Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-06-07

cheeks were hollow. his lips and an.
were thin and feshless. He seemed to
have only one expression-a fixed grin.
While l stood looking at this for
midable creature he made a quick mo
ton to shut the door again. smiling
more widely. I had the presence OF
mind to thurst in my foot, and, before
no could resent the act, a voice in the
background cried: For shame, Clon.
Stand back. Stand back, do you hear?
I am afraid, Monsieur, that you are
hurt"
The last words were my welcome to
that house; and, spoken at an hour
and in circumstances so gloomy, they
made a lasting impression. Round the
hall ran a gallery, and this, the height
of the apartment and the dark PANEL
ling seemed to swallow up the light.
| stood within the entrance las it
seemed to mel of a huge cave; the
skull-headed porter had the air Of an
ogre. Only the voice which greeted me
dispelled the illusion. l turned trem-
bling towards the quarter whence it
came, and. shading my eyes, made out
a woman's form standing in a doorway
under the gallery. A second figure.
which l took to be that of the servant
I had seen at the inn, doomed uncer-
tainly beside her.
zone of our people has told me about
you," she continued, speaking ont OF
the darkness. Il am sorry that this
has happened to you here, but I am
afraid that you were indiscreet."
"I take all the blame, Madam" I
answered humbly. II ask only shelter
for the night"
1.-THE time has not yet come when we
cannot give our friends that!" she an-
swered. with noble courtesy. when
it does, Monsieur, we shall be homeless
ourselves"
I shivered, looking anywhere but at
! her: for I had not sufficiently pictured
this scene of my ARRIVAL had not
! foreseen its details; and now | took
/ part in it I felt a miserable meanness
weigh me down. I had never from the
first liked the work! But, I had had
no choice. And I had no choice now
Luckily, the guise in which I came,
my fatigue and wound were a sufficient
mark, or I should have incurred sus-
picion at once. For I am Ire that il
ever in this world a brave man wore
81 hang-dog air, or Gil de Berault fell
below himself, it was then and there
en- Madam de Cocheforet's threshold,
with her welcome sounding in my ears
One, I think, did not suspect me
Clon, the porter, continued to hold the
door obstinately ajar and to eye M
with grinning spite, until his mistress
with some sharpness, babe him droI
the bars and conduct me to q room.
do you go also, Louis" she con
tinued, speaking to the man beside her
and see this gentleman ~comfortabl,
disposed. l am sorry" she added, ad'
dressing me in the graceful tone sh'
had before used, and I thought l coult
see her head bent in the darkness
that our present circumstances do no
permit us to welcome you more fifty
! Monsieur. But the troubles Of thu
times-however, you will excuse wha
is lacking. Until tomorrow, I havt
the honor to bid you goodnight"
Goodnight Madam" I stammered
trembling. I had not been able to dis
tinguish her face in the gloom of tn
doorway, but her voice, her greeting
her presence, unnamed me. l wa
troubled and preplexed; I had no
spirit to kick a dog. ] followed the tW'
servants from the hall without heedini
how we went; nor was it until W
came to a full stop at a door in.
whitewashed corridor, and it wa
forced upon me that something was il
question between my two conductors
that | began to take notice.
Then I saw that one of them, Louis
wished to lodge me here where W
stood. The porter, On the other hand
who held the keys, would not. He di,
not speak a word, nor did the other
and this gave a queer ominous charac
ter to the debate; but he continued t
jerk his head towards the farther en-,
Of the corridor, and, at last, he carrie,
his point. Louis shrugged his shoul
ders, and moved on.
We reached the end Of the corridor
and there, for an instant, the monste
with the keys paused and grinned q
me. Then he turned into a narrow pas
sage on the left and after followin
it for some PAGES, halted before a small
strong door. His key Jared in til
lock, but he forced it s~hrieking rounc
and with a savage flourish threw tn
door open.
l walked in and saw a mean, bar
chamber with barred windows. TIL
floor was indifferently clean. there wa
no furniture. The yellow light Of tn
lanthorn falling on the stained wall
gave the place the look Of q dungeon
I turned to the two men. This is nc
a very good ROOM" | said. "And
feels damp. Have you no other?"
Louis looked doubtfully at his con-
panion. But the porter shook his hea
~stubbornly.
why does he not speak?" | aske
with impatience.
HE is dumb" Louis answered.
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