Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-01-26
CHAPTER TX.

in a very irritable state of mind. Per
haps she was regretting the moments
impulse that had prompted her to ac-
cept a nameess young painter. Babette,
too. seemingly had a weight on her mind.
She crept about her work, laying out
Miss Mallng's elegant evening toilet
with subdued air very different from
her usual noiseless activity. Babette was
doing her best to get through her duties
when, as i'll luck would have It, memory
for a moment asserted itself and brought
before her a picture of pretty black
eyed urchn tossing from side to side IN
his small cot and crying out her name
increasingly as he refused the cooling
drink offered by a hand he did not love-
The maid sobbed-sobbed audibly.
Miss Mailing raised her eyes from
their contemplation of the carpet and
looked in dignifed surprise at the young
FrenchwCman. Noting for the first time
the signs of tears ON her face, Miss
Mailing felt angry.
"What in heavens name is the matter
with you, Babette? Pray don't let me
have any weeping and wailing. If there
is one thing that exasperates me more
than another, it is a crying woman"
pardon, mademoiselle; the grief over
came me in spite of myself | did not
intend to speak; but as you have noticed
my sorrow l will make bold to tell You
that have little stepbrother, the only
being in the world who is related to me,
and l have here a letter telling me he
Is very ill., and that he asks for me night
and daylight and day" The poor girls
voice broke for a moment; but she rallied
and went on. IF mademoiselle could
spare me for just enough time to get to
Boulogne and back to see the poor little
fellow
"And what am l to do in the mean
time?T' Pauline asked Jelly. of course
you can go If you like; but you need not
come back. l am surprised you should
ask me such an insane thing, when you
know the house will be full of people the
day after tomorrow. could not possi-
bly, do without you. Pray do not say an
other word about it, and please leave of
crying"
Babette moved away to the far end
of the room, wiped her eyes, and stood
for an instant quite still, REFRESHING the
sobs that shook her frame
IF my little Pierre dies without see
ing me l will never forgive you-neverl
will watch for a chance of doing you
Il great harm; and it will come if / am
patient" the girl thought
After dressing Miss Mailing and max
ing the dressing room tidy, Babette pass
ed through the picture gallery on her way
to Mrs Perkins sanctum for her usual
cup of tea. Thinking everybody must
be downstairs, she stopped at Jacks easel
and looked at Pauline's picture,
so you think the world is made for
your pleasureY You are too high lady
to trouble yourself with your servants
affairs; but perhaps they will trouble
themselves with yours, madame! l have
seen you finch and shrvel up strangely
sometimes. People don't shrvel up fol
nothing, unless they have a fear of some
thing; and ii they have secret fear
there must be something bad to cause
it, Ii my little darling dies without the
comfort of kissing his Babette once, il
will be your fault; and all my life lonl
l will watch, watch, watch, to try tC
repay your cruelty to me and him!'-
and she looked as if she meant it.
Jack, who had stopped until the las
moment finishing his rather difficult let
ter to Ethel in his own room, was strucl
face as he opened the door, wondered TO
the moment what could have caused it
wished the next that he could call it III
at win and use her as model for tiend
and the next moment forgot all about il
Throwing his letter on the hall table
he hurried into the drawing room t
make his peace for being late.
Babette had her quiet cup of tea wit
Mrs Perkins, and, with plentiful shed
ding of tears, wrote to the woman VIII
had charge of little Pierre, to say tina
she could not come to her darling jus
now.
The letter was full of loving message
and promises, and the poor girls heal
felt very heavy as she put it into tn
bag. She had taken it into the hall he
self. There was another letter lyiH
there ready stamped for the post; 81
took it up earelessly, recognized it by II
red seal as the one Jack had had in h
hand when he passed her in the CALLER
and stood transfxed with surprise as 81
read the address.
The address of that pretty demoisel
that followed home from the museur
by her orders! Why, there is somethiI
in this! Why, if she wants the adore
of u lady who is known to monster
DOnton, does she not ask him, insteG
of setting me to follow her like p
liceman? shall have that to find out
"Babette, want you" Mrs. Perki
called from the door that shut off Il
servants quarters.
Something in the voice, some subj
touch of sympathy, struck Babett'
quick ear. She turned so sharply tn
Mrs. Perkins had not time to conce
the black bOrdered letter she held In h
hand. With a heart rending cry, Babel
started forward and snatehed the lett
from her.
She was a quick. lmpetuOus. unreasO