Las Vegas optic., 1913-09-27

comhture; under the circumstances
/ am going to ask you to accept my
escort to La Trappe; for l think you
are Mademoiselle- Elven, recently Of
the Odeon theater."
Monsieur" she said, "do you ride
through the world pressing every
peasant girl you meet with such ar
dent entreaties? Truly, your fashion
Of wooing is not slow, but everybody
knows that hussars are headlong gen
tlemen Nothing is sacred from a
hussar," she hummed deliberately,
in parody which made me writhe in
my saddle.
"Mademoiselle," said l, taking off
my forage cap, your ridicule is not
the most disagreeable incident that
expect to meet with today. l am at
tempting to do my duty, and / must
ask you to do yours"
"And if l refuse?"
Then" said |, amiably, 81 shall be
obliged to set you on my horse" And
dismounted and went toward her.
After silence she said, very seri-
ously, Monsieur, would you dare use
violence toward me?"
"Oh, l shall not be very violent" /
replied, laughing. l held the opened
watch in my hand so that she could
see the dial if she chose.
1T is one o'clock" / said, closing
the hunting-case with a snap.
She looked me steadily in the eyes.
"Will you come with me to La
Trappe?"
She did not stir.
/ stepped toward her; she gave me
a breathless, defiant stare; then in an
instant caught her up and swung
her high into my saddle, before either
she or knew exactly what had hap
pened.
She was clever enough not to try
to dismount, woman enough not to
make an awkward struggle or do any
thing ungraceful In silence, led the
horse forward through the open gate
out into the wet meadow.
AS for my turkey-girl, she sat stif1y
in the saddle, with a firmness and de.
termination that proved her to be, a
stranger to horses. / scarcely dared
look at her, so fearful was | of laugh
ing.
So we went on. The spectacle of a
cavalryman in full uniform leading a
cavalry horse on which was seated an
Alsatian girl in bright peasant cos
tune appeared to astonish the few
people we passed.
We met dozen people in all, II
think, some Of them peasants, one
or two Of the better class-a country
doctor and notary among them
why do all the people meet carry
bundles?" l demanded of the notary.
mon Dieu, monsieur, they are too
near the frontier to take risks" he
replied.
you mean to say they are running
away from their village of Trois
Feuilles?" l asked.
Exactly" he said War is a rude
guest for poor folk"
And so left him also staring. after
us, and had half a mind to go back
and examine his portfolio to see what
a snipefaced notary might be carry,
ing about with him
The lazy roadside butterflies flew
up in clouds before the slow-stepping
horse; the hill rabbits, rising to their
headquarters, wrinkled their whis-
kered noses at us; from every thicket
speckled hedge birds peered at us as
we went our way.
At length, as we reached the sum
NIT of the sandy hill, There is La
Trappe, monsieur" said my turkey
girl, and once more stretched out her
lovely arm.
There was no porter at the gate to
welcome me or to warn me back; the
wet road lay straight in front, barred
only by sunbeams.
May we enter?" l asked, politely.
She did not answer, and ! led my
horse down that silent avenue Of trees
towards the terrace ana the CLASSY
pool which mirrored the steps OF
stone.
"And here we dismount," said l, and
offered my aid
She laid her hands on my shoulders;