Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-25

well to keep in touch With on Georges
account
81 see," said, with grimness which
probably escaped her. "But how did
Mrs. Hartman know that / was at Les
Trois Pigeons?"
"She met you once in the forest''-
''Twice,' interrupted.
"She mentioned only once. OF course
she'd often heard both George and me
speak of you"
'But how did she know it was and
where was staying"
''Oh, thatv Her smile changed to
laugh. "Your maitre d'hotel told Fer
ret, gardener at Quesnay, that you
were at the inn.'
Gle didw
ooh, but you mustn't be angry with
him. He made it quite all right"
''How did he do that" asked, try
ing to speak calmly, though there was
that in my mind which might have
blanched the parchment cheek Of a
grand inquisitor.
''He told Ferret that you were very
anxious not to have it known You
think Louise very lovely to look at,
don't you?' she asked.
Exquisite" answered.
every one does"
II suppose she told you',-and now
I felt myself growing red-"that be-
haved like a drunken acrobat when
she came upon me in the path?"
mo. Did your" cried Miss Eliza
beth, with ready credulity which l
thought by no means pretty. Louise
said that she wished she could have
had better look at what you were
painting"
"Heaven bless her~ I exclaimed.
''Her reticence was angelic
eyes, she has reticence,' said my
companion, with enough of the same
quality to make me look at her quick
Nv. A thin line had been drawn across
her forehead.
"You mean she's still reticent with
George?" l ventured.
YES" she answered sadly. "Poor
George always hopes, Of course, in the
silent way of his kind when they suf-
fer from such unfortunate passions,
and he waits"
81 suppose that former husband of
hers recovered"
"I believe he's still alive somewhere.
Locked up, I HOPPER she finished
crisply. .s
"She retained his name,'' observed.
Hartman? Yes: she retained it. At
all events she's rid Of him.
cts hard,'' I reflected aloud-thard
to understand her making that mis-
take, young as she was. Even in the
glimpse of her I've had it was easy
to see something Of what she's Ikea
fine, rare, high type"
"But you didn't know him, did your"
Miss Elizabeth asked, with some dry
ness.
mo" answered. "I saw him twice
once at the time Of his accident-that
was only a nightmare, his face cover
ed With 1 shivered. t'But I had
caught a glimpse of him on the boule-
ward, and Of all the dreadful
ooh, but he wasn't always dreadful"
she interposed quickly. "He was
fascinating sort Of person, quite charm
ing and good looking when she ran
away with him, though he was horri-
bly, dissipated even then. He always
had been that. OF course she thought
she'd be able to straighten him out,
poor girl! She tried for three years
three years it hurts one to think of!
You see, it must have been something
very like grand passion to hold her
through pain three years long"
COR tremendous pride,' said I. Two
men make an odd world Of it for the
rest Of us. There was good old George,
as true and straight man as ever
Mved"-
"And she took the other! Yes"
Georges sister laughed sorrowfully.
"But George and she have both sur
vived the mistake" I went on, with
confidence. "Her tragedy must have
taught her some important differences.
Haven't you a notion she'll be tremen-
dously glad to see him when he comes
back from American"
"Ah, do hope soy' she cried. 'You
see, I'm fearing that he hopes SO, too
to the degree of counting on it."
"You don't count on it yourself?"
She shook her head. 'eWith any 9TH
er woman should"
"Why not with Mrs. Harman?''
"Consin Inrisa has her WAYS" said
Miss Elizabeth slowly, and, whether
she could not further explain her
doubts or whether she would not, that
was all got out of her on the subject
at the time. I asked one or two more
questions, but my companion merely
shook her head again, abiding vaguely
to her cousins ways" Then she
frightened suddenly and inquired
when would have my things sent up
to the chateau from the inn.
At the risk Of misunderstanding
which I felt could i'll afford resist
ed her kind hospitality, and the out
come Of 1t was that there should be
kind of armistice, to begin with my
dining at the chateau that evening.
did anybody ever tell yeu." was her
surprising inquiry, shat you are the
queerest man Of these times?'
NO." answered. Don't You think
you're queerer woman"
"E'ootler' she cried scornfully. "Be
or to your woods and your woodscap.
ingp'
Her bay horse departed alta smart
gait.