The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-11-17

What a different creature this was
from that careless, heart-free boy
who had pricked forth from Beaufort
little more than a week before! Since
then l had lived my whole life; / had
sprung from youth to manhood; I had
faced death, tasted of the world, gazed
into a woman's eyes. / had taken
blows and given them; 1 had walked
in the black depths OF despair. and
stood TRANSPORTED on the uttermost
peaks of Joy. Love had touched me
and left me changed. I had lived-for
a week 1 had lived!-nothing could
take that from me.
After much thought I had formed
my plan of action. 1t was quite pos
sible, as Mdlle. de Chambray had said,
that Mdlle. de Benseval desired me as
little as l desired her. In case this
was true-and l battered myself that
it would require no great penetration
on my part to discern til would offer
her her freedom. Should she refuse it,
should she feel bound by u oath as
myself into the war in La Vandee,
trusting that some kindly bullet would
release us both from our unhappy fate.
But If, on the contrary, she looked on
me with favor, If / saw that 1 might
win her heart, l would play a mans
par / anu Es IOiu u IONSI DIS IL ID pCSSl-
BILE to be by taking thought. AT least
she should never suspect the exist
ence Of that scar.
So. having arrived at this conclu-
sion, l put it behind me for the mo-
ment and pricked forward along the
road more cheerfully han l had
thought possible. SUCH is the virtue
making up ones mind-even if it is
only to accept manfully the worst
that fate may offer.
My road at first lay through the mar
row valleys n between the high hedg-
es of the Bocage. Everywhere the
peasants were working in their fields;
their locks We're grazing peacefully in
the pastures, and one would never have
suspected that it was i'll this quiet coun-
Try the first effective stand had been
made against the bloody torrent Of
the revolution. AT last l passed Air
vault and came put into the more level
country of the Plain. L had planned
to reach Melville by noon. so l pressed
on at a good pace, secure in the knoWl-
edge that here to the south I should
encounter no republican force and con-
sequently no delay.
1 reached Melville in good season,
without adventure of any kind, and
asked to be directed to the Bon Vivant,
an inn to which had been recommend
GU Dg W. uS 4AlCLISiy as IIie Oily LS-
cent II in the village. l found it with
out difficulty and q down at a table
on a little Nfneclad terrace, overlook
ing a pleasant valley. Here my lunch
was presently brough to me, and here,
soon after the landlord sought me out
and leaned deferentially above my
chair.
quires?" he asked.
No, thank you; 1 am thoroughly
content" l = answered. 81 have to thank
a friend for advising me to stop here
Have l the honor of addressing NJ
do Tavernay?" he questioned, bending
still lower.
That is indeed my name" l said.
glancing at him in surprise. Il did not
know it had penetrated to these parts
oh, monsieur is too modest" he re-
turned with a flattering smile. There
is a person here who wishes to speak
with monsieur, when he is at leisure"
I speak with me?' I repeated, more
and more astounded. "Who is it?"
Il do not know his name but he is
most anxious not to miss monsieur.
He has been awaiting monsieur since
yesterday"
The thought flashed through my mind
that it was some emissary of the re-
public sent to arrest me, but a moments
reflection showed me the absurdidity of
SUM q SlLSRiN1OlL- ALO" SlIoui0 LIS JS-
public know that l would pass this way,
that l would stop at this inn? Be
sides, | was too small a bird to
trouble the republic-though, small as
/ was, | added to myself a smile, the
task of arresting me would scarcely
have been entrusted to a single man
No; since he approached me alone in
this manner, he could not be an enemy
A sudden trembling seized me. Per-
haps-
Bring him here at once" 1 said
and my host, who had been patiently
awaiting the end of my perplexity
bowed and hurried away.
He re-appeared in a moment follow
ed by a mar dressed d~ecently in black
and showing all the marks of the serv-
ant. A glance at his face told me thai
had never before seen him.
This is M. de Tavernay,' said my
host to him, and bowling again to me
withdrew. Evidently I had become IL
his eyes a person Of considerable i'm.
portance.
Well" I asked, as calmly as L could
for my heart was %throbbing wildly a!
/ turned to the newcomer. You wfsl
to speak to me?"
Il have q letter for you, monsieur
he answered, and produced it from al
inner pocket.
"a letter." 1 repeated, and seized /
with trembling hand. Then a suddel
chill fell upon me as I saw the sigma
ture. The note IN:
My dear Tavernay-My friend,
NJ. de Marigny, who seems to have
fallen in love with you, has written
me something of the adventures
which nave befallen you since YOU
started on your journey to Poitiers.
/ need hardly tell you that I have
awaited news from o with the
greatest anxiety. and that I am
overjoyed to know that you have
come through SO CALAMITY. I am
sending a faithful man to meet you
in order that he may bring you d.
rect to me, for / am longing to
clasp the son of my old friend in
my arms. My daughter joins me
in wishes for your speedy arrival.
Louis Marie de Penseval."
CONTINUED Next Week.