The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1910-06-17

very ugly. Fortunately, 1t did not
actually rain, but dark clouds
chased each other overhead, and not
a CLEAN of sunshine appeared to well
come them.
Arthur's spirits, however, rose with
the prospect of seeing new country,
and life under an altogether new as
pect. He jumped out of the train
with alacrity. perhaps we shall find
Monsieur Rigaud himself come to
meet you," he said, cheerily.
"He would hardly know me if he
did," she answered; Il have not seen
him for six years"
"Ah! That, then, is the reason that
he continues to carry about an image
of his daughter in his mind in a
school girls short frock and pima
FORE" he said, gaily. Come, Madem-
oiselle Rigaud, will you get out? I
will see to the luggage.
There was no sign of Monsieur
Rigaud outside. However, when
they came out of the station, and
when Arthur asked if no carriage had
been sent from Mon Repos to meet
them, the porter in a loose blouse
laughed and pointed to the road. An
toinette gave him little glance, half
sad, half arch, as the vehicle which
had been sent to meet them drew up.
1t was neither more nor less than
a bakers van, drawn by guant,
white horse, with jingling bells on its
brass ornamented harness. The driv-
,er was a big, rough fellow, attired in
dirty sheepskin coat, and huge
wooden sabots on his feet. He greet
ed Mademoiselle Rigaud with
friendly nod, but added, with kind
of jocose familiarity which made Ar
thur feel unreasonably angry:
your father asked me last Sunday
If I would fetch you for some sous
less than the diligence from La Pie
Blanche Dame! but he drives a
hard bargain, your papa! He would
not even throw in bottle of cider of
three sous; but matters were ar
little demoiselle, for I have yet two
commissions to do in the town, and
your papa doubtless awaits you with.
impatience. .>,-4szss go -; :sad
They clambered in with some diff
Guilty. The springs of the cart might
or might not have existed; Arthur
suspected their non-existence, and the
seats consisted of broad leather bands
about a foot wide stretched across.
He made Antoinette as comfortable
as circumstances would admit of,
with their travelling bags and rugs to
lean against, and seated himself be-
side her.
Goucy appeared to be much larg-
er place than Arthur had anticipated, +,
and he leaned forward, looking about
him with eager curiosity as they
threaded the steep, narrow streets.
The driver cracked his whip loudly
and used it Justify, with many an odd
gutteral noise, to make his lean
beast go showily through the streets
and sweep clamorously round the cor
ner into the Grande Place.
This was a square of some preten-
sions, f1anked by the Church and Ho-
tel de Vile. Trees were planted
round it, and carefully pruned into
the conventional green wigs so dear
to French landscape gardeners, and
little tables and innumerable painted
iron chairs were set out under them.
There is La Pie Blanche said
the driver, whose name he told them
was Mounier "All les Messieurs' of
the town dine there daily at table
d'hote And yonder, Mademoieell
do you remember that house?"
YES" said Antoinette, Il fancy I
do. What picturesque old house.
Could it have been there my grand
father lived?"
"Maison Rouge, yes. The Doctor
Aymar lived there, and your sainted
mother was born there. Heaven rest
her soul!"
Now they dashed through the Place
with a grand show and ciatter and
| began to leave the town behind them.
/ Once out of the streets, Mounier
| pulled up his horse and allowed it to
subside into a slow, heavy trot
The road seemed interminable, for
| the settled trot Of the white mare was
| little faster than the walk of most
horses, a slow heavy jog
Arthur turned round presently tC
address his companion and was
shocked to see how pale she had be-
| come, and how she was shiverins g
from time to time.
"You are chilled" he said, anxious
} Iy. 1T is this miserable cart How
| wish 1 could do more for you" He
unfolded the rug on her knees and
| tried to enveIop her more completely
| in it,
| Mademoiselle Rigaud, Antoinette,
| he said, eagerly, for Heavens sake
/ 10 not look so sad and SO frightened
! What is there to dread? On the con
trary, you will have nothing to an
ticipate but what is pleasant. 1t will
! Lc great pleasure to y0I t. max
! your father perfectly hdpry W yJul
| love and care, and | have not liz
slightest doubt that you will find hiu
most gentle and amiablc to you ii
every way"
Il am very foolish" she said, sit
ting upright and trying to smile. Bat
DO not imagine that my foolish fears
have anything to do with my father
1t is the atmosphere Of this country
1t is-- Do you believe in PRESENT.
ments?"
Il believe in nervous fears" he
answered, gayly. With any one else
he might perhaps have lost patience,
for a continuance of feelings which
at another time he might have re-
garded as foolish and morbid; but
every hour that they passed together
was deepening his interest in Antoi-
nette.
At last they drove out of the forest,
and Mounier, with a flourish and tre-
mendous cracking of his whip, forced
his horse to whirl them up to the
door of Mon Repos.