Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-02-07

Inc gray stone walls or the old
French convent we're austere and for
bidding, but behind the iron gates a
quaint and delicious garden dreamed
in the mellow, October sunshine.
Up and down the cleaning paths of
white marble paced Sister Victorine
and Angel" Smith, of Milwaukee,
pace or two behind them walked
Sister Victorines familiar. the con-
vent cat-the pampered, the petulant
Lulu. Lulu was not convent-bred;
she was of the lawless, intriguing
breed of cats of Paris, and her eyes
still retained the expression of the
,boulevardier.
This was Angels second year of I'M
willing exile, of the irritating realiza-
ton of encompassing walls whose
open sesame she was not to know. To
be thrust into convent for falling in
love a few years in advance of the
date decided upon by parents and
guardians, is very passe situation
in fiction; but when such thing
occurs in real life, it is so rocco
as to be extremely ridiculous. This
Angel felt keenly.
She would have regarded her lot
as unrelieved tragedy were it not that
"Ralph's'" twenty-irst birthday &C.
Cured at the beginning of her
second year of seclusion, and he
had promised that on the day fol-
lowing the attainment of his ma
jority he would set sail for France
and rescue his captive princess.
But Angels monotonous existence
was not destined to be of long dura-
ton. One evening, as the girls sat
IN the long, bare refectory eating their
blameless supper of bread and cheese
and stewed pears there was sound
without as of the running of many
feet, and Sister Victorine burst into
the room.
Mon Dieu!" exclaimed Sister Vic
torine, upraising her hands.
The good Rosine, our maid, glanced
from the window of the buttery and
saw, walking up and down the street
of All Angels-a man. He meditated
evil, for he scanned the convent
closely. Then Rosine fastened to in
form the mother superior who or
dered the gates locked at once. But
oh, mon Dieu!-my heart grew small
for fear that Lulu might be with
Quit"
While Sister Victorine spoke can.
gel' Smiths eyes had dilated curious.
ly. Her face was pale and on her
lip lay vivid smile.
The next afternoon in the freedom
of the garden Angel confided her
hopes to her -schoolmates.
The daughters of European nobility
grew pale They swayed as If in a
strong gust of wind. Such daring sen,
timents! Such heart devastating
emotions.
But the times were pregnant with
events. Just as they reached the far
end of the garden, in their walk, a
stone wrapped in white paper whizzed
over the ivy-grow2s wall and struck
Lulu,t the cat, so that the air resound-
ed with her loud cries. Fortunately,
these failed to arouse Sister Victorine,
who dozed peacefully beneath near
by pear tree.
Then Angel" surrounded by her
breathless and excited companions,
read the scrawl 1t assured her of
undying love and certain rescue, even
IL it were necessary to dynamite the
convent. 1t begged that as the even
ing grew dusk, she climb the tree
which leaned against the southwest
hn 30
ladder, would meet and assist her
down the other side. Her sister was
in the village, and would witness
their marriage, and then they would
fly to Paris tn win the forgiveness of
her mother
The European nobility gasped with
joy. Write back at once that you
WILL they commanded, supplying a
pencil.
Angel obeyed, and sent the white
wrapped stone flying back over the
wall. Having acted, she paused to
think. Now that have said I would,
how can II" she asked, dejectedly.
You know that we are not allowed in
the garden after dark"
iilliSuC VIII De necessary, said
the countess, firmly. "a momenti |
have an inspiration"
She rolled her eyes wildly and
clutched her curly black head. Lis.
ten, then! We will keep Lulu among
us all afternoon. During study hours,
l can slip away a moment. l will
bear her to tree by the southwest
wall and tie her there by a cord fas.
fened to her collar. Just at the
close of supper we will tell Victorine
tina, she has escaped. Victorine will
express distress, CONSERVATION; and
YOU must demand the privilege of
searching for her. Once without. rush
straight for the tree, cut Lulu's cord
and over the wall, Is not that sim.
ple?"
What mind! What intellect"
chorused the nobility.
Fate herself seemed to aid that
In1 fnp Nf toll