The Detroit times., 1913-09-23
CHAPTER xxxlll.
The Tlnoat Thinoa.

CHAPTER xxxiii.
The Finest vhinos.
Endurance, Francois own Negro
boy. brought note to Roanoke House
on a morning Ave days after. II read:
My Dear Miss Hampton:
The doctor has given me per-
mission to ride tomorrow, and l
wish to ride to Roanoke House
before al other places. WIN
Msdemoisells sec met VIII Mad
emoisells permit me to see her
for q short time alonef I await
anxiously q word from you, and
am your servant.
FRANCOIS BEAUPRN
Mademoiselle sent q fair sheet OF
paper with 4 few unsteady scratches
across Il, and sat down to live over
night. . hard business at times. But
It was accomplished. The colonel had
ridden to Norfolk for the day-had
Francois known Of that. one won
ders? Lucy, waiting In that small
stately study with the dim portals
and the wide vague view across the
fields Of the James river. heard the
gay hoof beats Of AQuarelle pound
down the gravel under the window,
heard Francois deep gentle voice a.
he gave the horse to 6ambo. and wait
cd one minute more, the hardest min
ute Of all. Then the door had opened
and he stood thsre-the miracle. az 1t
seems at such moments to Q woman.
possibly to . man-of ell the gifts and
qualities worth loving.
The light on the thick bronssd hair
with it, dramatic white lock, the dag
onal Of fresh color across the dark
face. the wonderful brilliant eyes. the
strong leanness of his hands-there
was something In each detail. 90 the
two gased at each other In . short 81
lence. which caught at Lucy's soul
That he was short, and so unlike all
the men she had admired before, was
somehow an added charm. The COM
pact light figure seemed worth q hun
dred big hulks Of men. The injured
arm in its sling gave her pang OF
tenderness, thrill Of eagerness to do
anything, everything for him. A tu-
multi Of these thoughts and thousand
others beat about her as Francois
stood grave, alert, In the doorway.
Then he made his precise bow, and
she had heard his voice saying gent
ly, "Good morning, Modemoiselle,"
and the door was closed; and they
were alone together. In q nash she
felt that It could not be endured. that
she must escape. She rose hastily.
TN sorry I must 60; I can not
stay"
But Francois had laughed and TAX
en- her hand and was holding 1t with
q tender force which thrilled her. he
understood. She knew he understood
the shame and fear of q woman who
has given love unasksd; she was safe
In his hands: she knew that. With
sigh she let her fingers rest In his
and sat down again and waited.
= Dear Mademoiselle Lucy" said the
deep kind voice. my hrst friend In
Virginia. my comrads, my little
scholar
Why did Lucy grow cold and quiet
at these words OF gentlenessf Fran
co.'s was sitting beside her. holding
her hand In both his. gasing 1t her
with the clearest affection In his look.
Yet she braced herself against she
did not know what. The voice went
on with Its winning foreign inRec-
tons. Its slip Of English now and
then. and its never-to-be-describe
power Of reaching the heart.
"6e. Mademoiselle." said Francois.
I'VE are too real friends. you and I.
to have deception between u. We
will not pretend, you and I, to each
other-is It not, Mademoisellef There
fore shall not try to hide from you
that heard that day those words 30
wonderful which you spoke to me so
have thought OF those
words ever since, Mademoiselle. az 1
lay III with this troublesome arm;
ever since-all the time. My heart
has been full Of specialization to
you which you can not be told. II
shall remember all my life; I shall
be honored a. no king could honor
me, by those words. And because
you have so touched me, and have SO
laid that little hand on the heart OF
me, am going to tell you. my dear
comrade and scholar. what IL most
secret and most sacred to me-
Lucy's hand in his stifiened, but
yet she did not draw It away. Fran.
coils had not begun the way q lover
begins-she felt that surely-but---it
was Francois. What faithfulness and
truth there was in any one answered
always to the truth and faithfulness
OF this man. In Lucy Hampton there
was much Of both; she left her hand
lying between the strong hands of the
man who did not love her.
In as few words as might be, he
told her Of the peasant child who had
been lifted out Of his poverty bound
life with such large kindness that
no bond which held him to that poor,
yet dear. lMe had been broken; VINO
had been left all the love Of his first
home and yet had been given q home
and q training and an education which
set him ready for any career: he told
Of the big-souled. blunt. Napoleonic
onlcer. the seigneur; of the gray, red.