The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-08

faintlng ike saw lady once. and some
body at that time threw water on the
lady"
Paul, with the true lovers instinct to
serve those loved BY his adored one. ran
to the fountain and filed his cap with
water. and then flew as fast as his legs
would carry him to the place where Nine.
RaveneI still lay. Most Of the water was
split over his white linep suit, but there
was enough left to revive Nine. RayeneL
THANK you. my boy. said Capt Rave
mel, as he dashed the water on Nine.
RaveneTs face. Then she opened her eyes
and tried 70 stand up. Paul ran for more
water and came back with about table,
spoonful in his cap, while he himself was
dripping like a water spaniel. But Nine.
Ravenel, by that time, was sitting up on
the bench, pale, with her dark hair dis
heveled. and her hat stil lying on the
ground Capt. Ravenel was supporting
her.
Paul Verney, being g gentleman at
twelve years OF age, felt Instinctively that
having done a service. it was his place
TO retire. He received a tremulous THANK
YOU from Nine. Ravenel. who then
asked anxiously Of Capt. Ravenel:
Where is Lucie-what has become OF
the child?"
But Lueie at that moment appeared,
and Paul. longing to remain and hear
more interesting stories about grown peo-
pie from Lucie's cherry lips, still felt
bound to retire, which he did.
| Toni on the contrary, making no pre-
tensions to being a gentleman, had to see
the whole thing played through. He con-
cealed himself behind the shrubbery. and
saw with pain. but with deep interest
Nine. Ravenel weep a little-tears which
Capt. Ravenel tried to check. Then. in q
moment, Harper appeared and Lucie
went OF, her usually sparkling, dimpIlng
little face quite sOrrowful; and then
Nine Ravenel, leaning on Capt Rave
nel's arm. walked away
| Toni stood and pondered these things
to himself What queer creatures grown
people were, after all! Still they were
very interesting if one got rid OF al
their scrapes and muddles. What die
that distinguishing officer want 70 put
his arm around Nine. Ravenel for? Toni
rejecting on these things. took Jacques
out and asked him about them. but
Jacques replied that he knew no more
about them than Toni did.
| That night Toni, not being made to gC
to bed at o'clock like Paul Verney and
all other well-eonducted boys. was
prowling around the garden Of the com.
mandant's house. OF which the back wa.
toward the little street in which Nine
Marcel lived. The garden gate was open
and Toni sneaked in and seated himself
on the grass, just outside the window
on the ground floor which looked into Z
room that was Col Duquesne's study.
Toni had an object In this. There wa.
a great clump Of gooseberry bushes un
der this window. and Toni loved to gorg,
himself on Col Duquesnes gooseberries
| True, he could have had all the goose
| berries he wished from his mother. bu
they did not have the delicious flavor o.
those surreptitiously conhscated from Col
Duguesne's garden. Toni was afraid O
| the commandant, as he was afraid OF th'
monument in the public square and of OLD
Marie. and Of everybody. in fact. excep
his mother, and Paul Verney. and it'll,
Denise, and Jasques. But he knew III,
garden much better than the commandan
did, and HIS short legs were quick enough
10 save him in case any one should come
out of the house.
Toni saw, through the window, the twi
officers. who had separated the other on
Ger and Capt. Ravenel. sitting In grav
conversation with the colonel.
1T is most uHfortunate"' said tn
colonel, a grave-lookfng, gray-mustache,
man. What could have induced Ravene
10 come TO Bienville 10 live? Il woul,
seem 10 be the last place on earth tina
ne and Nine. Ravenel would select"
Then one OF the other officers said L
the colonel:
Il understand that they came her
principally on account of Nine. Ravener
health, and besides, Ravenel owns tn
house in which they live. It isn't muel
of a house. but I hear that Delorm
spent every franc of Nine. RaveneT
money, and they have nothing but thi
house and Raveners half pay to live or
which probably accounts for their bein
in Bienville. But I must say that the
have kept themselves as much out @
sight as possible"
Il knew Deio. ne" said the coIone
land a more unprincipled scoundre
never lived Il is a great pity tina
Ravenel didn't knock the fellows brain
out on the day when Nine. Delorm
left Delorne. Nobody would have bee
sorry for it. 1 have known both Rave
mel and Nine. RaveneI for years. AT
they are the last people living that
should expect 10 commit the folly the,
did. going off together and remainini
two or three weeks before they sepa
rated. 1t was a species OF madness. bu
they have paid dearly for It. I under
stand that Nine. Ravenel is tormente,
by religious scruples about her divorce.
The colonel got up from his chair an
walked up and down two or three times
The vision OF Sophie Rayenel in her tri
umphaat beauty ten years before, an
the pale conscience-strickenu Sophie Q
to-day. overwhelmed him. He remem
bered Rayenel. spirited. gay, and earin
for no other than a soldiers life. an
now cut off from all comrades, his life
work ended Surely these two had PAL
the full price for their three weeks
desperate folly, OF love. shame, rapture
and despair. Then awakening suddenl,
to the madness Of what they had done
they had separated, not to see each othe