The Chanute times., 1913-05-09
CHAPTER |.
A Chance Encounter.

stranded afar, and the lad addressed
had started, with a tish-his wage
In one hand, to walk to shore, when,
passing into the shadow OF the ram
part of the Governors Mount, from
the opposite direction white horse
swung suddenly around a corner OF
the stone masonry and bore directly
upon him. He had but time 10 step
aside as it was, the animal grazed
his shoulder, and the boy, about to
give utterance to natural remon-
strance lifted his eyes to the Offend
er. The words were not forthcoming;
surprised, he gazed at tiny girl, OF
about eleven, perched fairy-like on the
broad back of the heavy steed.
Don't you know you ought not to
get in my way?" she repeated i'm
periously.
The boy, tall, dark, unkempt as a
young savage, shifted awkwardly; his
black eyes, restless enough ordinarily,
expressed a sudden shyness in the
presence of this unexpected and
NuinlJ SlOdIuiO'
"I-didn't see you" he half STAN
mered.
well, you should have!" And again
the little lady frowned, shook her dis
ordered golden curls disapprovingly
and gazed at him, a look Of censure
in her brown eyes. But perhaps you
don't know who | am" she went on
with lift of the patrician doll-like
features. Il don't think you do, or
you wouldn't stand there like a
BOBBY, without taking off your hat. :"
More embarrassed he removed a
worn cap while she continued to re-
proval. Il am the Comtesse Elise"
she observed; "the daughter of the
Governor of the Mount"
Obi" said the boy, and his glance
shifted to the most important and in
sistent feature of the landscape.
Carrying it's clustered burden of
houses and palaces. a great rock
reared itself from the monotony Of
the bare and binding sands. Now an
oasis in the desert, ere night was
over he knew the in-rushing waters
would convert it into an island; claim
it for the sea! A strange kingdom,
yet a mighty one, it belonged alter
nately to the land and to the ocean.
With the sky, however, it enjoyed
perpetual aff1liation, for the heavens
were ever wooing it; now winding
pretty ribbons Of light about its air
drawn castles; then kissing 1t with
the tender, soft red glow of celestial
fervor.
Yes; / live right on top among the
clouds, in a castle, with dungeons un-
derneath, where my father puts the
bad people who don't like the mobiles
and King Louis XVI. But where"
categorically, do you live?"
His gaze turned from the points
and turrets and the clouds she spoke
of-that seemed to linger about the
lofty summit-to the mainland, per-
haps mile distant.
"There!" he said, and specifically
indicated dark fringe, like a cloud
on the lowlands.
in the woods! How odd," She
looked at him with faint interest.
And don't the bears bother you?
Once when l wanted to see what the
woods were like, my nurse told me
they were filled with terrible bears
who would eat up little girls. | don't
have a nurse any more," irrelevantly,
"only a governess who came from the
court of Versailles, and Beppo. Do
you know Beppo?"
No"
81 don't like him." she contided.
"He is always listening. But why do
you live in the woods?"
"Because!" The reason failed him.
And didn't you ever live anywhere
else?"
A shadow crossed the dark young
face. "Once," he said.
II suppose the bears know you,"
she speculated, "and that is the rea-
son they let you alone. Or, perhaps,
they are like the wolf in the fairy
tale. Did you ever hear of the kind
hearted wolff"
He shook his head.
MY nurse used to tell 1t to me.
Well, once there was boy who was
an orphan and everybody hated him.
So he went to live in the forest and
there he met wolf. Where are you
going, little boy?' said the wolf. No
where said the boy; 4 have no home
No homel' said the kind-hearted
wolf; then come with. me, and you
shall share my cave Isn't that a
nice story?"
He looked at her in a puzzled man.
ner. Il don't know" he began, when
she tossed her head.
What a stupid boy!" she exclaimed
severely. A moment she studied him
through her curls. from
the vantage point of her elevated |
reat. That's a big fish," she re-
marked, after a pause.