Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-12-02
CHAPTER xxvu-(continued.)

AOoN IL LIouSu lWlC III ohoCA y
give myself time to recover from the
blow, especially from the poniard-
stroke Of that final sentence, which
killed the last vestige OF hope that l
had treasured in my heart.
Very WELL" I said. at last. This
was very thoughtful Of your master.
Have the horses got ready and / VIII
join you in a moment"
he fastened away, n when, nav
Ing finished my coffee, ! descended
into the courtyard Of the inn, I found
him awaiting me, with the horses &C
coutered for the Journey. / swung
Into the saddle and cantered out from
the Inn. he followed a pace behind.
But my serenity OF the morning mad
vanished utterly. Now that I was face
to face with the task which awaited
me, now that. there was no LONGER
chance Of evasion or escape, the blood
turned to water In my veins, my very
soul trembled. To make love to a wom-
an l did not love, to appear before her
always with a smile upon my lips n
soft words upon my tongue. to play the
gallant when my heart was far away,
to lead her TO the church, to be bound
70 her ir~revocably, and finally to pass
the remainder Of my LIE N her COM
in a word, 10 live a lie!-that was the
task 1 had set myself. Would l be able
to accomplish 1t? Was II not beyond
my poor strength After all, did honor
demand Of me such a sacrifice?
But I put that thought from me for
the last time as / recalled certain
scorching words which had been ut
ron. I must accomplish II, or prove
myself unworthy Of that temple IN
which she had enshrined me. I put
my hand into my bosom and touched
the note I carried there, repeating
its one word over and over to myself.
Courage! Couragel Couragel"
And In that moment my doubts
fell away, never to return. I was
armed, cap-a-pte, against whatever ar
rows fate might launch.
At last I turned and motioned my
attendant to come forward.
What is -FOUR name" / asked,
noting his intelligent face.
Berth, monsieur"
You left your master in good
health, I trust?"
I'm excellent health. monsieur"
And your mistress2"
"She also, monsieur. ] ave never
seen her looking better"
Let me see," I went on, MA
dame de Benseval Is dead, is she not?"
"Oh, these many years, monsieur"
There was only n child2"
only one. monsieur"
How old Is she2"
Nineteen, monsieur"
Il was on the tip Of my tongue to
ask him If she was beautiful, but I
checked the question back. 1t was in
discreet-and, after all, what did it
matter2
They have been greatly worried
at monsieur's failure to appear" he
added.
I almost groaned aloud.
I'M. de Benseval said he had been
expecting me-" I murmured, mechan-
ically.
ooh. yes: for a week almost. He
had made arrangements for the rete,
but of course it was postponed when
monsieur failed to appear"
Postponed until when, 2e-t!n?" 7
questioned.
1T is to take place tomorrow, II
monsieur approves" he answered and
glanced at me quickly.
This time I could not wholly suppress
n groan, but managed to change II
into q cough. The end was nearer than
I had thought.
We rode on in silence after that,
for / had no more questions to ask,
nor, apparently, had Berth any in
formation to volunteer. And at last,
just % uOoh O 1ulllll6t "o lOttC
around a turn In the road and saw
before us the walls and towers Of
Poitiers rising tier upon tier to the
cathedral which crowns the sum-
NIT Of he hill upon which the town
is built. 1t looked warm and gay In
the rays Of the setting sun, but dark
ness had fallen ere we crossed the
bridge which led into the town; and
once engulfed IN its narrow. steep
opd tnrfIfnIta Efraafa n had ann 1na9
all sense of direction, and appreciated
more than ever NJ. Benseval's wis
dom In sending me q guide.
For my companion seemed to know
his way perfectly, turned this way
and that without hesitation and at
last drew rein before q mouse AT
whose door a torch was naring.
Here we are" he said, as he threw
himself from the saddle and helped me
to dismount. This way, monsieur"
Scarcely had we set foot on the low
est step, when the door burst open and
a man appeared on the threshhold-a
man tall, OF commanding presence,
with the noblest c~ountenance I had
ever seen.
"~Tavernay!" he cried, his arms ex-
tended. "Tavernayl"
And /. as though I had found q Sec
ond father, sprang up the steps and
Threw mySelI into tnem.
I know not how 1t was, but at the
end of q moment, I was telling my
self that IL was worth some sacrifice
to be near a man like this. He led
me in, across the vestibuie TO the
drawing room beyond, and sat me
down and looked at me
'Tou are you father ever again. nv
boy" he said. at last, and HIS face was
very tender. II see already that 7 am
going to love you'll"
I could find no word to answer, but
I think ne read my heart I'm my face.
for he held out his hand and gripped
mine.
"And now" he continued, before you
meet my daughter, I desire to q
frankly with you for q moment.
have sometimes wondered II your IA
ther and I were wise to bind you when
you were only q child. After ell. a
man ehould choose for himself. for
marriage without love is not marriage.
and good or bad, there is no escape
NICE the vows are taken. I know the
Paris fashion; I know that there are
many fathers who do not believe as r
DO; they think me a fooi-which IA
not so harsh a name as I sometimes
apply to them. Your father was he
dearest friend ! ever had: I certainly
do not intend to make his son an
happy"
"Morsieur r saSd ,T ~ .rra.1v