Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-09-24

| member of the Washington diplomatic
| circle who came to the Springs. not
/ even the shrewd and secretiye Russian
ambassador, received longer or more
cryptic cables. With the social diver
sions of the Springs and the necessity
for making show Of having some le-
| climate business in America, Jules
| Chauvenet was pretty well occupied.
and now the presence of John Armi.
tage in Virginia added to his burdens
| He was tired and perplexed, and II
was with unaffected pleasure that he
rode out of an obscure hill path into a
bit of open wood overhanging a curl.
| GUS defile and came upon Shirley Clai.
| borne.
| The soil was soft, and his horse ear
ried him quite near before she heard
him. A broad sheet of water flashed
down the farther side of the narrow
pass, sending up pretty squirt Of
spray wherever it struck the iuttin.
rock. AS Shirley turned toward him
| he urged his horse over the springy
| turf.
"a pity to disturb the picture, Miss
Claiborne! thousand pardons! But
! / really wished to see whether the fig
ure could come out of the canvas
| Now that ! have dared to make the
test. pray do not send me away"
Her horse turned restlessly and
brought her face to face with Chau
venet
STEADY. Fanny! Don't come near
her, please this last to Chauvenet
who had leaped down and put out his
hand to her horses bride. She had
the true horsewoman's pride in caring
| for herself, and her eyes flashed angri
| ~ for a moment at Chauvenet's prof
fered aid. a man might open door
| for her or pick up her handkerchief
| but to touch her horse was an alto
gether different business. The pretty,
graceful mare was calm in a moment
and arched her neck contentedly under
the stroke of Shirley's hand.
Beautiful! The picture is even
more perfect, mademoiseller'
Fanny is best in action and splen
did when she runs away. She hasn't
run away today, but ! think she is
| likely to before get home"
| She was thinking of the long ride
which she had no intention OF taking
in Chauyenets company. He stood I'M
covered beside her, holding his horse.
But the danger, mademoiselle! You
should not hazard your life with run
away horse on these roads. 1t is not
| fair IN ya11r friends -
"You are a conservative. monsieur
| should be ashamed to have a run
away in city park. but what does
one come TO the country forf"
What, indeed, but for excitement?
You are not of those tame young wo-
men across the sea who come out into
| the world from convent, frightened
at all they see and whisper Yes, sis
| ter no, sister, to everything they
| hear"
! Yes; we Americans are deficient in
| shyness and humility. ! have often
heard il remarked, NJ. Chauvenet."
| mo. no. You misunderstood! Those
| deficiencies. as you term them, are de-
| lightful They are what give the
charm to the American woman. hope
you would not believe me capable of
speaking in disparagement, mademoi-
| selle. You must know
The water tumbled down the rock
| into the vale; the soft air was sweet
with the scent of pines. An eagle
cruised high against the blue over
head. Shirley's hand frightened on the
rein, and Fanny lifted her head ex-
| pectantly.
Chauvenet went on rapidly in French.
..You must know why l am here
| why I have crossed the sea to seek
you. mademoiselle, from the moment !.
first saw you in Florence. Here, with
only the mountains. the sky, the wood.
! | must speak. You must hear, you
must believe, that | love youl | offer
you my life. my poor attachments"
Monsieur, you do me great honor
but / cannot listen. What you ask is
impossible. quite impossible. But,
| monsieur
| Her eyes had fallen upon 3 thicket
| behind him where something had
| stirred. She thought at first that It
vas an animal Of some sort, but she
saw aow quite distinctly mans shah
by felt hat that rose slowly until the
bearded face OF its wearer was dis.
| closed
Monsieur" cried Shirley In low
tone. look behind you and be careful
/ what you say or do. Leave the man
to me-
( Chauvenet turned and faced scowl.
| Ing mountaineer who held rife and
| drew il TO his shoulder as Chauvenet
threw out his arms dropped them 60
his thighs and laughed carelessly.
What lie It. my dear fellow-my
watch my purse. my horser be said
In English
He wants none Of those things
/ said Shirley. urging her horse a few
| steps toward the man. The mountain