Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-06-28

ly. Not here, Monsieur.
He Strengthened himself with that,
nodded once, and went back to the fire,
and | shrugged my shoulders and be-
gan to eat, affecting to forget his pres
ence. The logs on the hearth burned
sullenly, and gave no light. The poor
oil-lamp, casting weird shadows from
wall to wall, served only to discover
the darkness. The room, with its
low roof and earthen floor, and foul
clothes flung here and there, reeked OF
stale meals and garlic and vile cook
ing. I thought of the parlor at Coche-
foret, and the dainty table, and the
stiffness, and the scented pot-herbs;
and, though I was too old a soldier to
eat the worse because my spoon lacked
washing, l felt the change and laid
it savagely at mademoiselle's door.
The landlord, watching me STEALTH
1y from his place by the hearth, read
my thoughts and chuckled aloud.
palace fare, palace m%anners!" he
muttered scornfully. "Set a beggar on
horseback and he will ride-back to
the inn!"
keep a civil tongue, will you!" I
answered, scowling at him.
"Have you finished?" he retorted.
rose, without deigning to reply,
and going to the fire drew off my
boots, which were wet through. He,
on the instant, swept eff wine and loaf
to the cupboard, and then, coming back
for the platter l had used, took IT.,
opened the back door, and went out,
leaving the door ajar. The draught
which came in beat the flame of the
lamp this way and that, and gave the
dingy, gloomy o an air still more
miserable. l ros angrily from the
fire and went to the door, intending
to close it with a bang.
But when l reached it I saw some
thing between door and jamb which
stayed my hand. The door led to q
shed IN which the housewife washed
pots and the like. I felt some sur
prise, therefore, when l found a light
there al this time Of night; still more
surprise when | saw what she was do
ing.
She was seated on the mud floor,
with a rushlight before her, and on
either side of her a high-piled heap of
refuse and rubbish. From n Of these,
at the moment I caught sight of her,
she was sorting things-horrible, filthy
/ %sweepings of road or floor-to the 9th
er; shaking and sitting each article
as she passed it across, and then TAX
ing up another and repeating the &C.
ton with it, and so IN: all infinitely,
warily, with an air Of so much pa
thence and persistence that I stood
wondering. Some things-rags-she
held up between her eyes and the light
some she passed through her fingers
some she fairly tore in pieces, And all
the time her husband stood watching
her greedily, my platter still in his
hand, as IL her strange occupation
fascinated him.
/ stood looking, also, for half a min.
ute, perhaps; then the mans eye
raised for a single second to the door
way, met mine. He started, muttereG
something to his wife, and, quick as
thought, kicked the light out, leaving
the shed in darkness. Cursing him fol
an ill-conditioned fellow, 1 walked bacl
to the fire laughing. In a twinklint
he followed me, his face dark will
rage.
"Ventre saint gris!' he exclaimed
thrusting it close to mine. "Is no
a mans house his OWN"
ut is, for me-" l answered coolly
struggling my shoulders. "And hi
wife: if she likes to pick dirty rag,
at this hour, that is your affair"
pig Of a spy!" he cried, foamint
with rage.
1 was angry enough at bottom, bu
| had nothing to gain by quarrelinl
with this fellow; and l CURLY babe hin
remember himself. your mistress CAV,
you your orders" I said contemptu
ously. "Obey them!"
He spat on the floor, but at the sam
time he grew calmer. you are RICH
there" he answered spitefully. "Wha
matter, after all, since you leave to
morrow at six? Your horse has BEEF
sent down, and your baggage Is above.
81 will go to It," I retorted. 81 wan
none Of your company. Give me
light, fellow!"
He obeyed reluctantly, and, glad t
turn my back on him, / went up tn
ladder, still wondering family, in tn
midst Of my annoyance, what his VIII
was about that my chance detection o
her had so enraged him. Even now h
was not quite himself.
The sight of my belongings-whic
had left a few hours before at til
chateau-strewn about the floor of thi
garnet, went some way towards firm
me again. But | was worn out. Tn
indignities and mishaps Of the ever
ing had, for once, crushed my spiri
and after swearing an oath or two
began to pack my bags. yengeanc
| would have; but the tine and NAV
! nor ! left for daylight thought. n