Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-08-12
CHAPTER VI.
Eve In the Garden.

But that clear voice recalled me ere
I had taken a dozen steps -,
What is lt2 Whittier do you goT'
she asked. mot forward to Poitiers u
this hourl"
ooh, no" / answered. IT was mere
H going toto walk about the garden
to thlnk-to fight 1t out. But 1 was
rude. Pardon me. I'll did not reahze
what / was doing"
"You are ~pardoned," she said, and
her voice was siren-sweet. Perhaps !
can help you to fight 1t out, my friend
lat least, / should like to help you
Besides, / have not yet done talking
70 you. I have some further advice at
your disposal, if you care for It."
II do care for It." I said, and turned
instantly back to her. You are very
kind,
"I wish to be kind" she answered,
and looked up at me with Q smile that
set my head TO whirling. but before
I proceed" she added, you must sit
here beside me. / can't talk TO you
when you are proving up and down
ike that. / feel as though l were hold
ing a tete-a-tete with q wild animal
and II disconcerts me-"
she patted the seat with an inviting
hand. and smiled again that ahuring
smile. l sat down obediently and
looked at her, noting how the moon
light touched her hair with silver and
gave a strange glory to her face.
Since you are betrothed to another,
M. do T~avernay,' she began, turning
In the seat so that she faced me,
"doubly betrothed with a tie there Is no
breaking, and since / have satisfied
myself that you are a man or honor,
I feel that I can be quite frank with
you. almost az I should be with my W
brother, did / have me-. What Is tit"
he asked, noticing the cloud which
swept across my c~ountenance.
Nothing. nothing" I hastened to
say. only there was a sting In the
words, a. well as kindness"
"A stingT' she repeated. Il fear you
are very thin skinned, M. de Taver-
nay"
sT shall try to remedy the fault"
"Do.' she urged; "but / was about
to "a that you have not yet wholly ex-
planned yourself"
I said, casting my mind back over It's
details. II can think of nothing that /
have omitted"
She sat for a moment looking at me,
her lips parted, the color coming and
going I'm her cheeks.
You said, some time ago." she went
on, at last, that I was concerned with
tAiio NNOI1-tiAdk IL "dG " tAhb ANaSOAi
you desired my advice"
Yes, that Is true, mademoiselle."
"Well, you have not yet explained to
me what you meant by that, my
friend,
A sudden trembling seized ma IN I
met her eyes.
II thought you knew I began
hoarseiy. II thought you guessed"
II am not good at guessing" h said
looking at me, her eyes radiant, her
hands against her neart.
II meant" I stammered. II meant
gut my lips refused to form the
words; my heart turned faint
-oh." she said. in a low voice. II
understand" and she played for a
moment with the rose at her bosom.
have wrought this change In your"
YES" I assented and caught my
breath TO choke back the sob which
rose In my throat.
She looked at me with a little
frown. which changed in an instant
to IN arch smile.
Come" she said. confess that
you are easily impressed, and that
you will forget as easily"
II shall never forget"
Remember the prove- That
which slaEaAs atEs touch, a!es q
breath.
proverbs. I said fare the express
sions OF generally accepted fallacies."
e8ut consider. my friend" and she
leaned forward IN her earnestness IN
I'll she almost touched me, until the
sweet glow Of her body penetrated to
me. You have known me only a
few hours. / am the first woman
you have met In riding forth into
The world. You mistake a 0 for
q swan. assure o that there are
many women beside whom you would
not give me a second glance. Indeed,
It Ia very possible that o u betrothed
may be n or them. SO you will
o from this madness; I'm a
day or two 1t in have quite passed
away. Honor leads you TO Poitiers
and there you will find happiness
as well. In time you will come to
wonder at this nights emotion. and
rs laugh at II. You will look hack
and you VIII say to yourself: What
= fool | was"
IT Is srue.' / said slowly. that
\ may be q fool In desiring what !
can never hope to possess: but. at
least. mademoiseile. do me the jus
tice to believe that I shall never
cease TO desire 1t. I do not know
how to tell you. for ! ave no skill
IN the phrases or love. / only know
that yol have touched In mos chord
which will never cease TO vibrate UNI
II! = q itself Is still. II is not
your beauty, though you are very
voice. though that IL very sweet: II
Ii not yoIr smile. though that drives
Mo TO madness. II Is something be-
Nyond and behind all that; Il Is some
thing which. for want Of a better
name. call pour soui--that which