Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-04-23

a6no. II sometimes 00O l0uBueN anu
thus failed to receive his delicate gal
lantr1es in the mood II which they
were rendered. the marquis vanity
only allowed him to conclude that .
woman does not laugh II she 10 dis
pleased. 1t was enough that she found
him 5diverting; he served her; they
were friends and had danced ana rsd
den through the spring days in ami
cable fashion. &a%,5.f n.
'Good.by,'" he repeated. Whom
are you coming to court again 3! Tho
queen Is sure to ask. understand
her majesty is planning all manner
OF brilliant entertainments. yet Yer
sailles without you. Elise!" Ii
q s""Me?" arching her finely penciled
&brows. "Oh, I'm thinking OF staying
here, bacoming a nun. and restoring
the Mount to its old religious pres,
tige." . siiss 4 4 y. sif .i$ ! !
Then I'll come back a monk" he
returned in the same tone.
t. 1T you come back at ALL" provok.
ingly. II There. go! The others will
soon be out of sight" A &
Il, too-alas, Elise" .
He touched his horse: rode on, but
soon looked back to where, against
great. grim wall, stood figure all
in white cleaning in the sunshine.
The marquis stopped; drew from bis
breast a deep red rose, and. gazing
upward, gracefully kissed the glowing
token. Beneath the aureole OF golden
hair my lady's proud face rewarded
him with faint smile, and some
thlng-a tiny Observation-Disclosures
like a dove above the frowning. time
worn rock. At that, with the eloquent
gesture Of troubadour. he threw
his arm backward, as II TO launch the
impress on the rose to the crimson
lips Of the girl, and then. plying his
spurs. galloped OF. H.
And as he went at q pace, head
long II not dangerous and fitting the
fexigencies OF the moment, my lord
smiled. Truly had he presented q 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
no 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.
"Heigh-ho!" she murmured. stretch
ing her arms toward that point where
he-they-had vanished. Il shall die
Of ennui. I am sure!" And thought
fully retraced her steps to her own
room.
But she did not long stay there;
by way Of makeshift for gaiety, sub
stituted activity. The Mount, full OF
early recollections and trAasure-house
mystery, furnished an incentive for
exploration and for several daye she
devoted herself to its study; now
pausing for an instant's contemplation
OF sculptured thing Of beauty, then
before some closed door that held her,
as at the threshold OF q Bluebeard's
forbidden chamber.
One day. such door stood open
and her curiosity became cured. She
had passed beneath . machicolated
gateway. and climbing stairway
that began in a watch.tower, found
herself Unexpectedly on great 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 trap
all save one. a misshapen dwarf who
remained to shut the iron door, ad
just the fastening and turn q ponder
GUS key. For q moment she stood
staring
F q (TO BE CONTINUED.)