The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-07-28
CHAPTER VII. (Continued.)

IndVe tHe memory OF tnlS nlSnt W
live on" and my heart warmed at
the thought. Always / shall have
the memory of this night to live on"
She flushed slightly and her eyes
softened and wavered, but only for an
instant.
"And what of your loyalty to your
bctrcthed?" she queried, with biting
Iscorn.
But even thai failed to wound me,
to pierce the garment of JOY in which
was once again enveloped.
1T shall never again be broken" !
said. But nothing she a do Will
Ichange the past"
you mean you would not have it
lchanged?"
mol" 1 cried. mo! 1t is the dear
lest thing / have! am proud of it;
glory in it! / shall keep 1t always
warm against my heart"
DO you know, l suspect you are
something of a poet, M. de Tavernay?"
she said, after a moments inspection
Iof my face under half closed lids.
"Oh. MOI" I protested. 1T is love that
make me appear So"
Again she contemplated me for a
moment, a puzzling smile playing about
her lips.
"Come. monsieur" she said suddenly,
II am going to be generous. Sit down
again. You see, l have faith in you.
'ocSiucS, i WISH 10 Keep lily lTlellu, IL L
can. After all, perhaps you may care
for m~e-though, l repeat, it Is only for
the moment"
you do not really think So" I in
,terrupted; but let it pass"
Resides. you are very young"
mot so young as you mademoiselle."
"Oh, / am immensely older. l am
an elder sister who must take you in
hand n form YOU"
"Oh, everybody wishes to form me-"
i cried impatiently. 81 have no desire
to be formed will form myself"
who wished to form your" she de-
manded, quickly, with a peremptoriness
that ~astonished me.
why, old Dubosq," / answered. 1.-THE
fellow that halted me just out of
Tours"
h breathed a sigh of relief which
astonished me even more h a her
question.
II was a man. that fellow / add
ed. IL should like to meet him again
q dashing rascal"
of course-he flattered you," she
said coolly. Il know what he said to
you as well as though 1 had heard him
say it."
what did he say?"
He said, All you need, my friend,
Is a little more polish, and you will be
q perfect devil with the ladies!"
I stared at her, M mouth open, for
she had caught Dubosq's intonation to
q shade.
And then he leered,' she added,
, and twisted his muStaches. But the
most disgusting thing is that you be-
lieved him. and o smirked n would
nave twisted your mustaches too, but
that You are too young to have any.
Oh, mensare all alike-foul, d~espicable
creatures! And then o come here
riding gerry erect, those words repeat
ing themselves over and over in your
bosomt1dnd you pretend" She broke
off suddenly. n turned upon me fur
iously. tiAre you in the habit of at
lacking young wopasn in that fashion,"
she demanded.
mo-. mademoiselle." I stammered,
shrinking from this terrific attack,
which touched every joint in my ar
NOR. ~ nave never before kissed a
young woman"
She looked at me again, caught her
breath, her hand against her heart;
and then she blushed and smiled and
her eye grew very tender. BY some
miracle. Il had found the answer that
turned away wrath.
There, M. de Tavernay,' she said,
holding out her hand impulsively, II
forgive. you from my heart. We sha
be friends. And forget that nonsense
] was talking"
/ bent and kissed the fingers, so
warm. SO soft, so fragrant.
III I might have a pledge Of it, I
said, with sudden holiness. That
flower at your breast"
"No~nsense!" she cried. you need
no pledge Of it. And now" she added,
II must be going in. Madame will be
terribly scandalized."
"Oh, do not 60" I protested, and re-
tanned her hand in mine. ''Think-we
may never again be alone together
certainly never like this, in an enchant-
ed garden, with the moon looking down
upon us. full Of counsel and encour-
agement."
"The moon q never been noted for
h wisdom OF it's counsel" she re-
torted.
but give me a little longer" I
pleaded, trembling at the thought of
parting from her. "Sit here beside me
know every feature, every curl Of the
hair. 1t is not at that I wish to look,
but at the soul in your eyes. / know
you do not love me, n yet II seems to
me that your soul and mine were des-
tined for each other. I cannot really
believe that we are to be kept apart.
] hear within myself a voice which SAYS
that there can be no happiness for me
apart from you. l ask for nothing
more than to sit on here forever with
you beside me, your hand in mine"
She leaned away from me into the
corner of the seat, and I fancied she
shivered slightly.
you are cold" I said, remorsefully
II have been thoughtless. The air is
chilly n a mist is rising from the
liver. May I get my cloak for you p"
mo, M. de Tavernay," she answered
rising to her feet somewhat unsteadiiy
II must really leave you. Remember
we are to start for Poitiers in the
morning. and I have many things to
do"
It would have been selfish to protest
heartless to expose her longer to the
,dampness of the night.
AT least" l said, II shall ride by
the window Of the coach tomorrow
where ! a still see YOU"
YES" she laughed. a n l think that
I can promise that madame will ever
permit you to speak to me, IL you are
very good. Come"
/ walked beside her along the grav-
eled path, drinking in her beauty, ex.
ulting in my passion, pressing to my
heart the cross which tore me. Past
the tower we went, past the hedge
which framed the garden. I paused fol
last look back at it-ah, / had spent
q happy hour there!
There will never be another night
like this " I said. Never, never car
there be another night like this!"