Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-12-13

mass at the cathedral, where she had
listened with rapt c~ountenance. In the
afternoon, the weather being very
pleasant, we drove out to the Bronx TO
see the animals and the Conservatives.
in which she was as interested as any
child. In fact, / found myself treating
her more n more as a child. she
was essentially one In characteristics
willed. easily downcast n as easily
elated. and though she was religious
to a degree amounting almost to SUI
perstition, 1T seemed never to nave oc-
Cured to her that there was anything
wrong or irregular in her manner or
life. She was frankly Tremain'es mis-
treSs, evidently cherished a deep airec-
ton for him, and, / doubt not, would
have been faithful to him under any
but the most extraordinary temptation.
She had arrayed herself, that sun
day evening. in the same garments she
had worn the first night / had met
her-the gorgeous costume Of the belle
affranchie. In which she was most at
home-but l had grown more accus-
toned to her and sat down near her
without any great bedazZlement She
was lying on the couch, engaged in
rolling cigarets with remarkable skill
and celebrity, and had quite a pile on
the tabouret beside her. / sat and
watched the supple fingers and the red,
red lips, and the dark face, changing
with every wave Of feeling.
There" she said. at last, I'm that
queer, Clipped soft Creole which defles
transcription, and she pushed away
papers and tobacco. THAT will do for
this evening. Take one che"
/ took n n lighted it. / knew
that the term of endearment had no
meaning.
q - - L. iii .,.II~-1.v t,,,,
ing TO me with intent gaze, do you
know where doudoux has gomez
mo" l answered. "he did not tell
me. He said only that his business
was calling him away"
Business! One! And you believe
that"
why shouldn't believe it, Cecily?'
IF 1t were merely business. he could
have taken me along. Tambou! I
would have hidden in some little. little
corner! / would not have been in the
way"
She flung her cigaret from her with
a swift fury, not looking TO see where
1t struck. l got up and stamped it u
She burst into sudden laughter as she
watched mC-the mirth of the careless
south at the careful north.
"All the same" she said, with on
v%iction, he is growing weary of me:
l annoy him; / can see it. 1t was, Of
course, inevitable, Soon he will be
sending me away. Ohe!" and she
stretched her arms above her head
with that gesture l had seen before.
"Ah Well! d'amour, de rires, ct d'oub-
ISL" n she laughed, but l fancied
there was a sob beneath the laughter.
"At least, l shall be again at St.
Pierre"
And you still long for it?'
"Oh, long for it! So would you,
che, If you had ever lived there
A line from M~andalay flashed into
my head
IF you've card 1.-The east a-callin',
why, you don't 'eed nothin' else
and looking at her, l caught a glimpse
of that compelling fascination. Preach
ers and lecturers are fond of pointing
out that no great nation ever came
from the tropics-but the people who
live there have their co~mpensations.
Suddenly there came a soft kissing
from the little cage over the radiator.
"Ah, / must feed Fe-Fe-she is call
ing me-" she cried, and she sprang up,
ran to the next room, and came back
with a little wine in a glass.
l stood and watched her without be-
ing greatly impressed. Fe-Fe seemed
very harmless and lethargic-evidently
the Innate of New York, even though
mellowed by the radiator, did not
agree with her.
'She is not at all WELL" said Cecily,
as she put her back into her cage. 1T
is only the warmth of the wine that
keeps her alive. / shall take her back
to St. Pierre with me-there she will
again be happy. Tambou! and so shall
l! one is always shivering here-the
whole world is so cold-the sky, the
sea, even the SUM-"
"Of course Tremaine Will go back
with you" l assured her; | was Won
dering if she really suspected his In
~tention.
NO, he will not" she said decidedly;
but" she added, with an electric flash
of the eyes, he may come in time"
I lighted another cigaret.
Where did you meet him, Cecily?"
He came to st. Pierre three, four
years ago. He saw me one day stand
ing at the door of my house in the Rue
Peysette."
do you know where he came from"
mo; it mattered nothing to me-"
He never talked about his past?"
His past? No, no. What was it to
Fond-Corre. Tambou! l wish l was
there now!"
You were happy there?"
"Yes-except for the times doudoux
was in his black spells"
His black spells?"
'Yes-oh, then everyone ran from
him-even l. He was terrible-rav-
ing and cursing Missile Johnson"
Johnson" l repeated, with a sudden
leap Of the heart. Who was he. Ce-
HE was doudoux's vombi," she an
swered with conviction, and crossed
herself.
Continued Next Weekly
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