Charlevoix county herald., 1907-05-25
CHAPTER vII.-continued.

would perform my self-imposed task
in direct and businesslike method.
AS to this method. dozen eXtrava-
giant courses of action occurred to me
at once. OF the dozen | selected two
as possible.
Every English gentleman comes OF
race of warriors" the mysterious
woman of the reading room had said
to me last night. Miss Brett, being an
Englishwoman, had the blood of sol
diers in her veins. The physical cour-
age of the battlefield, then, must APP
peal to her. If, for instance, | should
enlist in the Foreign Legion, there
was the Legion Of Honor to be won.
The little ribbon would tell its elo-
quent story.
But Willoughby's life had been lost
amid the dread silence of the white
SHOWS. ! looked long and earnestly
where the sun touched the mountain
top with a rosy light out of the morn
ing mists. The mountains seemed to
beckon, TO wait for me.
| had shuddered-I still shuddered,
as | thought of their awful gloom and
loneliness. And yet they seemed to
beckon-to wait for me. | had been
helpless and weak They had con-
quered me. Well, | must return to
conquer them. Their very immensely
need not appal me. Mans glory is to
subdue the vast forces of nature-to
make them his own.
/ thought Of the Hospice Of st.
Rarnard Tbara cnnturinc mon
had even laid down their lives to save
the perishing Well, why should | not
be one of the little band for the time
being? Why should | not become a
novitiate in the order? A few months
Of arduous training, and | should be
ready for the battle.
If went to the monastery and told
he good father superior of the sacred
yow l had made, would he laugh at
ne for mailman, or would he under
stand and help me to fulfill it?
I began the day, therefore, vaguely
hopeful. / no longer permitted my
elf to be troubled at the whispers of
ervants and guests. | even courted
he society of my fellowmen. | paid
ny two francs admission to the lur-
aal, and listened with real enjoyment
its excellent orchestra.
My coat was lightly brushed
here was a faint but exquisite per-
lme | glanced, as did a dozen
Tiers, at the woman who was pass
lg.
The small, but superbly poised fig
e, gowned with a marvellous SIM
lefty, paused by my side a fraction
a second. 1t was my acquaintance
the reading room again. and she
I'd murmured good morning. A
zen had noted the greeting and en-
I'd me.
did not return it. She continued
+ way daintily furnishing me for my
deness by smiling across at me
)ckingly as she seated herself at
Z right. There was something of a
ildish, almost fairy malice in the
isive smile
The intermission came. All the
rid pushed back their chairs, and
de their way through glazed doors
the rear. whence an electric bell
lg persistently. The motley crowd
officers, tourists. and such of the
,iety of Lucerne as was at the
.saal passed through the glazed
,rs to play the petits chevauX-a
her harmless form OF dissipation,
gambling toy that permits one to
at the most a five-franc piece.
mingled with the crowd about the
en-baize table on which the little
,,.,,; til;
lginary race course. A croupier
.nged 50-franc note for me. |
sed coin on one of the numbers;
lost. staked another coin, this
G against the field. Again | lost.
taxed all my fivc-franc pieces but
yhile | weighed them thoughtfully
my palm. my arm was touched
lily. 1t was my adventures of
reading room once more. She
ID her eyebrows in whimsical con-
4 at my i'll luck.
even these little horses, you see,
lam, know that | am to be
med" | said in a low voice.
dy friend" she smiled, vivacious.
they are simply frightened at
black face. They are sensitive,
little horses. But if you coax
shall see. Allons. we will be pru-
little shining franc on number
Now. If my brave horses only
that IL Is I who am asking them
i'm for us, we shall win"
e rien va plus" croaked an Off.
in dingy dress suit and crumped
bosom. He spun the mechanism
sly betweel two bony fingers and
ID. The tiny jockeys in blue, buff,
4, and red sped swiftly around
course. Presently they struggled
behind the other. and came to
use. The croupier stretched out
- l.. Oh Ii