Gilpin observer., 1913-07-17

and unhappily. We'll, l will answer
for you. 1t was because there was
some one in the room who was in
you did not wish to know that you
could be interested in any one else"
III any one was in my way, my
friend" Christine broke in coldly, III
any one was in my way, that evening.
1t was yourself. since | told you to
leave the room"
Yes. SO that you might remain with
the other!"
What are you saying. monsieur?"
asked the girl excitedly. And to
what other do you referf"
ITO the man to whom you said. 1
sing only for you! tonight |
gave you my soul and l am dead!'"
Christine seized Raoul,s arm and
eclutched 1t with strength which no
one would have suspected in so frail a
creature.
Then you were listening behind
the door?"
Yes. because love you And
I heard everything. ;"
You heard what?"
And the young girl. becoming
strangely calm. released Raoul's arm.
He said to you, Christine. you
must love mel"
At these words. a deathiy pallor
spread over Christine's face. dark
rings formed round her eyes. she
staggered and seemed on the point OF
swooning. Raoul darted forward.
with arms outstretched, but Christine
had overcome her passing faintness
and said. in a low voice:
Go on! Go on! Tell me all you
heard!"
At an utter loss to understand,
Raoul answered: Il heard him reply.
when you said you had given him your
soul. Your soul is . beautiful thing.
child. and thank you. No emperor
ever received SO fair a gift The
angels wept tonight"
Christine carried her hand to her
heart, . prey to indescribable emotion
Her eyes stared before her like Q
mad dwoman's Raoul was terror-strick.
en-. But suddenly Christine's eyes
moistened and two great tears
trickied. like two pearls, down her
ivory cheeks.
'.Chrfstine!"
"Raoui!"
The young man tried to take her in
his arms. but she escaped and ned In
great disorder
While Christine remained locked in
her room. Raoul was at his wits end
what to do. He refused to breakfast
He was terribly concerned and bit.
terly grieved to see the hours, which
he had hoped to find so sweet. slip
past without the presence OF the
young Swedish girl. Why did she not
come to roam with him through the
country where they had SO many mem.
cries in common? He heard that she
had had mass said. that morning
for the repose Of her fathers soul and
spent q long time praying in the lit.
tie church and on the fiddler's tomb.
Then, as she seemed to have nothing
moro to do at Perros and. In fact.
was doing nothing there. why did she
not go back to Paris at onceY
Raoul walked away. deJectedly, to
the graveyard in which the church
stood and was indeed alone among the
tombs. reading the Inscriptions; but.
when he turned behind the apse. he
was suddenly struck by the dazzling
note of the flowers that struggled over
the white ground. They were mar
velous red roses that had blossomed
in the morning. in the snow. giving a
glimpse OF life among the dead. for
death was all around him. It also,
like the flowers. issued from the
ground. which had flung back a num-
ber OF its corpses. Skeletons and
skulls by the hundred were heaped
against the wall Of the church, held
in position by wire that left the
whole gruesome stack visible. Dead
mems bones. arranged in rows, like
bricks. to form the first course upon
which the walls OF the sacristy had
been built. The door OF the sacristy
opened IN the middle Vt that bony