El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-14
By Paul villiers.

mont spent his vacation in Nor
= mandy, and when he returned there
was something in his manner which
surprised his friends.
He had always been queer fellow,
for, although he was a scion of one OF
Frances noblest families. he was an
actor London had admired his genius.
Paris had honored her famous son, and,
just when everyone was raving about
him, he went off to Normandy.
He had been there before. for the
old-fashioned province had always had
an irresistible charm for this man,
who was often tired of all the honors
that were showered upon him, and
which he hardly cared for any more.
This visit, however, was different
from all his former ones. The old inn
was the same, the grapevines that Gov
cred its walls were the same and the
vineyards of the surrounding country
that had produced many bottle or the
choice wine that had frightened the
eyes of the many beauties with whom
he had supped alone in Paris For you
must remember that Pierre Egremone
was a famous actor. and man OF this
kind is always the target for all the
intrigues that Eve has taught her
beautiful daughters. She had not
beautiful, but knew nothing OF IN
trigues.
Babette wore a plain linen dress and
wooden shoes and knew nothing of the
WAYS of the great world. What did she
know about boulevards and theaters
And, during the days that followed
their first meeting. Pierre was charm
ed by her refreshing innocence.
Norman dy is the place for romances.
and this one progressed rapidly, Tor
the old woman owner of the inn, VINO
knew Pierre well. was not worried be-
cause her niece spent so many hours
in his company.
Monsieur looks after Babette," she
said. s'Babette is in good hands
when she is with him." And she was
right.
Babette's Innocence protected her as
nothing elsec ou1d have done. For the
first time in many years. Pierre Eyre
mont was conquered by new teeiins'
and he thought of somebody oesloes
himself. and thought honestly
To the young girl, he was like
charmed being from another sphere,
god who had come to make the VINE
wards more beautiful still. and whom
she adored without ( suspectlng ner
idols too worldly temperament or the
thoughts that raced through his brain
as they walked, side by side through
the vineyards.
He might marry whenever ne 1eil
like it. Marriage haS heretofore never
figured among his follies. and many
a time he had held back the words
that came to his lips, for. Pierre's goa
was ambition. He was a great actor
bur he aimed higher still Babette was
: the first woman he had ever loved out
-o,i~l'v she was Impossible he
thought of her in the midst OF Faris
societv. and shook his head
If would never do If he ever mar
riad his wife must be some great laoS
of the noblest blood. But the days
grew into weeks and ne was stu stop
ming at the inn though every DAY
brought him scores of scented letters,
letters which deplored his absence ana
caid teasing things about a new leVe-
He tore them all up every morning
and went out walking with Baoette-
sunny hours these We're. with no
hint about the clouds that were gain
ering. and when Pierre>thought OF ner
feelings, he Gained his conscience pg
telling himself that she was child,
who would soon forget, without even
thinking of the fact that the child hao
become a young woman
At last the inevitable goodbye
came. and. though Pierre said 1t was
merely eau revoir," Babette knew betv
ter.
You will never come back here,
monsieur.- she said. and looked at him
with eyes from which all joy had
fled
why not, Babette?"
'T do not know, monsieur, 1 just
feel 1t here" she said, and pressed
her hand against her aching heart
1--WE shall meet again. child. said
Pierre with a forced smile. perhaps
in Paris
She drew deep sigh
'Parisi Yes, Monsieur. Perhaps
we shall meet in Paris. but never here
anv more. Something tells me So
.sThen let me know when you come
to Paris. Babette." Pierre replied, and
when he saw the sorrow in her eyes,
he suddenly beh3 down and kissed her
for the first time.
'T want to go to Paris, auntie."
But, Babette dear"
"eI must CO.
eft is impossible
This was the conversation which was
repeated every day after Pierre Eyre
mont's departure, until the word inn
possible" gave way TO less determined
adjectives, and at last Babette left
peaceful Normandy to earn her living
as a seamstress in Paris. The work
was hard, the hours long and tiresome,
and the wages small. but no week
passed that Babette did not visit Thea
ter Francois. She saw Pierre Eyre
mont playing old parts and creating
new ones, until the little peasant girl
learned to know him as an actor and
learned to understand better the man
who had walked at her side through
the vineyards of Normandy. She new
er tried to meet him now that she I'M
derstood 1t was enough to know that,
though an ocean of faces separated
them, she could look a t him from the
gallery and remember that once he had
kissed her.
"vive la republiquer' 'vive la gull
lotiner 1889 had come and the proud
est blood of France was shed in the
most beautiful city in the world
Pierre Egremont stood pale and
bleeding. leaning against a wall shud-
dering as he heard the yells of the
rnoh He was ana riStOcraf and his