The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-12-12

| mass at the cathedral where she had
listened with rapt countenance. In the
afternoon. the weather being very
| pleasant, we drove out to the Bronx to
see the animals and the co~nservatorfes,
I'm which she was as interested as any
child. In fact, ! found myself treating
her more and more rs a child. she
was essentially in characterised
wflled, easily downcast and as easily
elated; and though she was religious
to a degree amounting almost TO SUI
perstition, Ii seemed never to have oc-
Cured to her that there was anything
! wrong or irregular I'm her manner of
! life. She was frankly Tremain'es mis-
tress, evidently cherished a deep affec-
ton for him, and, I doubt not, would
ave been faithful to him under any
but the most extraordinary temptation.
She had arrayed herself, that Sun
lay evening, in the same garments she
had worn the first night j had met
her--the gorgeous costume of the belle
affranchie, In which she was most at
home-but i had grown more accus-
toned to her and sat down near her
without any great bedazzlement. She
was lying or the couch, engaged in
rolling cigarets with remarkable skill
and celebrity, and had quite a pile on
the tabouret beside her. sat and
watched the supple fingers and the red,
red lips. and the dark face, changing
with every wave of feeling.
There" she said, at last, in that
queer, Clipped soft Creole which defles
transcription, and she pushed away
papers and tobacco. THAT will do for
this evening. Take ne, che"
I took one and lighted it. ] knew
that the term of en~dearment had no
meaning.
MY friend" she said suddenly, turn
ing to me with intent gaze, do you
know where doudoux has gomez"
mo" I answered, "he did not tell
me. He said only that his business
was calling him away" 4a,a
Business! ohel And you believe
that?" +.
why shouldn't / believe it, Cecily P'
"If 1t were merely business, he could
have taken me along. Tambou! I
would have hidden in some little, little
corner! l would not have been in the
Wy"
She flung hcr cigaret from her with
a swift fury, not looking TO see where
II struck. I got UP and stamped 1t out.
She burst into sudden la tighter as she
watched me--the mirth OF the careless
south at the careful north.
"All the same" she said, with con-
viction, "he Is growing weary of me;
4 eAAlAANy I'LL u CAl Z y IL was cI
course, inevitable. Soon he will be
sending me away. Ohei" and she
stretched her arms above her head
with that gesture ! had seen before.
"Ah well! d'amour, de rires, ct d'ouh-
lis!!" and she laughed, but I fancied
there was a sob beneath the laughter.
"At least, I shall be again at st.
Pierre"
And you still long for ftp" .
"Oh, long for it! So would you,
che, If you had ever lived there"
: A line from Mandalay flashed into
my head
IF you've card the east a-callin',
why, o don't 'eed nothin' else"-
and looking at har, l caught a glimpse
of that compelling fascination. Preach
ers and lecturers are fond of pointing
out that no great nation ever came
from the tropics-but the people who
live there have their compensationsSl
Suddenly there came q soft kissing
from the little cage over the radiator.
,"Ah, / must feed Fe-Fe-she is call
ing me-" she cried, and she sprang up,
ran to the next room, n came back
with a little wine In a glass.
I stood and watched her without be-
ing greatly impressed. Fe-Fe seemed
very harmless and lethargic-evidently
tho climate Of New York, wen though
mellowed by the radiator, did not
agree with her.
"She is not at all well," said Cecily,
as she put her back into her cas- TT
is only the warmth Of the wine that
keeps her alive. / shall lake her back
to st. Pierre with me-there she will
again be happy. Tambou! and so shall
1! One is always shivering here-the
whole world is SO cold-the sky, the
sea, ven h SUM"
"Of course Tremaine will go back
with you," / assured her; / was won
dering If she really suspected his In
tention.
mo, he will not" she said decidedly;
but" h added, with al electric fash
of the eyes, "he may come in time"
l lighted another cigaret.
where did you meet him, CeciIy::"
He came to st. Pierre three, four
years ago. He saw me n day stand
ing at the door Of my house In the Rue
Peysette."
do you know where. he came from?'
mo; 1t mattered nothing to me-"
He never talked about his past?"
His past? No, no. What was 1t to
Fond-Corre. Tambou! I wish / was
there now!"
You were happy there?"
"Yes-except for the times doudoux
was In his black spells"
His black spells?"
"Yes-oh, hen everyone ran from
him-even l. He was terrible-raV-
ing and cursing Missile Johnson"
Johnson" 1 repeated, with a sudden
leap of the heart. Who was he, Ce-
cily?" ,
He was doudoux's vombi," she n
swered with conviction, and crossed
herself.
Continued Next Week.l
Quaker Reflections.