Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-10-17
CHAPTER vu.--continued.

ct once. or the dozen I selected two
as possible.
Every English gentleman m Of
a race Of warriors" the mysterious
woman Of the reading DON had said
to me last night, Miss Brett, being an
Englishwoman, had the blood of SOL
diers in her veins. The physical cour-
g Of the battlefield, then, must ap-
peal to her. II. for instance, I 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. l looked long and earnestly
where the IL 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 I 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.
ouered me. Well. I 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.
Bernard. There for centuries men
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 I not become a
novitiate in the order? A few months
Of arduous training. and ! should be
ready for the battle.
II | went to the monastery and told
the good father superior OF the sacred
vow I had made. would he laugh at
me for a mailman, or would he under.
stand and help me to fulfill It?
| began the day, therefore. vaguely
hopeful. / no longer permitted my
self TO be troubled at the whispers Of
servants and guests. l even courted
the society OF my fellowmen. l paid
my two francs admission to the kur-
saal, and listened with real enjoyment
to Its excellent orchestra.
My coal was lightly brushed.
There was a faint but exquisite per.
fume. I glanced. as did a dozen
others, at the woman who was pass.
ing.
The small, but superbly poised ng-
ure, gowned with a marvellous sim.
plicity, paused by my side a fraction
Of a second. 1t 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.
did not return II. She continued
her way daintily. furnishing ME for my
rudeness by smiling acros at me
mockingly as she seated herself at
my right. There was something of a
childish, almost fairy malice in the
Elusive smile.
The intermission came. All the
world pushed back their chairs, and
made their way through glazed door
at the rear. whence an electric bell
rang persistently. The motley crowd
Of officers, tourists, and such Of the
society of Lucerne as was at the
kursaal passed through the glazed
doors to play the petito chevaux-a
rather harmless form Of dissipation,
a gambling toy that permits n to
lose at the most a fve-franc piect.
! mingled with the crowd about the
green.baize table on which the little
metal horses were whirling around an
imaginary race course A %croupier
changed a 50.franc note for me. I
tossed a coin on one Of the numbers;
and lost. ] staked another coin, this
time against the field. Again ! lost.
I staked all my fve.franc pieces but
two.
While I weighed them thoughtfully
In my palm, my arm was touched
lightly. 1t was my adventures OF
the reading room once more. She
lifted her eyebrows in whimsical con-
csrn at my Ill luck.
Even these little horses, you see,
madam, know that l am to be
summed" I said In a low voice.
my friend" she smiled, vivacious.
ly, they are simply frightened at
your black face. They are sensitive,
the little horses. But II you coax
we shall see. Allons. we will be pru.
dent, a little shining franc on number
81. Now, II my brave horses only
know that II is ! who am asking them
TO win for US. we shall win"
NE rien va plus" croaked an OFF,
cial in a dingy dress suit and crumpled
shirt bosom. He spun the mechanism
briskly between two bony fingers and
thumb. The tiny jockeys IN blue. bun.
green, and red sped swiftly around
the course. Presently they struggled
one behind the other, and came to
a pause. The croupier stretched out
his rake. and drew In our two shining
francs with the other winnings OF the
bank.
| turned to her sternly. You seer"
! cried in tragic dismay. q.
"Pouf! a little patience, monsieur.
It is the Jockeys who are sulky. l
have forgotten to blow them q kiss.
Quick, a nve.franc piece, the maxi.
mum, on the field. This time we shall
certainly win"
Three times In succession we won
now ut even odds. now with the odds
In our Iavor. But again the electric
bell rang. She shrugged her shout
ders, and made a moue of regret.
Alas! At the hour OF our triumph
the voice of art clamors."
We returned TO the concert room.
rs It not strange" she murmured
after a pause in the music. that one
longs so much Ger what is Just beyond
ones reach, while other fruit, al
sweet. may be plucked for the ask.
Ing?"
The holiness NJ the metaphor