long. straight roat
before us. At the end where it topped
the hill, could see the finger-post-
two faint black lines against the sky
When We reached that involuntarily
checked my horse and made 1t NOV
more slowly.
"Well, Sir" she said lmpatiently
And her figure shook as If with cold
! 'tIt is tale I desire to tell you
Mademoiselle, answered, speaking
with effort. Perhaps may seem tt