The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-07-07
CHAPTER III.
! FaII Into a PIeasant eondaae.

III.
Fall Into a Pleasant Bondage.
Then you are not ILL.," my friend
was saying, as I dismounted and drew
near. Your are not dying! Thank
God for that"
"Ill?" echoed the lady. Dying. Nom
sense; look at me-
"You are adorable!" he cried, and
kissed the hands he held in his.
"Sad / have been," she went on,
blushing, but still gazing fondly up at
him. That was because you were
away from me In danger yonder. Yet
! tried to be brave, for I 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 he
gazed down at her, his eyes alight.
All. there was no match p~rearranged,
nj marriage Of convenience, but a true
mating. So true that there could be
about II no false pride, no dissimu-
lation or ~pretense Of Indifference; so
true that 1t 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?
I know 1t is the custom in certain
circles In the great cities to sneer at
all thistle 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 t-hings-closer to nature, closer to
each other. closer to the good God
and 1 think we are sounder at core.
But had a message saying you
were Ill., he continued. you did
not send It. then?"
'No-but I bless the sender since
It has brought, Q back to me-"
And not alone."i he added, remem-
bering my presence. Permit me to
present to you, madame, NJ. de Tav-
ernay. I began by stealing his horse
and ended by gaining his friendship.
Be kind to him. Monsieur, this is my
wife, Madame la Comtesse de Favras."
Sh held out her hand to me with
Q charming smile, but her eyes and
thoughts were only for her husband,
nor could I find 1t in my heart to
blame her, for beside him I was so
crude, so ordinary, worth scarcely a
passing glance. Indeed, I was my
self somewhat confused at the revela-
tion of my friends distinguished title,
and bowed over her hand awkwardly
enough.
you are welcome, monsieur" she
SAIL. "At dinner, we must hear the
story Of these adventures. But you
have no doubt been all day in the sad
dle-you need rest, refreshment. Come
only, first, you must meet my guest"
n h led the way toward the
terrace where her companion awaited
Us.
'what fortune!" cried M. lie Comte,
as he sprang up the steps and in an
other moment he was kissing the cheek
OF q lady young. divinely fair as I
saw In the single glance 1 dared take
at her. who blushed most becomingly
az she received his salute.
my dear" he added. "this is M. de
Tavernay. I have already asked Mad
anne la Comtesse to be kind to him:
with you, I can only beg that you will
not be cruel. M. de Tavernay, this is
Mdlle. de Chambray, who permits you
to kiss her hand"
AS I bowed before her and touched
her fingers with lips not wholly
steady, I was suddenly conscious Of
the dust and travel-stains which COW
cred me head to foot. She would
think me ridiculous, no doubt; but
when I summoned courage to glance
up at her, / was astonished to see
that her fact was scarlet. and that
h was staring at me with startled
eyes. Then she withdrew her hand
and turned hastily away. her shoulder
ers shaking convulsively, and I felt
nv W cheeks grow red. i.
Luckily, u 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, I stalked stiffy
away after the man to whom I had
been entrusted. through a vestibuIe,
UP q wide flight of stairs, and into
= spacious room overlooking the gar
dens at the back Of the house.
Dinner Is at g." said the man. IF
here Is anything monsieur requires,
ne will ring the bell yonder." and,
after u~nstrapping my portmanteau and
glancing around to assure himself that
everything was right, he left the room
and 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
ma one in the Italian style. not large,
but elegantly planned, and sloping
gently to the maroin Of the river,
which seemed here both broad and
deeD. Beyond 1t was a tangle Of trees
and ~shrubbery, and farther away upon
the side of a little hill were the white
houses Of a village, their windows with
houses of a village. their windows
bright with the avs of the setting sun.
But 1t was at none Of these things
! looked-though I see them now as
plainly as If they were here before
me-for my eyes were turned inward
at the tumult In my own bosom, and
my brain was wondering numbly why
II was that my life. heretofore so
bright. had turned suddenly
so grey; that the green valleys of the
future had changed to sandy, barren
wastes; that the very SAVIOR Of living
was as lust in my throat. had
glanced for an instant into a pair of
startled eyes-and that instant had
struck the boyish carelessness from
my heart as with a blow.
But at last I shook the feeling Off
or perhaps 1t was only the warm blood
CT youth asserting itself-and when the
man came with the candle l could pro-
coed with my toilet with almost, IL not
quite, my old calmness. When 1t was
finished / turned to the glass, and
contemplated the reflection there with
some m~isgivings. Fresh the face un-
doubtedly was. and IL not handsome, at
least not grotesque; but with the mem
DRY Of my host before me. I thought 1t
absurdly boyish. The figure, while
erect enough, had not that easy poise
I had marked In him. nor did the gar