The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-04-24
CHAPTER ", Continued.
A wrangling sound came from belo,
mfQ}rc Ha- A

stairs. =
He is quarreling with Rosine. He
keeps the whole house In order. He is
becoming in~sufferable."
Why, then, do you not dismiss
him?" asked De Lussac, who had taken
his seat on the fauteuil and with the
holiness Of a lover was caressing one
Of the gloves which she had cast there.
Because, dear Monsieur de Lussac,
though he has only been in my service
9 few days. I find him invaluable-he is
my chaperon."
"Your c~haperon?"
Yes"
Still arranging the flowers, she
touched a bell neal the window. In
q moment the door opened and Placide
appeared.
.Placide." said his mistress, .kindly
take my gloves to Rosine. Where ara
they? All, I left them upon the TAU
teuil. Monsieur de Lussac, may I trou-
Bile you to pass my gloves to Placide 2"
De Lussac, biting his lip with morti-
acAtfon. handed the gloves, which the
surly old man carried off, closing the
door behind him.
You see, he is quite useful" said
Madame la Baronne, finishing the ar
rangement OF her flowers. II really did
not want a man servant. I engaged
hin half from pity and also because
he was SO quaint. He is some relation
OF my cook Do o not agree with me
that he Is useful?"
III may pc useful, madame replied
De 9Lnssac. who had recovered his tenn
per, "but this I will say-he is not hon
est
"Placide not honest! In what way,
Monsieur lie Confer"
He has robbed me Of your gloves
He rose from the couch and advanced
as If to take her hand. She stretched
1T toward the bell and he paused.
Monsieur le Comte, pray take your
seat again on the fauteuil, and I will
lake this chair, and SO we shal not
weary Placide. Now, let us talk. l
am touched by your confidence in me,
n / have heard the declaration you
made to me with mixed feelings"
oh, madame!"
One moment! That declaration from
q man to a woman in my position may
be the sincerest compliment, or the
reverse. In which way am l to take
iu?"
In this way. madame" replied the
standing before her as a courtier might
stand before a queen. When / said
'love,'fI said in that word all that love
tmplies-respect, lifelong devotion.
Without putting it in words, 1 asked
you to share my future and. my for
Madame la Boronne rose from her
chair and bowed.
Standing before her, he bowed in
return. It was a quaint picture, in
keeping with the dress and the elegant
customs OF the time.
He did not again attempt to take
her hand; she had at a stroke put a
gulf between them such as exists be-
tween a powerful p~otentate and the
ambassador of an inferior w
I your offer, monsieur" she made
only reply that I thank you sincerely
for the compliment 1t contains; that,
frankly, I ave never met a man
liked sc much as 1 like"-she blushed
slightly-'the Comte de L~ussac; that
l have taken a deep interest in him, if
for no other reason than because he is
so unlike the tops and fools of Paris;
and that Just for that reason and be-
caus l study the welfare of those
whom | like, / ought to decline his
offer. To do SO would merely be fair
zone moment" replied this extraor-
binary woman who to the genuine was
always genuine. You ere Monsieur lie
Comte de Lussac, with large estate and
a splendid fortune, If you do not spoil
1t by entangling yourself with the
enemies Of the king; you nave fallen
in love with a woman Of no fortune. no
position, an adventuress-"
Cease, madame!" cried De Lussac
violently. rising from his seat as though
he were addressing an enemy. Not
aNOtneT WOTQ against the woman i love,
Fortune, position! Those words are
blasphemy against the holy spirit OF
love. Adventures? What care I II she
is an adventures? Call her what you
will, o can not deceive my heart or
tell me against my understanding and
my instinct that h is anything but
pure"
Actually in his anger and defense OF
the baroness this idealist had almost
forgotten her presence and the fact that
he was defending her against herself.
The baroness, in alnazement, stared at
him as one stares at a prodigy. Had
this man, then, with the clear sight OF
a passionate and lofty understanding,
OWNED In her the true woman whose
presence she herself had not troubled
to search for? Her life vas far from
blameless, in the eyes of strict virtue
owe affairs. money affairs. intrigues
filled the story of her past; yet al
heart-the only consideration that mat
ters at all, when all Is said n done
at heart was she as he declared her to
be? She had new thought of the
question before. She looked at her
self as a woman of the world who had
led the life OF the world. Had any other
man said to her, You are a blameless
Eoman," she would have laughed in his