Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-06-21
IV.-OoNrINUEp.

StlnateIy Dina no figures dppediou vi
the terrace the garden lay deserted
and without life. My departure had
not, as l half expected it would, drawn
the secret into light.
| watched a while, at times cursing
my W meanness; but the excitement
of the moment and the quest tided me
over that. Then | determined to go
down into the village and see whether
anything was moving there. | had
been down to the inn once and had
been received half sulkily, half courte-
ously, as a person privileged at the
great house and therefore to be ac
cepted. 1t would not be thought d IL
I went again; and after a moments
thought. I started down the track.
This, where it ran through the wood,
was so densely shaded that the sun
penetrated to it little. and in patches
only. A squirrel stirred at times, slid
ing round a trunk, or scamperlnG
across the dry leaves. Occasionally a
pig grunted and moved farther into
the wood, But the place vas very
quiet and | do not know how IT was
that I surprised Clon instead OF being
surprised by him.
He was walking along the path be-
fore me with his eyes on the ground
walking SO slowly and with his lean
frame SO bent that I might have sup
posed him i'll If J had not remarked
the steady movement Of his head from
right to left and the alert touch with
which he now and again displaced a
clod of earth or a cluster of leaves.
Hy-and-bye he O S stifly and looked
round him suspiciously; but by that
time I had slipped behind a trunk ana
was not to be seen; and after a brief
interval he went back to his task,
STOPPING over it more closely, II posi-
Bile. than before and applying himself
with even greater care.
Bv that time I had made up my MIND
that he was tracking SOM one. But
whom? l could not make a guess at
that. I only knew that the plot was
thickening, and began to feel the ca
perness of the chase. OF course, Ii the
matter had not to do with Cocheforet
: # was no affair Of mine; but though
1T seemed unlikely that anything coulo
hiring him back so soon, he might still
be at the bottom Of this. And, besides
7 felt a natural curiosity. When Clo1
at last improved his pace, and wen
on to the village, | took up his task
T called to mind all the wood-lore hal
ever known, and scanned troddel
mould and crushed leaves with cage
ewes. But in vain. could make moth
ing of it at all, and rose at last wit
an aching back and no advantage.
did net go on to the village atte
that, but returned to the house, wher
found madam pacing the garden. Sh
looked up eagerly on hearing my step
and I was mistaken if she was not dis
appointed-if she had not been ea
pecting some n else. She hid tn
feeling bravely, however, and met m
with a careless word; but she turne
to the house more than once Will
we talked, and she seemed to be a
the while on the watch, and uneas,
l was not surprised when Clon's figul
presently appeared in the docrWa,
and she left me abruptly and went
him. l only felt more certain tina
before that there was somethir
strange on foot. What it was, ar
whether it had to do with M. de Coo
eforet, I could not tell. But there
was, and l grew more curious Il
longer l remained alone.
She came back to me presently, loo
ing thoughtful and a trifle downcas
''That was Clon, was it not?' I sal
studying her face.
EYES," she answered. She spoke a
sently, and did not look at me.
"How does he talk to you?" l aske
speaking a trifle CURLY.
AS l intended, my tone reused h
*'By signs" she said.
as he-is he not a little mad?"
vontured. ] wanted to make her ia
and forget herself.
She looked at me with sudden ket
ness, then dropped her eyes.
you do not like him?" she said
note of challange in her voice. 81 ha
noticed that, Monsieur"
~ think he does not like me-
replied.
"He is less trustful than we ar
she answered naively. ut is natu
that he should be. He has seen M
Of the world"
I,
That silenced me for a mTnent,
she did not seem to notico 1t. IL v
looking for him a little While ago, {
I could not find him." I said, afte
pause.
"He has been into the village"
answered.
I longed to pursue the matter
Their; but though she seemed to en-
tain no suspicion Of me, I dared
run the risk. tried her, instead,
another tack. "Mademoiselle de &C
foret does not seem very well to-da
! said.
"No?" she answered careles
well, now you speak Of it, | do
think she Is. She is often anxi
about-my husband"
She uttered the last two words '
a little hesitation, and looked at
quickly when she had spoken tn
We were sitting at the moment G
stone seat which had the wall Of
house for a back; and, fortunat
was toying with the branch
creeping plant that hung over it
that she could not see more than
side of my face. For | knew ths
altered. Over my voice, however, I
more control, and I FASTENED to
swer, Eyes, I suppose So" as 1