The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-07-07

AO hhtta III viz u q wv JOall6
too pink and white, too much Of the
country.
Comforting myself as well as I could
with the thought that time would rem
edy these defects, / turned away
opened the door and went down the
stair. Beyond the vestibule was the
saloon, a circular marble room, ex-
tremely elegant and wel~l-furnished,
and, still beyond this, the drawing
room, with four large paintings of the
French victories of 1744 upon the walls,
There was no n in either room, and
l was examining the paintings, which
no doubt pictured ven in which the
father OF my host nae taken part, and
which appeared to me Of splendid xe-
cution, when / heard the rustling OF
skirts behind me. ! turned to perceive
Mdlle. de Chambray upon the thresh-
old, and the fear of her ridicule was
swept away in the burst of happiness
at seeing her again.
Oh, Is 1t you, M. de T~avernay? 2"
she said. hesitating and coloring d.
vinely.
Yes. 1t is /, mademoiselle," / an
swered, trembling at the first time that
she had ever addressed me.
And a%lone!" she added with a quick
glance about the room. 1T is strange
that madame is not down."
She and M. lie Comte doubtless have
much to say to each other" / hastened
to explain, for I, too, thought it strange.
1t would be cruel to interrupt them"
"Tes-no doubt" she agreed, but
she was plainly not convinced.
Besides, I assure you that I am
quits harmless" I ventured.
This time she permitted her glance
TO dwell upon me for an instant and !
caught the perfect contour OF her face.
Il am not so sure OF that" she said,
unless your appearance Is most de-
= nant1NFa a. 1911 -
madame" and h made a motion
toward the door.
II there Is any oath I can swear,
mademoiselle," 1 protested, prescribe
it, will take 1t gladly. I will agree
to all here in this corner, II you wish
It,"
/ "Oh, you WILL" she said. and looked
at me doubtfully, but with a glimmer
OF mischief In her eye.
Eyes, mademoiselle, 1 am capable
even of that heroism."
II hear that you surrendered rather
easily this morning" she tainted.
There was a pistol at my ear" I
explained, land the face of M. lie Comte
behind 1t. I saw no reason to throw
away my life for nothing more impor-
tant than a horse. I am doubly glad
now that l was SO sensible"
She looked at me. her brows up
lifted.
Life means more to me now than
1t did this morning" I fastened to ex-
plain. "Oh, vastly more. So l rejoice
that I am not lying back there on
the o with a bullet through me.
Even had M. lie Comte missed me-.
should not be here"
He would not have missed. A
pistol In the hands of M. lie Comte is
q dangerous thing"
II have never encountered but one
thing more dangerous, ~mademoiselle.'
And that?"
"A pair Of brown eyes, leveled at
me by a person who knows their pow
err" ] answered, and trembled at my
temerity.
But instead of being offended she
burst into a peal of laughter and ad-
vanced n the room.
Really, M. de Tavernay," she said,
II fear that you are not so harmless
as you pretend"
But nevertheless, you will remain,
mademoiselle; you owe me that re-
paration.'
"Reparation?" she repeated with
raised brows.
For. laughing at me. True; you
turned away your face, but you could
not conceal the quivering Of your
shoulders"
She colored deeply and this. time
retreated in earnest toward the door.
"Oh, do not CO." I pleaded. ct par
don you-it was nothing. Laugh at
me again, II you wish, only do not co.
She h~esttated, stopped, came back.
II do beg your pardon, monsieur -
she said. believe me, II, was not in
the least at o I vas laughing, but
at a sudden thought"
She stopped. evidently confused.
Very WELL" I ,hastened to assure her.
Il forgive and forget. Or, rather, I
I'm truth" she said, with Just q touch
OF malice, lone would imagine you were
straight from Versailles Instead Of"
Beaufort" I said, flushing a little.
"And how does 1t happen you are SO
far from homer" she queried. bending
upon me a lock of raillery.
Then remembered; my heart turned
to lead In my bosom. and despite my
self a groan burst from me In the first
sharp agony of recollection.
What is 1t, MONSIEUR" she question
ed. instantly serious. and coming to-
ward me quickly. you are not ill.,"
a seat. IT am very Ill. m~ademoiselie-
so i'll that I fear I shall never make q
recovery
"Oh, horrible!" she cried, and sat
down beside me n passed her hand
kerchief across my forehead-her
handkerchief fragrant with I know not
what intoxicating scent. "But a mo-
ment ago you were quite well, or
seemed SO. Is 1t the hearth"
YES, mademoiselle." I answered,
rallying sufficiently to perceive that
the situation was not without it's adj
vantages, and determining to maintain
1t as long as possible. 1T is the heart"
And you are subject to such seiz-
ures?" h continued, still gazing at
me anxiously, so near that I could see
the dew upon her lips, could catch the
child-like fragrance OF her breath Here
was a woman different to n that I
a ever known or dreamed of-gen-
uine, unaffected, Of a sincerity almost
boyish.
'This is the first, mademoiselle," i
said, gripping my hands tight in the
effort to maintain my ~self-control, to
resist the temptation to seize her and
crush her to me.
"Oh. how you suffer!" she cried, see
ing the gesture and misinterpretating
it. 'Here-perhaps this will help you,'
and h held a little inlaid bottle be-
meath my nostrils.
I was not expecting It and Just at
that instant drew a full breath with
the consequence that. for some mo-
rnents after, / could draw no other.
Tears poured from my eyes and I must
have been altogether an absurd object;
but, strange to say, my companion did
not laugh.
"Heavens!" cried a vote from the
door. What are you doing to M. de
T~avernay, Charlotte"