The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1907-05-24
CHAPTER vlI.-contlnued.

So far as II lay in my power,
would perform my self-imposed task
in a direct and husinesslike method.
AS TO this method, a 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
10 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 10 her IT, 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'a 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 10
subdue the vast forces of nature-to
make them his cwn.
| 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 | 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
the good father superior of the sacred
VOW ] had made. would he laugh at
me for mailman, or would he under
stand and help me TO fulfill il?
I began the day, therefore. vaguely
hopeful. ! no longer permitted my
self TO be troubled at the whispers of
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 a faint but exquisite per.
fume. | glanced, as did dozen
others, at the woman who was pass
ing.
The small, but superbly poised fig
IRE, 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 It, She continued
her way daintily. furnishing me for my
rudeness by smiling across 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 doors
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 petits chevaux-a
rather harmless form of dissipation, |
a gambling toy that permits one to
lose at the most a five-franc piece.
! mingled with the crowd about the |
green-baize table on which the little I
metal horses were whirling around an |
imaginary race course. croupier |
changed a 50-franc note for me. |
tossed a coin on one of the numbers; |
and lost. l staked another coin, this |
time against the field. Again | lost. |
staked all my five-franc pieces but |
two.
While | 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-
Germ at my i'll luck.
Even these little horses, you see. |
madam. know that am to be |
stunned" 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 If you coax
we shall see. Allons, we will be pru-
dent, little shining franc on number /
81. Now. If my brave horses only |
know that ii is I who am asking them
to win for us. we shall win"
me rien va plus" croaked an Off.
cial in dingy dress suit and crumpled
shirt bosom. He spun the mechanism
briskly between two bony fingers and
thumb. The tiny jockeys in blue. buff.
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.