Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-06-14
CHAPTER uI.--coNrrNuFp.

and going out again, fetched in a stool.
Then he hung up the lanthorn on a
nail, took the bowl and rag and in
vited ne to sit down.
| vas 10th to let him touch me; bit
he continued to stand over me, point
ing and grinning with dark persistence,
and, rather than stand on a trihe, | sat
down at last and gave him his . way.
He bathed my head carefully enough
and / dare say did it good; but I under
stood. ] knew that his only desire was
TO learn whether the cut was real or a
pretense. l began to fear him Q
and more. and, until he was gone from
the room, dared scarcely lift my face,
lest he should read too much in it.
Alone, even, I felt uncomfortable.
This seemed so sinister a business,
and so i'll begun. l was in the house
and the dumb mans eyes, full of sus-
piclon and menace. When I presently
got up and tried my door, | found 1t
locked. The room smelled dank and
close-like a vault. could not see
through the barred window; but l
could hear the boughs sweep 1t IN
ghostly fashion; and | guessed that
it looked out where the wood grew
close to the walls OF the house; and
that even in the day the sun never
pseped through it.
Nevertheless, tired and worn out, l
slept at last. When ! awoke the room
was full Of gray light. the door stood
open, and Louis, looking ashamed OF
himself waited by my pallet with a
cup of wine in his hand, and some
bread and fruit on a platter.
"Will Monsieur be good enough to
rise?' he said. ut is eight o'clock"
Willingly" I answered tartly.
snow that the door is unlocked"
He turned red. 1T was an over
sight" he stammered. "Clon is accus-
toned to lock the door, and he did
it inadvertently, forgetting that there
was any one"
"Inside!!" l said dryly.
Precisely, Monsieur"
"Ah!" l. replied. well, l do not
think the oversight would please Ma
dan de Cocheforet, if she heard OF
it?"
"If Monsieur would have the kind
ness not to-"
Mention it, my good fellow !
answered, looking at him with mean
ing, as | rose. mo; but it must not
occur again."
saw that this man was not like
Clon. He had the instincts of .he
fsmily servant, and freed from the in.
fluence of darkness, felt ashamed OF his
conduct. While he arranged my
clothes he looked around the room
with an air of distaste and muttered
once or twice that the furniture Of
the principal chambers was packed
away.
I'M. de Cocheforet is abroad,
Think" I said, as l dressed.
"And likely to remain there" thu
man answered carelessly, Struggling
his shoulders. Monsieur will doubt
less have heard that he IS in trou
BILE. In the meantime the house i!
triste. and Monsieur mus. overlool
much, if he stays. Madam lives re
tired, and the roads arc ill-made Cit
visitors few"
when the lien was i'll the jackslt
left him., I said.
Louis nodded. ct is true" he an
swered simply. lie made no boast o
brag of his wv account, noticed
and it came home to ME that he wa
a faithful fellow, such as | love.
questioned him 1iscreerly, and learne,
that he and Clon ard an older mai
who lived over the stables were III
only male servants left of a grea
household. Madam, her sister-in-laW
and three women completed the fam
lily.
1t took me some time to repair NJ
wardrobe, so that I care say 1t wa
nearly ten when I left my dismal it'll
room. | found Louis waiting in I'll
corridor, and he told me tina. Madar
de Cocheforet and mademoiselle wer
in the rose-garden, and would b
pleased to receive me. | nodded, an
he guided me through several dim pas
sages to a parlor with an open dool
through which the sun shone gail,
Cheered by the morning air and thi
sudden change to pleasantness and lif'
/ stepped lightly out.
The two ladies were walking UP al
down a wide path which bisected th
garden. The weeds grew rankly ]
the gravel underfoot, the rose-bushe
which bordered the walk thrust the
branches here and there in untraire
freedom, a dark yew hedge whic
formed the background bristlcd wit
rough shoots and sadly needed trim
ming. But | lid not see any Of thes
things then. The grace, the noble al
the distinction Of the TWO women wi
pacei slowly TO meet me-and VII
shared these qualities greatly as the
differed in others-left no power to N
tice TRIES.
Mademoiselle was a head shortt
than her belle soeur IA slender woma
and petite, with a beautiful face an
a fair complexion. She walked wi,
dignity, but beside madam's state
figure she seemed almost childish. Ar
It was characteristic Of the Two TIL
mademoiselle as they drew near to II
regarded me with soc:,wful attentic
madam with a grave smile.
bowed low. They returned IL
salute, This Is my sister" NADIA
de Cocheforet said, with a slight a
OF condescension. "Will you plea
tell ME yonr name, Monsieur"
Il am u, pc BGrtha, a gentleman
EDrYna. n n y Said 4,Linr lha coy