The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1906-01-12
CHAPTER VII.-CoNTINuED.
By
WILLIAM r. A. WILSON

CHAPTER VIl.-CONTINUED.
A Lutte that she had been playing fay
on o neighboring couch. Her haads,
clasped 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-
%licious. dreamy r%estfulness. Her eyes
wandered listlessly os&r the trim
lawns and the broad terraces by flights
Df steps, over the statues and vascu,
glimpses Of which could be caught here
and there amid the varying greens of
the shrubbery. 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 IN past
the park to the river-edge where the
water-lilies grew In wild %profusion un-
der the shadows of the tree-enshrouded
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 Quintude, order and repose.
At length that strange conscious
ness that some one was looking at Der
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 q ctropCo ovprocclop ~ riuulod
respect 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 q 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 sterner 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, a~ffectionate young nature,
the everything divine maternal ele-
ment within her was satisfied by hav-
eng 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 go.
ing across the room, she kissed the
girl a~ffectionately on the brow as she
rose from her seat.
Renee blushed furiously at these
words. Mademoiselle noticed her con-
fusion with a start of pain, for in her
%selfshness she fondly imagined she
could always keep her young friend
with her., 49,
"Why should the object of my
thoughts be. masculine?" Renee asked
with q mischievous light in her eye.
"Why could not those beautiful objects
from the window, the trees and flowers
and all, have held my fancy?"
willy d~ecedver," cried mademoiselle,
her anxiety and fears melting away
beneath ner companions words, young
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 I entered, and
that object is-a man." and with these
words she removed her head-gear,
which Renee took and put away,
''Come, tell me, ma cherie, what was
in your thoughts. It will rest me aft
er my ride. 1Sen, perhaps, I can tell
you news from tLwn that will interest
you. Let me see. re lave gone thus
far; II was a Now, VINO could 1t
be, for you iavo met but few? Could
It be the Conte de Miron. that young
scapegrace7"
Renee had seated herself upon q foot,
etool and leaned her head upon her
/ protectress' lap, whose fingers passed
and rel.assed with q tender touch
through the masses Of her hair. At
these words a look OF disgust came
over her features as she raised her head
20 speak.
1.-THE Comte de Mironf" she ex-
claimed. Il detest that man with his
smooth manners and eternal scowl. I
do not believe that any n who IL al
ways scowling can be trusted. Be
sides, ! am irmly convinced that he In
hase and rude and cowardly. No, no.
ma chere Louise. my mind would have
20 change sadly ere I would. sully It
by thinking Of him."
MAdemoiselle looked displeased at
e the frst words Of her companicu.
sos ne comts u hftzoa W. : fAvsstas
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