Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-09-20
Copyright. 1904. by Stanley ]. weyman.)
CHATTER xII.-CoNr1NUEp.

XI.-CONTINUED.
Il wish to have a few words with
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." l explained.
"Alone?" he answered, frowning.
Eyes," I replied, without blenching,
though his face grew dark. For the
matter of that, you can be within call.
oil the time, if you please. But / have
p reason for wishing to ride a little
way with her"
ITO tell her something's"
"Yes."
Then you can tell it to me-" he
retorted suspiciously. 'Mademoiselle,
will answer for it, has no desire to
See me, or speak to mel" I said
taking him up. 81 can understand
that. Yet I want to speak to her"
Very we'll, you can speak to her
before me-" he answered rudely. LET
us ride on and join her" And he
made a movement as if to do so.
"That will not do, M. de Coche-
foret," I said firmly, stopping him
with my hand. "Let me beg you to be
more complaisant. 1t is a small thing
to ask; but I swear to you, if MAIDEN
oiselle does not grant it, she will re-
pent it all her life"
He looked at me, his face growing
darker and darker. Fine words" he
said presently, Wild a sneer. "Yet |
fancy understand them" Then with
a passionate oath he broke out in
a fresh tone. But I will not have it.
have not been blind, M. de Berault,
and understand. But I will not have
it! | will have no such Judas bargain
made. Pardieu! do you think I could
suffer it and show my face again."
II don't know what you meant"
said, restraining myself with difficulty.
| could have struck the fool.
But | know what you mean" he
replied, in a tone Of repressed rage.
"You would have her sell herself; sell
herself body and soul to you to save
me! And you would have me stand
by and see the thing done! Well, my
answer is-never! though I go to the
wheel! I will die a gentleman, if I
have lived a fool"
II think you will do the one as GER
tainly as you have done the other" |
retorted, in my evaporation. And yet
I admired him.
oh, | am not such a fool" he cried,
scowling at me, " as you have perhaps
thought. have used my eyes"
Then be good enough now to favor
me with your ears" I answered dryly.
And listen when | say that no such
bargain has ever crossed my mind.
You were kind enough to think well Of
me last night, M. de Cocheforet. Why
should the mention of mademoiselle in
a moment change your opinion? |
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, mani" l continued angrily,
what harm can I do to her, in the
road, in your sight?"'
He looked at me sullenly, Ills face still
flushed, his eyes suspicious. What 90
you want to say to herr" he asked
jealousy. He was quite unlike himself.
His airy nnnchalance, his careless
Eatety, were gone.
You know what I do not want to
say to her, M. de Cocheforet," I an
sWered. THAT should be enough"
He glowered at me for a moment,
still ill content. Then, without a
word, he made me a gesture to go tn
her.
She had halted a score of PAGES
away, wondering doubtless what was
on foot. rode towards her. She wore
her mask, so that I 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 I
were merely a log in the road-was full
OF meaning. I felt the ground suddenly
cut from under me. | saluted her,
trembling. "Mademoiselle," I said.
will you grant me the privilege Of
your company for a few minutes, as we
ride"
ITO what purpose, Sir?" she. an
swered, in the coolest voice in which |
think a woman ever spoke 10 a mar.
That ! may explain to you a 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 Instrumentation told
me one day that you would never judge
me hastily again"
Facts Judge YOU, not I, Sir" she
answered icily. II am not sufficiently
on a level with you to be able to Judge
you'll thank God"
| shivered though the sun was on me
n the hollow where we stood was
warm. "Still--once before you thought
the same!" | exclaimed. Afterwards
you found that you had been wrong.
It may be SO again, Mademoiselle."
Impossible" she said.
That stung me. moi" I said fiercely.
1T is not impossible. 1t is you who
are impossible! Il is You who arc
heartless, Mademoiseile. I have done
much, very much, in the last three
days to make things lighter for you. !
ask you 20 to do something for me
which can cost you nothing"
"Nothing? she answered slowly:
and her scornful voice clt me as If it
had been a knife. do you think, Mon
sieur, It costs me nothing to lose my
self-respect, as I do with every word !
speak to you? Do you think It costs