Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-10-12
CHAPTER VII.

| CHAPTER WI.
Countess SsrahoH Wins and Loses.
| The next morning when I FIRST
awoke. I wondered vaguely why this
day seemed TO be so different from
the long and dreary succession OF
yesterday it prozised eager
| hopes and eager interests % be full
filed Then 7 remembered. and my
pulses beat faster Yesterday 7 de-
| SPARED. to-day I hoped
| A woman had come into my life
/ q Eoddess-Diana OF the silver bow.
| Chaste and cold as the SHOWS on the
| Alpine heights I could not see from
my window ia the blue distance. yet
she had called. she had spoken 10 me.
Then. disdainfully cruel. she had gone
as she had come. But was 20 pur-
sue
The very audacity OF my resolution
gave 20 70 its charm. I was not 10 rest
until had accomplished my uncertain
mission. That It was by its very ma
ture so incredibly difficult did not
daunt me. But how was I 70 set
about Il? A life for life. To save
20 the world a strong and buoyant
soul FOR the strong and buoyant soul
that had persisted because OF my help
lessness and my weakness. However
romantic. 80 was a tangible enough
ideal
! hut was ] 90 wander about. Ike a
knight OF MEDIEVAL times. seeking TO
succor one in peril and distress-to
rescue beautiful maidens from grim
ogres and terrible dragons? smiled
at the absurd resemblance OF my IN
certain task 70 theirs.
So far as Il lay In my power. I
would perform my self-imposed task
IN direct and businesslike method.
AS 20 this method. a dozen extrava-
giant courses OF action occurred TO me
al once. OF the dozen I selected two
as possible.
Every English gentleman comes OF
a 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 tho battlefield. then. must ap-
peal 20 her. IL. 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. 7 looked Iong and earnestly
where the sun touched the mountain
top with a rosy hight out OF the morn
ing mists. The mountains seemed 70
beckon. 10 wait for me.
| I had shuddered-I sim shuddered
as I thought of their awful gloom and
loneliness. And yet they seemed e
beckon-to wait for me. had beer
helpless and weak. They had con
| quered me. Well, must return e
conquer them. Their very immensely
need not appal me- Mans glory is tC
subdue the vast forces OF nature-tC
make them his own.
| I thought OF the Hospice of ST
| Bernard. There for centuries me1
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 &
noYitiate In the order7 few months
OF arduous training, and I should be
ready for the battle.
| II I went TO the monastery and told
the good father superior OF the sacred
vow I had made. would ne laugh al
me for a mailman, or would he under
stand and help me 20 fulfill It?
| I began the day, therefore. vaguely
hopeful. no longer permitted my
self to be troubled at the whispers oil
servants and guests. even courted
the society OF my fellowmen. paid
my two francs admission TO the kur
saal. and listened with real enjoyment
TO its excellent orchestra
My coat was lightly brushed
There was faint but exquisite per
fume. 1 glanced, as did a dozen
others. at the woman who was pass
| ing
The small, but superbly poised fig
ure. gOwned with a marvellous sim
| plicity. paused by my side a fraction
Of a second IL was my acquaintance
OF the reading room again, and she
had murmured a good morning A
dozen had noted the greeting and en-,
We'd me.
I did not return II. She continued
her way daintily. Furnishing me for my
rudeness by smiling across at me
| mockingiy as she seated herself az
my right. There was something OF a
| childish. almost fairy malice in the
Elusive smile.
The fntermiSsion came an a-~