The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-08-04
CHAPTER vi.
Eve in the Garden.

But that clear voice recalled me ere
! had taken a dozen steps. -,
what is it? Whittier do you go?'
she asked. mot forward to Poitiers at
this hour!"
"Oh, no." l answered. II was mere
iy going toto walk about the garden
to think-to fight 1t out. But l was
rude. Pardon me. IL did not realize
VIVA l was doing" q,
"You are p~ardoned," she said. and
her voice was siren-sweet. Perhaps l
can help you to fight it out, my friend
at least, / should like to help you.
Besides, / have not yet done talking
to you. / have some further advice at
your disposal, If you care for IT,
II do care for It," l said, n turned
instantly back to her. You are very
kind"
II wish to be kind she answered,
and looked up at me with a smile that
set my head to whirling. But before
/ proceed" she added, you must sit
here beside me. / can't talk to you
when you are prowling up and down
like that. / feel as though 1 were hold
Ing a tete-a-tete with q wild animal
and 1t ~disconcerts me-"
She patted the seat with an inviting
hand, and smiled again that alluring
smile. / sat down obediently and
looked at her, noting how the moon
light touched her hair with silver and
gave a strange glory to her face.
'Since you are betrothed to another,
M. de Tavernay," she began, turning
In the seat so that she faced me,
''doubiy hetrothed with a tie there Is no
breaking,> and since l nave satisfied
myself that you are a man of honor.
I feel that I can be quite frank with
you, almost as l should be with my own
brother, did I have one. What Is it?"
h asked, noticing the cloud which
swept across my countenance.
Nothing, nothing" / FASTENED to
say. "Only there vas a sting in the
words, as we'll as kindness"
IA sting?" she repeated. Il fear you
are very thin skinned, M. de Taver-
nay"
perhaps l am" / admitted, humbly.
81 shall try to remedy the fault"
DO" h urged; but l was about
to say that o have not yet wholly ex-
planned yourself"
II think I nave told the whole story"
/ said, casting my mind back over it's
details. II a think Of nothing that 1
have omitted"
She sat for a moment looking at me-,
her lips parted, the color coming and
going in her cheeks.
"You said, some time ago. she went
on. at last, that I vas concerned with
this story-that II was for that reason
you desired my advice"
Eyes, that is true, mademoiselle."
well, you have not yet explained to
me what you meant by that, my
friend"
A sudden trembling seized me as 1
met her eyes.
II thought you knew I began
hoarsely. II thought you guessed"
II am not good at guessing" she said
looking at me, her eyes radiant. her
hands against her heart.
II meant" l stammered. II meant
But my lips refused to form the
words: my heart turned faint
"Oh." she said. in a ow voice. II
understand" n she played for a
moment with the rose at her bosom.
'You mean. then, that 1t is I who
have wrought this change in your"
EYES," 1 assented and caught my
breath to choke back the sob which
rose in my throat.
frown, which changed In an instant
to an arch smile.
Come" she said, confess that
you are easily impressed, and that
you will forget as easily"
II shall never forget"
Remember the prove That
which flames at a touch, dies at a
BREATH"
Proverbs I said "are the express
sions Of generally accepted fallacies."
But consider, my friend" and she
leaned forward in her earnestness I'M
til she almost touched me, until the
sweet glow Of her body penetrated to
me. You have known me only a
few hours. l am the first woman
you have met in riding forth into
the world. You mistake a goose for
q evan. l assure you that there are
many women beside whom you would
not give me a second glance. Indeed.
It is very possible that your betrothed
may be one Of them. So you will
soon recover from this madness; in a
day or two it i'll have quite passed
away. Honor leads you to Poitiers
and there you will find happiness
as well. In time you will come TO
wonder at this nights emotion, and
to laugh at 1t. o will look back
and you will say to yourself: What
a fool 1 was"
ut is true" I said slowly, that
/ may be a fool in desiring what
can never hope to possess; but, at
least, mademoiselle, do me the Jus
tice to believe that l shall never
cease to desire 1t. l do not know
how to tell you. for / have no skill
in the phrases of love. l only know
that yoi have touched in me a chord
which will never cease to vibrate I'M
til t. heart itself is still. 1t Is not
your beauty, though you are very
beautiful; IL Is not the tone of your
voice., though that is very sweet: it
is not your smile, though that drives
me to madness. 1t is something be-
yond and behind all that; it is some
thing which, for a OF a better
name. / call your soul-that which
looks out of your eyes so clear and
pure that / tremble before 1t, know
ing my own unworthiness. 1t is
your sou that l love, mademoiselle,
and no lapse Of time, no chance OF
fortune-nothing In earth or heaven
-can alter that love one atom"
/ have heard that love gives eyes
to the blind, ears to the deaf. a tongue
to the dumb. / know that at that
moment, as my heart burned within
me and the words rushed unbidden to
my lips. rhs world became all al