The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-10-06
CHAPTER XIx-tcontinued)

i
] cd, and then fell suddenly silent and
1 affected to study him. But how am I
| to know" / asked at last, that that
description may not really be deserved
| by you? How am / to know that 1t Is
not some villainy against the nation
which you are plotting at that table
/ yonder?"
| He started. turned red, shifted under
my gaze. and saw that l had won.
| Il swear to you. citizen" he began,
| but / cut him short.
And also swear to you" retorted,
that / am on the Nations business,
which brooks no delay. If you are. a
friend of the Nation. give me food; IL
| you are its enemy. refuse II. The Ma
ton knows how to punish and its hand
Is heavy. Shall l write your name In
| my little hook and after it the word
| suspect Come. prove yourself good
| citizen, and at the same time get these
| pieces of silver for your pocket"
He hesitated yet a moment going
| from one foot to the other in per-
| plexity: but the silver or my argu-
| ments. or perhaps both together. car
| ried the day.
"You shall have It," he said. and
, went to the farther end Of the room.
] where he opened a cupboard which
| was at the same time larder and
| wiSe cellar From It he produced two
bottles. fowl already roasted, and a
companions, fancied that a glance of
understanding passed between them A
moment later they pushed back their
chairs. bade him u noisy good night.
| and left the room.
How Will this do?" asked my host,
| placing the bottles. the loaf and the
fowl on the table before me. his vexa-
ton quite vanished.
''Excellently." l answered. noting
with surprise that the fowl had real
| ly some flesh upon it's bones. One
thing more; this road. suppose leads
TO-
"Loudon." he said
And from there to Thouars?"
Undoubtedly"
II am on the right track. then"
said. Stimulating sigh OF relief. THAT
Is an l added, for 1 saw it was use
less as well as dangerous to ask for
| shoes. THE silver is yours" and
| while he tested il with his teeth placed
a bottle in either pocket, and with a
| loaf under my arm and the fowl in my
| hand. opened the door and stepped out
! into the night.
| 1 had my pistol ready and looked
sharply to the right and left, but saw
no one. Then. taking care TO walk In
| the III -ddlc of the road. / pushed for
| ward at Il good pace until l was well
away from the inn / glanced around
| from time to time. but saw no sign
THAT L WAS IOliOWeu ilOT any
| sound of pursuing footsteps: so, tell
| ing myself at last that my fears We're
| groundless, l leaped the ditch at the
! side of the road and retraced my steps
| until came again to the hedge back
| OF the inn. From this, l had but to
follow the course of the brook. here
| the merest thread Of water. and at
the end Of 10 minutes I was back
| again at my starting point. 1 stopped
and bent over the hollow. when a
soft hand rose and touched my cheek.
rs 1t you. Nj. de Tayernay?" asked
a voice. "Oh. but l am glad" was
beginning to fear for you. What is
that in your hand"
1T is food" answered, sitting down
beside her and laughing with sheer joy.
/ drew my knife and severed loaf and
fowl alike into two equal portions, then
with the point Of ii drew the corks and
| placed the bottles carefully I'm hollow
of the grass. propping them upright
| with some little stones. There" I
said, the meal is served, mademoiselle.
/ think we may dispense with grace,
| as we must with knives and forks"
She laughed delightedly AS she took
the portions placed in her hands.
You are wizard, M. de Tavernay,"
she said. II had expected. at most. a
crust OF bread, and you provide
I, feast"
"A feast Is OF value" / pointed out,
only when IL Is I'm ones stomach"
We'll, this shall soon be in mine."
| she retorted; never I'm my life have I
: had such an appetite" and she attack
| ed the food with vigor which ii did
| me GOOD to see.
Nor was behind her. Never. before
cr since. have = tasted a fowl so ten
\ der. bread 40 sweet. wine so satisfying.
1t was almost worth the privations we
| had underground was natures COM
| pensation for that suffering! And our
| first munger past we took time to
| pause and chat a little She had re-
gained all her old spirit. and am sure
| that for her, as for me. there was
something fascinating and even dan
gerouS In that moment We forgot past
sorrow and future peril, we forgot our
! present situation and the trials we
must still encounter. The moon was
rising again over the hills to the east
| and revealed just as ii had done the
night before. all the subtle delicacy of
her beauty. What she was thinking of
| ] know not, but my own thoughts flew
Lack irresistibly to that hour in the
| garden-that sweet swift winged
| hour.
But was II only last night" 1
| murmured. not realizing that l spoke
aloud until the words were uttered.
Indeed. 1t seems an age away" she
| assented, absently, and "a sudden burst
| of joy glowed within me.
so you were thinking Of It, tool"
I cried. and tried to catch her hand
Thinking Of WHAT she asked,
| drawing away from me.
''Of the garden-of the precious mo-
| ments we passed together there"
| answered eagerly, my eyes on hers.
| "On the contrary" she answered
| cooly, though ] could have sworn she
| b,ushed. Il was thinking only that last
! night | was safe with my friends at
| the chateau"
| oh" said. not wanting to hear
| more, and l sank back into my seat
| with "a gesture of impatience.
| Though IL you had not interrupted
| my thoughts" she continued smiling
| slyly, Il should doubtless, in time,
have come to the garden scene"
! In time!' i repeated bitterly. 'Of
| all the hours OF my life, that one is
ever present with me. 1t eclipses all
| the rest. cf III,
| 1T will faden. she assured me light
| ly. 1T will fades AS for me, ! do not
dwell upon it. Recunse l must be care
| full" a55.t,
| Careful"
| Certainly. Careful not to permit
| myself to think too tenderly of a man
| already betrothed. That would be
the height OF folly suppose l should
| begin to love him.
| Il see you are armed against me. y
Z .,..I