The Washington herald., 1911-08-13
CHAPTER XI-Continued.

i
tup O. watah right soon now
In spite Of herself Josephine found her
self unable to resist interest in these
proceedings. After all, her prison was
not to be without its comforts. She hoped
the eggs would be more than two
The old serving woman slowly moved
about here and there in the apartment,
intent upon duties of her own. While
thus engaged, Josephine, standing fem
ininely engaged before her glass,
chanced to catch sight of her in the
mirror. She had swiftly slipped over
and opened the door of a wardrobe Over
her arm now was some feminine gar
ment
What have you there" demanded
Josephine, turning swiftly.
JUS some things Use gwine take away
TO make room for you, that's all, ma am -
Josephine approached and took up in
her own hands these evidences of
an earlier occupancy of the room
Tney were garments of a day gone by
The silks were faded, dingy, worn in the
creases from sheer disuse. Apparently
they had hung untouched for some time
Whose were tn .se, Sally?' demanded
Josephine.
Il dunno. ma'am. Use been mos'ly in
the kitchen, ma am"
Josephine regarded her closely No
sign of emotion showed on that brown
mask The gray brow> above the small
eyes did not flicker. II suppose these
may have belonged to Mr.. Dunwody's 8
mother" said Josephine carelessly.
''Yassam.'
His sister,
'Yassamr'
'Or his wife. perhaps?"
Yassam, eff they really wuZz one"
Il
sharply
Might a-been none, er might a-been a
dozen. fur's 1 know. Us folks don study
much bout whut white folks does"
You must have known if there was
any such person about-you've been here
for years Don't talk nonsense"
Temptation showed on Sally's face
The next instant the film came again
over the small brown eyes, the mask
shut down again, the ancient negro
racial secretiveness resumed sway.
Josephine did not ask for what she knew
would be lie.
Where is my own maid. Jeanne?" she
demanded. Il am anxious about her."
Il dunno. ma'am."
rs she Safe-has she been cared for?"
Il reckon she's all right"
Can you bring her to me?"
I'll try, ma'am."
But breakfast passed and no Jeanne ap-
peared. From the great house came no
sounds of human occupancy. Better
struggle. conflict, than this ominous wait
ing, this silence, here In this place of in
fanny, this home of horror. this house of
some other woman. 1t was with sense
of relief that at length she heard a hu-
man voice.
Outside. beneath the window, quavering
sounds rose. The words were French,
Canadian French, scarce distinguishable
TO an ear trained only in the Old World.
1t was an old man singing, the air per-
haps that of some old chanson of his own
country, sung by villagers long before:
Souvenirs du jeune age
Sont graTs dams coeIr
Quand je pense village,
aeTensnt du bonheur-"
The old voice halted. at length resun-
ing. idly: "Quand je pense-quand je
pense." Then after humming the air for
a little time it broke out as though in
the chorus. bold and strong:
''Rendez-moi ma ratrie OIL laissez-moi mourir"'
The words came to her with a sudden
thrill. What did they not mean to the
alien. to the prisoner. to the outcast, any
where in all the world! Give me back
my country. or let me die!''
She stepped to the window and looked
down. An old man, brown and wrinkled,
was digging about the shrubbery, perhaps
winter sleep. He was clad in leather and
linsey, and seemed ancient as the hills.
He resumed his song Josephine leaned
out from the easement and softly Joined
in the refrain:
''RendezTno ma patrie, laissez-moi mourir!"
The old man dropped his spade Mon
Dieu" he exclaimed. and looked all
about. around. and at last up.
''Ah, Bon jour, mademoiselle!' he said.
IL 4
You spik also my language, mademoi-
selle?"
''Mais oui, monsieur" rejoined Jose
phine; and addressed him further in
few sentences on trivial topics. Then, |
suddenly resolved. she stepped out of her |
own room. passed softly down the stair, |
out through the wide central hall, and |
so, having encountered no one, Joined the |
ancient man on the lawn. 1t chanced he |
had been at labor directly in front of one |
of the barred lower windows. He now |
left his spade and stepped apart, essay |
ing now little broken English.
You seeng my song also, madamoi-
sele? You like the old song from Ca
madam village, aye? 1 seeng heem many
TAM me.
who are your" demanded Josephine.
Me. ] am Eleazar, the ol' trap man.
Summers l work here for Monsieur Dun
wodee. Verr' reech man. Monsieur Dun
wodee. He say, 'Eleazar, you live here,
all right When winter come l go back
in the heel, trap ze fur-r, madame ze
cat, ze h'ottaire, ze meenk, sometime ze
coon, also ze skonk. Pret' soon I'll go
k'out for trap now, mademoiselle"
How long have you been here, Flea
zar?" she asked.
Many year, mademoiselle. In these
co'ntre perhaps twent'-thirt' year, I'll
dom know
Were you here when the lady lived
here?' she demanded of him directly
He frowned at this suddenly. I'll not
know what you mean, mademoiselle."
Il mean the other lady, the wife of
Mr.. Dunwody.'
My faith! Monsieur Dunwodee he'll
live h'alone here, hall tam
She affected not to understand him.
How long since she was here, Eleazar?'
she demanded.
What for you'll talk like those to me?
I'll not know nossing, mademoiselle. I'll |
not even know who is mademoiselle or
why she'll been here, me. I'll not know
Tor say, whether madame whether
mademoiselle.' Mais 'mademoiselle'-
que te pense.'
She looked about her hastily. I'm
mere against my wish, Eleazar. I want
10 get away from here as soon as can"
he drew away in sudden fright "Ill
not know Messing at all, me-" he reit-
Grated
Eleazar. You like money, perhaps?"
, VI course, yes. Tout le monde II aime