Middletown transcript., 1912-08-17

Lady?"
The voice was that Of Beppo, who
was regarding her from an angle in
the cloister walk.
"I am looking for his Excellency. /
suppose he is"
In the apartments Of state, my
Lady. But" The girl frowned.
"But, butt" she said. "But what?"
His Excellency has left word-he
was expecting a minister from Paris
that no one else was to be admitted;
the matter was SO important that he
wished no interruptions"
She had already turned, however;
moved on past him without answer.
At the inner entrance to the little
castle" or chatelet, which presently
she reached, the girl stopped. Here
without, in the shadow Of two huge
cylindrical towers, that crowned the
feudal gate-house, a number Of sol
diers, seated on the steps, clinked
their swords and talked; within, be-
meath the high-vaulted dome OF the
guard-room lolled the commandant
and several officers on a bench before
a large window. Immediately on her
appearance they rose, but, merely
bowling stifHy, she started toward
portal on the left. Whereupon the
commandant started forward, defer
entially would have spoken-stopped
her, when at the same moment, the
door she was approaching opened, and
the governor himself appeared. At
the sight of her he started; a shade OF
annoyance crossed his thin features,
then almost Immediately vanished;
his cold eyes met hers expeetantly.
81 have been told you were very
busy, yet 1 must see you; it is very
important"
A fraction Of a moment he seemed
to hesitate; then with an absent air:
Certainly, was very busy; never
theless-" he stepped aside; permit
ted her to pass, and softly closed the
door. With the same preoccupied air
he walked to his table before one Of
the large f1replaces whose pyramidal
canopies merged into the ribs Of the
vaulting OF a noble chamber, and,
seating himself in a cushioned chair,
looked down at few embers.
'T came" standing, with her fingers
straight and stiff on the cold marble
edge of the table, the girl began to
speak hurriedly, constrainedly, Il
wanted to see youAabout the prison
ers-"
He did not answer. Gently stroking
his wrist, as if the dampness from
some subterranean place had got into
It, he evinced no sign he had heard;
and this apathy and his apparent dis
regard of her awoke more strongly
the feeling she had experienced so
often since that day in the cloister,
when he had promised to set free the
servant of the Black Seigneur; had
kept his word, indeed, but
Cant you see," she forced herself
to continue, after what the man San
chez thought-suspected about me,
what he said that day at the Mount,
after what he, the Black Seigneur, did
for me"-the Governor started-"that
you, if you care for me at all" he
looked at her strangely, "at least,
should"
"As I told you the other day." his
accents were cold, why concern your
self about outlaws and peasants clam
/ orip0 Foy. friObfc i'0
But it is my concern" she said pas
sionately. "Unless-"
Neither yours nor mine," he an
swered in the same tone. only the
laws"
"The law's!" she returned. you are
the law"
Its servant" he corrected.
'But-you could spare their lives
You could deal with them more merci
fully!"
''The law is explicit. In the King
alone rests the power to"
The King! But before word could
reach him"
Exactly" AS he spoke, the Gov
| erlOr rose. ana now
"You will not hear me?"
''If there is anything else"
Her figure Strengthened. why dc
you hate him so?" she asked passion
ately. You have hastened their trial
and would carry out the sentence be
fore there is time for justice. And the
man whom that day you ordered
whipped from the Mount-after let
ting me think him safe! After all that
his master did for me! Why was he
lashed? Because of him he served ol
Of the old Seigneur before that?
heard you ask about him-of his hav
ing gone to America? Why did you
care about that?"
"You seem to have listened to 6
great deal!"
"And why did he go to America p
she went on, unheeding. Did you hate
him, too? What for?"
''If you have nothing else to tall
about" He glanced at the door.
And the lands!" she said. "The!
were his; now they are yours"
'Unjustly, perhaps you think"
"No, moi" she cried. Il didn't meal
i didn't imply that. OF course not
Only" putting out her hands, 81 tr.
to understand, and-you have neve
taken me into your confidence, mol
pere! You have been indulgent; dc
MED me nothing, butt don't want t
feel the way have felt the last weel
as if" quickly she stopped. IN
doubt there are reasons-although
have puzzled; and if l knew! Can
you," abruptly, treat me as one wol
thy of your confidence?"
"You!" he said with quiet iron!
''Who-listen!"
, The girl flushed. 81 had to, b,
cause"
And who misrepresented facts, q
in the case of-Saladin!"
But"
How long" standing over he
were you on the island?"
, 'T-don't knowI"
you dont?" His voice implied dl
, belief.
Part of the time I was unco
scious-"
: 'In the watch-tower with him!"
She made a gesture. Would yC
: rather"