The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-03-14

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games here, as children, in which my
father SO often joined | really don't
know what | thought. Per-
haps | was wrong TO write to you.
&. This anniversary and your
sudden appearance in my room at the
| opera the other evening reminded me
OF the time long past and made me
write to you as the little girl that 1
then was
There was something in Christine's
attitude that seemed to Raoul not
| natural. He did not feel any hostility
in her; far from 1t; the distressed az
lection shining in her eyes, told him
that. But why was this affection dis
tressed? That was what he wished
| to know and what was irritating him.
When you saw me in your dress
ing-room, was that the first time you
noticed me, Christine?"
She was Incapable Of lying.
NO" she said, Il had seen you sew
eral times in your brothers box. And
also on the stage!"
Il thought SOL" said Raoul, COM
pressing his lips But then why,
when you saw me In your room, at
your feet, reminding you that l had
rescued your scarf from the sea, why
did you answer as though you did not
know me and also why did you
| laugh?"
The tone Of these questions was so
rough that Christine stared at Raoul
without replying. The young man him
| self was aghast at the sudden quarrel
| which he had dared to raise at the
very moment when he had resolved to
| speak words of gentieness, love and
| submission to Christine. A husband
a lover with all rights, would talk
no differently to wife, mistress
who had offended him. But he had
| gone too far and saw no other way
out OF the ridiculous position than 20
! behave odiously.
You don't answer" he said angrily
and unhappily. We'll, l Will answer
| for you. 1t was because there was
| some one IN the room who was in
! your way, Christine, some one that
| you did not wish to know that you
could be interested in any one else!'
IF any one was in my way, my
| friend" Christine broke in coldly, If
any one was in my way, that evening,
it was yourself, since | told you to
| leave the room!"
Yes SO that you might remain with
! the other,"
What are you saying, monsieur
asked the girl excitedly. And to
what other do you refer?'
TO the man to whom you said, /
/ sing only for you, tonight 1
gave you my soul and | am dead!"
Christine seized Raouls arm and
| clutched 1t with a strength which no
one would have suspected in so frail
! creature.
Then you were listening behind
the door,
Yes, because I love yof And
| heard everything.
You heard what?'
And the young girl, becoming
strangely calm, released Raours arm.
He said to you, Christine, you
| must love mel"
At these words, a deathly pallor
spread over Christine's face, dark
rings formed round her eyes, she
i staggered and seemed on the point OF
swOoning Raoul darted forward,
with arms outstretched, but Christine
had overcome her passing faintness
and said, in low voice:
| GO on! Go on, Tell me all you
heard"
| At an utter loss to understand,
Raoul answered: Il heard him reply,
when you said you had given him your
soul, Your soul is a beautiful thing,
child, and l thank you. No emperor
ever received SO fair a gift. The
! angels wept tonight.
Christine carried her hand to her
heart, a prey to indescribable emotion.
Her eyes stared before her like e
| madwoman's Raoul was terror-strick-
ell. But suddenly Christine's eyes
! moistened and two great tears
trickled like two pearls, down her.
ivory cheeks
"Christine!"
"Raoul,"
The young man tried to take her in
mis- arms, but she escaped and fled in
| great disorder
While Christine remained locked in
! her room, Raoul was at his wits end
what to do He refused to breakfast.
| He was terribly concerned and bit
I terly grieved to see the hours, which
he had hoped to find so sweet slip
past without the presence OF the
young Swedish girl. Why did she not
come to roam with him through the
country where they had so many mem
cries in common? He heard that she
| had had a mass said, that morning,
| for the repose of her fathers soul and
spent long time praying in the lit
tie church and on the fiddler's tomb.
| Then as she seemed to have nothing
| more to do at Perros and, in fact,
was doing nothing there, why did she
| not go back to Paris at once?
| Raoul walked away, dejectedly, to
! the graveyard in which the church
! stood and was indeed alone among the
! tombs, reading the inscriptions; but,
/ when he turned behind the apse, he
was suddenly struck by the dazzling
note of the flowers that struggled over