The Forrest City times., 1913-08-15

hand. If sometimes she laughed aha thus failed to receive his delicate gal lantries in the mood in which they were rendered. the marquis vanity only allowed him to conclude that woman does not laugh if she is dis pleased. It was enough that she found him diverting; he served her; they were friends and had danced and rid' den through the spring days in ami cable fashion.
 "Good-by," he repeated. When are you coming to court again? The queen is sure to ask. understand her majesty is planning all manner of brilliant entertainments, yet Yer sailles-without you, Elise,"
 "Me?" arching her finely penciled bro"s. "Oh, I'm thinking Of staying here, becoming a nun. and restoring the Mount to its old religious pres tigc"
 Then I'll come back monk" he returned in the same tone.
 If you come back at ali" provok- ingly. There, go' The others will soon be out of sight,"
 T, too-alas, Elise,"
 He touched his horse; rode on, but ] soon looked back to where. against a great. grim wall, stood a figure all in white gleaming in the sunshine. 1 The marquis stopped; drew from his breast deep red rose, and. gazing | uDUard eraeof,,llv kiccad tho olowirp token. Beneath the aureole of golden hair my lady's proud face rewarded him with faint smile, and some 1 thlng-a tiny dkerchief-fiuttered like a dove above the frowning, time worn rock. At that. with the eloquent | gesture of a troubadour he threw l his arm backward. as If to launch the impress on the rose to the crimson lips of the girl, and then. plying hi& spurs, galloped off
 And as he went at a pace, head. long if not dangerous and fitting the | exigencies of the moment, my lord smiled. Truly had he presented per feet, dainty and gallant figure for any woman's eyes, and the Lady Elise. he fancied, was not the least discerning of her sex. And had he seen the girl. when an unkind angle of the wall hid him from sight. his own nice estimate Of the situation would have suffered TO change. The Mount, which for merly had resounded to the life and merriment of the people from the court on sudden to her looked cold, barren, empty.
 Hetgh-hoi" she murmured, stretch ing her arms toward that point where he-they-had vanished. T shall die l of ennui l am sure!" And thought. fully retraced her steps to her own 1 room.
 But she did not long stay there; by way of makeshitt for gaiety. sub stituted activity. The Mount, full Of 1 carly recollections and treasure house mystery, furnished an incentive for exploration, and for several days she devoted herself to it's study; now pausing for an instant's contemplation of a sculptured thing of beauty. then before some closed door that held her as at the threshold of Bluebeard's forbidden chamber.
 One day. such door stood open and her curiosity became cured. She had passed beneath a machicolatea gateway, and climbing a stairway that began in a watch-tower. found herself unexpectedly on . grea: plat form. Here several men, unkempt pale, like creatures from another world, were walking to and fro; but at sight Of her, an order was issued and they vanished through a trap all save one. misshapen dwarf wh: remained to shut the iron door. ad just the fastening and turn ponder ous key. For moment she stood staring.
 CTO BE CONTINUED)