Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1911-03-30
CHAPTER xxvII--continued.

IF I do not find her worthy of
you. then she cannot have you." went
on Helena Won Ritz.
But. madam. you forget one thing.
She is worthy Of me. or of any other
mani"
Il shall be Judge of that. II she is
what you think. you shall have her
and Oregon!"
But as to myself. madam? The bar
gain?"
Il arrive. monsieur! n she fails
you. then | ask only time"
u begin to see, madam" said l.
'how large these stakes may rum"
I'm case lose. be sure at least I
shall pay shall make my atone
ment." she said.
Il doubt not that, madam, with all
your heart and mind and soul"
And body!" she whispered. The
old horror came again upon her face.
She shuddered. did not know why.
She stood now as one In devotions for
a time. and ] would no more have
spoken than had she been at her pray
ers. as. indeed. ! think she was At
last she made some faint movement
of her hands. do not know whether
1t was the sign of the cross.
She rose now. tall. whitehead. SHIN
mering. vision of beauty such as that
part of the world certainly could not
then offer Her hair was loosened now
In its masses and dropped more wide
ly over her temples, above her brow.
Her eyes were very large and dark.
and | saw the faint blue shadows
corning again beneath them. Her
hands were clasped. her chin raised
Just trifle. and her gaze was rapt
as that of some longing soul. | could
not guess of these things, being but a
man. and. fear. clumsy alike of
body and wit.
what are my stakes? How may
pay?"
There is one thing. madam, which
we have omitted" said | at last.
She swayed little on her feet. as
though she were weak. 81 want"
said she. II wish-I wish"
The old childlike look OF pathos
came again have never seen SO sad
q face. She was lady. white and
delicately clad; l. rude frontiers
man In camp-grimed leather. But |
stepped to her now and took her in
my arms, and held her close. and
pushed back the damp waves of her
hair. And because a mans tears
were In my eyes, have no doubt Of
absolution when say | had been
cad and coward had not kissed her
own tears away. | no longer made
pretense of ignorance. but ah! how |
wished that we're ignorant of what 1t
was not my right to know.
led her to the edge of the little
bed of husks and found her kerchief.
All. she was of breeding and courage!
Presently. her voice rose steady and
clear as ever. "Threlka!" she called.
PLEASED"
When Threlka came. she looked
closely at her lady's face. and what
she read seemed. after all. to content
her
"Threlka." said my lady in French.
Il want the little one"
! turned to her with query in my
eyes
"Tiens!" she said. Wait. have a
little surprise"
You have nothing at any time save
surprises. madam"
1.-TWO things have" said she, sigh
ing: "a little dog from China, Chow
by name. He sleeps now. and must
not disturb him. else | would show
you how lovely dog is Chow. Also
here have found little Indian child
running about the post. DR.. McLaugh-
lin was rejoiced when adopted her."
well. then, madam. what next"
Eyes. with the promise to him that
Z would care for that little child
want something for my own. See
now Come Natoka!"
The old servant paused at the door.
There slid across the floor with the
silent feet of the savage the tiny fig
ure of a little child. perhaps four
years of age. with coal-black hair and
beady eyes. clad In all the bequillcd
Emery that trading post could fur
0ish--a little orphan child, as
learned later. whose parents had both
been lost In a canoe accident at the
BALES. She was an infant. wild. I'M
trained. unlcved. unable to speak q
word of the language that she heard
She stood now hesitatinx. but that