Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1907-12-27
CHAPIER v.-(Continued.)

ne wrote letter which was destined for
st. Petersburg, but travelled in the first
instance to the care of one DR.. Brun,
of Hollington place, London. In the soil
tude of his own chamber Mr.. Zeno per-
mitted himself an accurate and intimate
acquaintance with the French language,
little of it as he allowed himself for his
present purposes to know outside.
Meanwhile things were going more
pleasantly in the garden. Angela, with
little twinge of conscience, had informed
Austin that Major Butler would be de-
lighted to meet him and had expressed
his great regret that he had been unable
to make the call he had contemplated that
day. The fact that the major had charg-
ed her with this message did not help her
much, for she knew its hollowness. The
major rather dreaded the advent of
man who wrote books and regarded Aus
tin as a fellow who would be likely to
know a lot of things and expect other
people to know them also.
ord meek wun of the porty meself,"
said Fraser, with his own invaluable sang
troid, but olive need up me moind to
go back tomorrow"
Tomorrow" said O'Rourke. THAT'S
little sudden, isn't it2"
Il wish you'd come, O'Rourke," said
Maskelyne. "But Major Butler is
dreadful Tory, and am not sure that
you'd care to meet each other"
Major Butler might convert me, per
haps," said O'Rourke. mo, no. Clearly
am impossible" He spoke with so per-
feet gayety and good humor that he
hurt nobody. But little later he con-
trived to get Maskelyne apart, and to
question him about a matter which had
puzzled him a good deal How does your
dreadful Tory's niece contrive to be ia
miliar with Dobroski, when a mere Home
Ruler like myself is quite too terrible for
the old gentleman? l call him the old
gentleman with no dishrespect," he added,
with his delightful smile 'And, of
course, he may be a young gentleman,
and still be the lady's uncle, though,
again, he is her guardian, and probably
elderly"
"Dobroski and Miss Buffers father
were dear friends" said Maskelyne, re-
peating what he had heard from Angela.
when Dobroski escaped from Siberia
he landed in England without funds or
friends. Miss Buffers father found him
out, maintained him, so far as 1 can
learn, for years, and was a stanch friend
hood and has a great affection and ven
Grafton for him. 1t is a difficult posi-
ton, for he and her uncle are at daggers
now. But Dobroski seems to worship
her"
Eyes, can see that" O'Rourke an
Bwered. "A charming girl" he added
softly, and in so natural a way that Mas
kelyne supposed him to be ignorant OF
his own interest in her. There's TO
nance in the situation, too" he continued
In lighter tone. Maskelyne, with a mere
nod in answer, made a move in Angela's
direction. NO." said O'Rourke, putting
an arm through one Of his. "You don't
escape me in that way. have something
to say to you, and 1 know that you will
be shifty and evasive and undetermined
in your ways until have said it. Let me
speak, old fellow. We shall both b.
easier l can't tell you what think anC
feel about that splendid loan of yours
l was really desperate. / don't know
what 1 should have done without it."
"Very WE'LL" said Maskelyne, pressing
his companions arm with a gesture o.
affection, but speaking very dryly; at il
over now?"
"No, my friend of outward marble anC
inward tenderness, it is not over. And i
never will be-"
"Once for all. O'Rourke, bury that con
founded thing, and have done with 1t.
"Well, there, the thing is buried. II
say no more till can pay you back again
But l suppose you don't forbid me tt
think of 1t in the meantime? 1t was tn,
only kindness in that way ever had o.
ever wanted. sha'n't forget it; that
ALL And now it's buried"
On the following day O'Rourke took
quiet walk by unknown ways across tn
fields. He was a born townsman, and haC
but little love for rural tranquillities b.
nature, but he was already weary of tn,
work of the session, and was glad to es
cape to fresh air and silence for awhile
One gentle little hill after another drew
him on. He would see what lay beyonC
this gentle eminence, and then he would
see what lay beyond the next, and in thi
fashion he sauntered on until he came il
sight of a most exaggeratedly castellateC
house of gray stone standing in the mids
Of a dark pine woods. The building wal
Of a moderate size, but its peaks and tur
rets dwarfed it, and from a little dis
lance made it look at least as much like 1
childs toy as a dwelling house for rea
people This was the chateau of Roufoy
and the present residence of Major But
Ter.
The wanderer, who had fairly goo,
taste in most things, stood for momen
to smile at this preposterous ed6ce, ant
then walked on again. 1t was a day o
cloudy soft light, and the air was won
derfully sweet. The woods were in tn
freshness of their greenery and the darl
hues of the contrasting pines set off tn
lighter foliage. A few hundred yards be
fore him lay the first link of a rive
which went winding in a rounded zlgzaj
until it lost itself to view behind tn
shoulder of a wood-clad hill.
He strolled down to the river side, an
there cast himself upon the grass, an,
stared up at the soft motionless clouds
The stream ran through narrower bank
than common near where he lay, and KEEP
up a pleasant drowsy gurgle. Listenin
to this, he lay there enjoying all the de
lights of leisure after labor in ever
fiber Of his body, until he fell into ligh
doze. From this he was awakened by
rustic and the sound of an exeeratiol