Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-10-07
CHAPTER xy1u-econtlnued,

Gk1AE EN- -
Then comel" she cried "Ah, I am
desperately thirsty and frightfully
dirty. ! am quite ashamed for you
60 ses mel"
I was just mArvelling." ! reterted.
THAT you had kept yourself so immac-
ulate. I don't understand 1t"
@~ImmaculateI" she echoed, and set
OF down the slope.
Shall we returnT" she asked. Shall
we see the cave agHinf"
mo, / think not" / answered; I'VE
must be starting westward"
Then / must say goodbye TO H."
and she ran back TO the entrance,
drew aside the curtain and fell upon
Ar- knee. sey her throw q kiss into
she darkness and her head bent for q
moment as though in prayer. J, too,
closed my eyes and prayed Goo tnat
xe would give me strength to gulde
2hia woman through to safety.
At last she arose and ~rejoined me
TT IL q lovable cave" she said. and
AZ kept us safe. Il would have been
h~ngrateful to go away without a word
Of thanks" and somehow for me, as for
her, the cavern In that instant assumed
q personality, benign n cheerful; /
could fancy Il glowing with pleasure
at thought OF this Last good deed.
you were right" / agreed But
9hen, you are always right"
"oh. no." she protested quickly.
Sometimes am very wrong. But
you will discover hat for yourself"
Shall II Whenr~
-All too soon, I fear" and h looked
nc me with a curious little smile.
Il don't believe I'll" / retorted, with
conviction.
But she only smiled again, in a way
4 could not understand, and blushed and
went on without speaking. Who can
read q woman's thoughts7 Certainly
not Iis
was nercaly, madly happy. For
che moment, no thought OF the future,
az its penalties and duties Swallowed
Ene. I was content to be here with this
brave and lovely girl, alone with her,
D oomrade and friend. Since nothing
more was poesibIe-aince TO friend and
pomrade & could not add lover-I would
pet be happier IN what was granted
he. And that / must be content with
this, / saw too weii-not in any cold
ness or aversion. but by q subtle
change OF manner the merest nuance
OF expression. which. at the same time,
kept me near to her and yet held me
far away. On the tower she had per-
United my endearments, had even
raised her lips to mine; out that was
looking in the face Of death, at a mo-
ment when we need take no thought
for the future, at o. moment when n
had wished TO comfort me and her
self stood In need Of comfort But we
had emerged from hat shadow, there
WAS the future again to be reckoneS
with, n between us an impaipaDie
but i~nyulnerabls veil was stretched
which I must never hope to pass
We reached the brook, and / placed
two broad. fiat stones at the edge Of
little pool where the lucid water
paused for an instant before pursuing
Its course along the rocky way, and
watched her while she stopped and
drank. She had cast aside her cloak,
and ] noted with clear delight the soft
curve OF her arms, the slim grace or
neck and shoulders
Nov X Ia your turn, my friend" she
said. and made room for me.
knelt and drank too. How good
and purified the parched throat, how
# heartened the whole bodyi But at
East I could drink no more
AAnd now I shall use some OF IL
externally" she said, as I stood aside
sar GOWN on . nearby rvcn 10
enjoy the spectacle.
She rolled back her sleeves and
bound her hair In a tight coil upon
her head. Then from some hidden
pocket she produced q handkerchief
and dipping It I'm the stream, applied
Il vigorously to face and neck. / saw
her skin glow and brighten under the
touch of the cool water; she seemed
like q nymph-
Suddenly she ooked aside and
IS this the first time you have seen
n lady al her toilet, M. de Tavernay7"
nhe asked, witheringly.
THE very first, mademoiselle.'
aAnd do you feel no compunctions
OF conscience for keeping your seat
there1"
MOI in the least" I answered
calmly. Il must see that no enemy
From what direction would an
enemy conner"
probably from down the valley"
You have eyes. then. n the back of
your how ror.unaess .,n. -
time" / explained coolly. Surely,
mademoiseile. you would not deny me
The pleasure I have I'm looking at you'll
That would be heartlessi"
She glanced at me again. with a little
pout
self would feel he need of a bath"
she retorted.
pleasure in looking at me3' / asked.
II know I must appear a most hid
sous scoundrei; my skin Is fairly
stiff with the dirt upon It; and yet ]
dare not touch II with water"
Dare not7"
"A clean skin would hardly be in
keeping with this clothing" I pointed
out.
"That Is true,i' she admitted, with
= swift glance over II. but why did
you assume such q disguise? Who will
bee your"
"Many people. / am afraid. In the
arst place, we must have food"
sTt Is useless TO deny that / an
very hungry" she agreed.
Instead OF seeking food, i Eel
asleep" confessed. miserably. 20
nhall never forgive myself"
"Nonsensel We both OF us needed
rest first OF all. Indeed. I find the
hangs OF hunger exhilarating-and how
shau relish the food when we get 81
Put continue: who else shall you
meet1
nIn the second place" | went on
II must ask my way, since an
wholly unfamiliar with this country
Eyes, OF course"
and in the third place, In q coun
try sven thinly settled, we must b.