The Elbert County tribune., 1906-12-27
lZa LIN NIlIX

and | will assist you to familiarize
yourself with the work. But. first, let
me ask you question. When did you
leave Dead Mans Cave?"
Two days ago at midnight"
Did you note anything unusual in
Of Silence, in the atmospheric" she
said, leaning over toward me, and her
lovely eyes filed with an intense
light
THE odor of gas replied. was
very ppressive-sickening even"
She turned white and sank back
into her chair. her hand trembled.
Il entreat you to forgive me for
] causing you this anxiety" | said, ear.
nestly, 'T thought you knew these
things"
/ "Ah. sir, pray tell me all. for my
father. who confides all other matters
!. to me, has been singularly reticent on
this subject. OF course he has con.
cealed the danger to which we are ea
posed. to spare my feelings. but | am
sure he erred, for as member of The
Invisible Hand | should share its
anxieties as well as its prosperity"
81 am sorry. Miss De Tavenier, that
1t fell to my lot TO cause you this pain.
still am confident that Penguilly and
Romanski will find means to avert
this danger, as they have so often
. done before"
The bell changed in the hallway. and.
few moments later. the black
brought in great bundle of letters.
These were taken to small room
desks, she began to open the mail
A great bundle of papers, all of
similar size, lay upon another desk
These come under your care, Mr..
Rodin," she said, passing letter after
letter to me.
glanced at the curious sheets Gov
cred with writing in cipher-the ci-
pher of the Order. Reports of the
several committees, the disposition Of
certain moneys, the application of new
members, the movements of the royal
household, the course of the Russian
naval vessels, the improvements al
;,ronstadt. the exile of one Protaski
who has to be rescued by the thir-
teenth committee. and for the entire
morning, report after report was read.
all in the strange cipher of the Order
in which | was assisted by the fsir
women at my side. for. as yet, | was
not adept in the cipher.
The reports were transferred to jour
nails, and so concentrated were they in
form that upwards of fifty separate
documents were transcribed on one
page of the great journal, which no
n a N of In wi
Hand" could read.
There were many letters to write,
some under the dictation of MS De
Tavenier, others which | &C 81 do
alone. Many other entries which Mr.
De Tavenier had failed to complete
we're carefully made, and though at
)ther times it would have been task,
It was now a pleasure.
l applied myself with boyish en-
thusiasm, hoping, longing, to please
the fair girl at my side, and in her
smile found my reward
The work continued until p. m,
when together we had dinner in the
great dining hall, where she served
me with her own hand. and when we
had left the table and entered the
parlor, / thanked God that there was
a Valdermere, that there was a con
spiracy to kill the Gear, and, Lord
have mercy on me; that there was a
Gar to be killed. could scarcely
realize the rapid transition from the
mouldy dungeons of the caverns and
the silent uncanny servants of the
mountain house to the splendid par
lors of Mr.. De Tavenier, and the
queen-like loveliness of his daughter.
We worked no more that day. Mile.
Marie sang a sweet Creole song for
me, and her peculiar accent added a
rew charm to the wild romantic
music, while her long white fingers
sped over the worries of the grand
piano from Paris. Her voice was
sweet. well modulated, delicate in ex-
preston, thrilling in strength, and
under perfect control. To please me
she sang Annie Laurie" but she
could not drive away the French, and
| laughed at her English "Annah" and
her French "Lauree'' until she her.
self was forced to join me.
81 shall not try again to sing for
you" she said-'not in pure English" "
But you did 1t beautifully" said,
charmed by her generous speech and
her sense of humor. and again she
sang a song that pierced my heart
and thrilled my very soul-an old song
of the Spanish Main-such song
such a voice,
"Ah, l am SO glad you love music,
for 1t is a part of our life here" she
said, were 1t not for music life would
be insupportable. Speech is clever,
Is amusing. is instructive, but it is not
estful, it is not always pleasant. but
music rests the soul, Gains the mind.
| soothes the heart, it brings you nearer
| 20 God, It is a peace offering to a tired