Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27
CHAPTER VII.
Monsieur le MARQUIS.

CHAPTER VII.
Monsieur lie Marquis.
Before going to bed Hester carefully
put the sacred pink camellia into water.
It was the last thing her eyes fell upon
as she turned the switch of the electric
light Strange to say. her sleep was
sweet and dreamless; no vision of "him''
disturbed her repose: indeed. she was
completely worn out from battling with
the gale of the previous day and the
storm of an expected emotion. The fol-
lowing morning Mrs. Britten came to her
with long list of errands-one to the
dressmaker. another to the hairdresser. a
third. note to be left at a villa at some
distance.
The little adventures was conscious for
the first time of an expression of reluc
tance on the girls face. and said, In her
sharpest key:
"Of course, you needn't go If you'd
rather mott"
II am perfectly aware of that" re-
Joined Miss Forde, quietly. but I will
take your messages for this once
The manner and the tone with which
this was announced astonished Mrs. Brit
ten. and for the first time in their ac-
quaintanceShip she respected Hester
Forde. Moreover. she began to tell her
self that she must exercise caution, and
quent1y happened) that this girls purse
supplied all her wants and luxuries. and
that only for Miss Forde she would not
be enjoying such a capital time in Biar-
ritZ-or. indeed, anywhere! BY nature a
bully. she was acting on the principle OF
1.-The more you beat them the better they
be- At first she had consulted her COM
panion and said, May r. Shall we?"
but familiarity, and the girls excessively
humble opinion of herself. had encour-
aged her to encroach. When she suffered
the heiress to sit next to her at meals
and accompany her to morning service
on Sunday, Mrs. Britten considered that
her duties were nobly fulfilled and went
her own way.
There was an extraordinary high tide
that afternoon at 3 o'clock-the highest.
it was said. for one hundred years! The
sea had not abated, and number of
people Including Hsster) went down to
the Virgins Rock and Whereabouts. in
order to watch the great Atlantic waves.
They advanced from afar. with towering
white heads: nearer and nearer they ap-
preached, till. with crash over the end
of the pier. the roar of a cataract and
mountain of salt spray. they deluged the
unWary. Other waves fed past. and flung
themselves on the rocks and into caves
and passages beneath the ground. where
they raved. shrieked and sobbed. Three
little French children. bare legged in
sand shoes, accompanied by their bonnie.
waited as near the end of the pier as
they dared venture. and when they saw
an enormous Atlantic roller looming in.
raced as if for their lives. Sometimes
they were caught and drenched; some
times those inoffensive people who were
merely looking on received an unexpected
douche. 1t was a mountainous sea.
magnificent sight Hordes of SightSeers
now came pouring from the town. stream
ing under the arch LA Roche Percee'
and out upon the iron pier: among the
crowd was Hester's hero She felt her
face flame suddenly. He was accom-
panied by lady. Frenchwoman, with
a superb figure. and plain face that had
somehow contrived to make itself at
tractive: and the lady seemed full or
pretty graces and animation as she trip
ped beside her escort. He wore long
gray coat. for the day was chilly to his
warm Spanish blood. gray cap and
brown boots. There was nothing plctur-
esaue about him but his handsome dark
face. He looked at Hester with the quick
Indifferent glance she received from all
his sex, then turned his back upon her
and began to point out some sight to his
companion. Hester felt almost giddy with
the force of her own emOtion-wild with
an insane desire to attract the attention
yes and admiration-of this man! Oh.
if a catastrophe would only happen, If
one of the children were to be swept off
into the waves. willingly would she leap
into the boiling surf-although she could
not swim!
OF course she would lose her life. but
what of that. since he would be a wit
ness? He would be compelled to admire
and acclaim her. perhaps attend her flu
neral and remember as long S he lived,
the English girl who had sacrificed her
self at the Virgins Rock.
Meanwhile she furtively watched him
as he turned about. lit cigarette and
sauntered off to another point of view
Then he and his friend halted at the little
booth under the arch. where a woman
sold postcards; having examined several
they laughed. made a purchase and
passed on toward the PLACE. Hester rose
as the pair disappeared, and. hurrying
to the woman who had still selection
of cards in her hand, pointed ard gasped
out:
Pour mo.''
The seller nodded and SLOWLY began to
count them over. and then the strange
lady indicating with her finger the last
customer muttered (and her face was
scarlet:
1.-The name of ce monsieur"
"Mon Dieu. oui she assented: "all the
world knows the Marquis de Sarazin-
Paul de Sarazin. II est tres jolt garcon
'est-ce-pas?"
Does he live here?" continued Hester.
and her voice was unsteady, turning over
some toys as she spoke and guilty
avoiding the womanS eye-it was an i'm
pudent eye.
Yes. for the season, with his mother,
Madame la Duchesse"
CThen he was unmarriedD
And the LADY," she faltered
"Oh. grace a Dieu. je ne sails pas. He
knows many ladies' ce brigand.'
For information thankfully received
Hester pulled out big five-franc piece
and hurried away without either toys or
cards in spite of the vendors shrill eX-