Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-07-15
CHAPTER III.
Fall Into a Pleasant Bondage.

All tnIO a FISa5dUI oOHGd9S'
"Then you are not ILL.," my friend
was saying. as / dlsmounted and drew
near. Your are not dying! Thank
God for that"
'IIl?" echoed the lady. dying. Non
sense; look at me-"
You are a%dorable!" he cried, and
kissed the hands he held In his.
sad / W. been," she went on,
blushing. but still gazing fondly up at
him That was because you were
away from me In danger yonder. Yet
1 tried to be brave, for / knew that
you were serving your country and that
YOU would not forget me-.
Forget YOU" he repeated, and my
own heart warmed In sympathy as ne
gazed down at her, his eyes alight.
All, there was no match prearranged,
no marriage Of convenience, but q true
mating. SO true that there could be
about 1t no false pride, no dissimu-
lation or p~retense of Indifference; so
true that ii was still the lover talk
ing TO his mistress, as well as the
husband talking to his wife. And I
looked at her with sudden interest.
What was her secret? How had she
kept her hold fresh upon his heart?
| know 1t is the custom In certain
circles In the great cities to sheer at
all this-to seek love anywhere but
In the family circle; but we of the
provinces are not like that. Do not
think 1t. We live closer to the heart
of things-closer to nature, closer to
each other, closer to the good Cod
an l think we are sounder at core.
but / had a message saying you
We're ILL.," he continued. You did
not e 1t, them"
"No-but / bless the sender since
It has brought you back to- me-"
And not alone" he added, remem-
beTing my presence. Permit me to
present to you, madame, NJ. de Tav-
nay l began by stealing his horse
and ended by gaining his friendship.
Be kind to him. Monsieur, this is my
wife, Madame la Coatesse de Favras.''
She held out her hand to me with
q charming smile, but her eyes and
thoughts were only for her husband,
nor could ! find II in my heart to
blame her, for beside him I was so
crude, so ordinary, worth scarcely a
passing glance. Indeed, I was N.Y.
self somewhat confused ut the revela-
ton Of my friends distinguished title,
and bowed over her hand awkwardsy
enough.
You are welcome, monsieur" she
said. A dinner, we must hear the
story Of these adventures. But you
have nc doubt been all day In the sad-
olC-ybh lSGu rest lClItStlilleIlIs IOIle
only, first, you must meet my guest"
and she led the way toward the
terrace where her companion awaited
us.
What fortune!' cried NJ. lie Comte,
az he sprang up the steps and II an
other moment he was kissing the cheek
OF a lady young, d~ivinely fair as I
saw in the single glance | dared take
at her. who blushed most becomingly
as she received his salute.
My dear" he added. this Is NJ. de
T~avernay. / have already asked Mad
rrne la Comtesse to be kind to him.;
'.ith you, l a only beg that you will
not be cruel. NJ. de Tavernay, this Is
Mdlle. de Chambray, who permits you
TO kiss her hand"
As bowed before her and touched
her fingers with lips not wholly
steady. I was suddenly conscious of
the dust and travel-stains which COW
erred me head to foot. She would
think me ridiculous, no doubt; but
when l summoned courage to glance
up at her. / was astonished to see
that her fact was scarlet, and that
she vas staring at me with startled
eyes. Then she withdrew her hand
and turned hastily away. her shoulder
crs shaking convulsiyely, and I felt
mr. W cheeks grow red.
Luckily. our friends were too en-
crossed In each other to perceive this
bit OF c~omedy-or. perhaps. tragedy
would. from my standpoint. be the
better word. A moment later, my
ears still burning, / stalked stiffiy
away after the man to whom I had
been entrusted, through a vestibule,
up a wide flight of stairs, and into
a spacious room overlooking the gar
dcps at the back OF the house,
Dinner Is at s." said the man. IF
a - 4H -
he will ring the bell yonder," and,
after unstrapping my portmanteau and
llencing around to assure himself that
everything was right. he left the room
ani closed the door behind him.
the instant I was alone. dignity
and self control fell from me like a
chair. / stared blindly out through the
open window. The garden was a for
NAL one in the Italian style. not large.
but elegantly planned. and sloping
gently to the mar0in OF the river.
which semed here both broad and
deep. Beyond 1t was a tangie OF trees
and %shrubbery. and farther away upon
the side Of a little hin were the white
houses OF a village. thei- windows with
houses OF a village. their windows
bright with the rays OF the setting sun.
But II was at none OF these things
plainly as II they were here before
me-for my Eyes were turned Inward
at the tumuit In my own bosom. and
my brain was wondering numbly why
1t was that ny life. heretofore so
bright. had turned suddenly
50 grey; that the green valleys of the
future had changed TO sandy. barren
wastes: that the very SAVIOR OF living
was as dust In my throat. had
glanced for an instant into a pair Of
startled eyes and tha. instant Had
struck the boyish careiessness from
my heart as with a blow.
But at last / shook the feeling off,
or perhaps IL was only the warm blood
or youth asserting itself-and when the
msn tame with the candles [ could pro-
coed with my toilet with almost. II not
quite. my old calrnness. When II was
finished I turned 10 the glass, and
contemplated tffe fsfs5stion there with
some misgivings. Fresh the face un-
doubtedly was, and n not handsome. at
least not grotesQue but with the inem-
Dry az my host before me. thought IL
absurdly boytsh. The figure, while
erect enough. had not that easy poise
I had marked 81 him. nor dld the sar-
t&ti. WI 4t##H rEN#W