The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-11-17

also, M. de IaVernayl you proved
yourself a gallant man."
Thank you, monsieur" I answered.
Il but did what any gentleman would
do. You fund Mademoiselle de Cham
bray then?'
j tried to ask It carelessly, but fear
my burning face betrayed me. At any
rate. he laughed as he looked at me.
Yes" he said. I'VE found her lying
senseless on the floor Of Gou1on's tent.
At first we thought her dead, but she
soon opened her eyes. Can you guess
what her first word was. monsieur I?
But perhaps ought not to tell you'll"
Tell mel" / murmured, striving to
restrain the leaping of my heart.
Wei, ! think you deserve some re-
nay!"
YES" / said, my eyes SUDDENLY
misty; she had just seen me dragged
away to be hanged"
And when we told her what had
befallen you, she ran to where you
lay"
But her ankle" 1 broke in. did
Yes, but she had forgotten it. She
ran to where you lay; she washed and
dressed your wound; she had you
borne hither on litter; and she re-
mainded beside you until yesterday
until. in a word, 1t was certain that
ycu Woulu TecONeT.
Then she has gone?" / asked. "She
has gomez" and my heart seemed to
stop in my bosom.
Yes, she has gone"
But her anlSle!" I protested. "Oh,
how she must have suffered"
Il do not think she suffered at ALL"
said Marigny. When she at last had
time to remember her injury, she found
that 1t no longer existed. She attrib-
uted its cure to you"
l lay q moment silent, striving to
conceal my NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to ap-
pear composed. She had gone-she
had been brave enough to go; she had
sought to spare me the agony Of that
farewell which must, in any event, be
spoken. She had been wise, perhaps;
she knew my weakness; but felt that
/ would give my whole life to see her
again, TO hold her hand, to look into
her yes. to hear her say once more II
love YOU"
Marigny sat looking down at me
with queer smile upon his lips.
she left no word for me?" I asked.
at last.
she left a note; but am not to
give it to you until you are ready to
set out for Poitiers."
For Poitiers?" / repeated, trem-
bling. Did she herself name Pol
tiers?'
Most assuredly. But why do you
grow so pale, my friend? Is 1t not
near Poitiers that her home ISL"
Yes, monsieur" / groaned; but my
journey ends two leagues this side Of
Chambray. Those two leagues l shall
never cover"
What nonense! Take my advice
the advice of man who knows more
than you Of women. Don't so much
as draw rein at Poitiers. Press on
n ND nf will
find fair prize awaiting you"
/ shook my head-he may have
known other women, but not this
one.
Nevertheless, 1 should like to
have the note, M. de Marigny,"
said. TT will comfort me some
what. And, besides. I am to start
tomorrow"
Tomorrow" he cried. IA week
hence, perhaps, If all goes WELL"
1 smiled and continued to hold out
my hand.
Let me have the note. monsieur"
l repeated.
He hesitated moment, still look
ing at me. then went to the other
room and brought the note and
placed 1T in my hands.
My fingers were trembling so
could scarcely break the seal: a mad
hope possessed me that she had alb
solved me from my vow; that she
summoned me to her. AS I opened
the paper, a little heap Of withered
rose leaves fell upon my breast.
"Ah, you see!" cried Marigny. II
was right, them"
L could not answer, but held out
the note for him to read. 1t contained
but one word:
Courage
We'll" he said, that is good adj
vice. That is precisely what you
need in this affair, M. de Tavernay."
Yes" 1 agreed bitterly; courage
to give her up; courage never again
"She could not wen remain" he
said drily, after listening to you
three days in a delfrium."
my delirium?"
ooh, dare say she was not Offend
ed--what woman would have been?
but she was certainly fed to the
ears most of the time. Few maid
ems. fancy. have been treated to
such a continuous stretch of love-
making"
/ Redeemed, too, at thought of It,
What she has suffered on my ac-
count?" I murmured.
II tell you she did not suffer in
the least" repeated Marigny. you
permitted her to see to the very bot
tom OF your soul and she saw no
image there except her own"
"She knew that from the first"
said sadly that does not alter mat
tiers. No; there is no way out, M.
de Marigny. / can never hope to mar
ry her--honor forbids tan oath not
to be broken. She herself has pointed
that out to me in the clearest way.
She has shown me what a coward I
was when. for a moment, / permitted
my love for her to blind me to my
duty: and / know now she hates q
coward. That is the real meaning of
this message, monsieur; she is afraid
even yet, that / may not be brave
enough"
Marigny had risen and stood look
ing down at me with queer little
smile.
'Ah, M. de Tavernay," he said, at
last. II understand now why that blow
on the head failed to kill YOU"
With which cryptic utterance, he left
the room.
CHAPTER XVII.