The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-12-12
CHAPTER vI-Continued.

"Oh, it's you, Lanny-Colonel Lam
stron!" he exclaimed thickly. Il saw
that some one had come In here and
naturally l was alarmed. as nobody
but myself ever enters. And Miss Gal
land!" He removed his hat deferential-
ly and bowed; his stoop returned and
the lines of his face dropped. Il was
SO stupid; II did not occur to me that
you might be showing the tower to
Colonel Lanstron."
I'VE are sorry to have given you
fright" said Marta very gently.
'Eh? Eh!" queried Teller, again
deaf Fright? Oh. no, no fright. 1t
might have been some boys from the
town marauding."
He was about to withdraw, in keep
ing with his circumspect adherence
to his part, which he played with
sincerity that half-convinced even him
self at times that he was really dear,
when the fire fiickered back suddenly
to his eyes and he glanced from Ian
stron to the stairway In desperate In
quiry.
"wait. Teller! Three of us share
the secret now. These are Miss Gal
lands premises. l thought best that
she should know everything" said Ian
stron.
"Everything!" exclaimed Teller.
Everything" the word caught In his
throat. "You mean my story, too?" He
was neither young nor old now. she
knows who / ann" he asked.
His story!" exclaimed Marta. with
q puzzled look to Lanstron before she
turned to Teller with look Of warm
sympathy. why, there Is no story!
You came with excellent recommends
lions. You are our very efficient gar
dener. That IL all we need to know.
Isn't that the way you wish 1t, Mr..
Feller?"
Yes. just that!" he said softly. rails.
ing his eyes to her. Thank you. Miss
Galland!"
He was going after another Thank
you!" and bow; going with the slow
step and stoop of his part, when Ian
stron. with a masculine roughness OF
impulse which may be sublime gentle
ness, swung him around and seized his
hands In firm caress.
Forgive me, Gustave!" he begged
Forgive the most brutal of all In
juries-that which wounds a friends
sensibilities."
why, there IL nothing could evel
have to forgive you, Lanny," he said
returning Lanstron's pressure while
for an instant his quickening muscles
gave him a soldierly erectness. TheI
his attitude changed to one Of doub
and inquiry. And you found out tina
was not deaf when you had that fal
on the tsrrace?" he asked, turning t.
Marta. THAT is how you happened Il
get the whole story? Tell me. hon
sztly!"
Yes"
you saw so much more of me thai
the others, Miss Galland," he said will
a charming bow. "and you are so quicl
to observe. am sorry"-he pause,
with head down for an instant-"ver.
sorry to have deceived you"
But you are still deaf gardene
to me-" said Marta, finding consolation
in pleasing him.
Eth? Eh?" He put his hand to hi
ear a. he resumed his stoop. "Yes
yes" he added, as q deaf man vii
when understanding Of remark whic
he failed at first to catch comes to hir
in an echo. Yes. the gardener has n
past" he declared in the gentle oil
gardeners voice, when all the flow
ers die every year and he thinks onl
Of next years blossoms-of the Z,
ture!"
Now the air Of the room seemed I
be sitting him, that Of the roofies
world of the garden calling him. TIL
bent figure disappeared around a .ur
n in the path and they listened withoy
moving until the sound of his sloy
dragging footballs had died away.
when he Is serving those Of b
own social station l can see how
would be easier for him not to hay
me know" said Marta. "Sensitiv
proud and intense" and a look ,
horror appeared In her eyes. AS t
came across the room his face u,s
transformed. l imagine 1t was lii
that OF q man giving no quarter in
bayonet charged"
Teller had won the day for himse
where a friends pleas might ha,
failed. This was as it should be, La
stron thought.
THE right view-the view that yc
were bound to take!" he said.
And yet. I don't know your plar
for him, Lanny. There is another thin
to consider" she replied. with an a
rupt change of tone. But first let I
leave Feller's quarters. We are II
truders here"
"A man playing deaf; secret tel
phone installed on our premises witt
out our consent-this IL all l know g
tar" said Marta, seated opposit
LAnstron at one end Of the circuls
seat in the arbor Of Mercury.
~Of course, with our 100000
against their 100000 the Grays wi
toke the Offensive" he said. For u,
~ (efsnsive. La Tir ID In an sngl,
= - net belong In the permaneu