Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-01-16
to the, military highway which passes
the Chateau de la Trappe?"
CHAPTER II.

The Government interferes.
There is a short cut across that
meadow" said the young girl, raising
shoulder. "And, after that. you will
come to thicket of white birches."
Thank you, mademoiselle."
"And after that" she said, idly fol-
lowing with her blue eyes the contour
of her own lovely arm, you must turn
to the left, and there you will cross a
hill. You can see it from where we
stand"
A deadened report shook the sum
mer air-the sound of cannon fired
very far away, perhaps on the cita-
del of Strasbourg. Without turning
my head I said: "It is difficult to be-
lieve that there is war anywhere in
the worlds 1t not, mademoiselle?"
Not if one knows the world she
said, indifferently.
do you know it, my child?"
Sufficiently" she said.
She had opened again the book
which she had been reading when !
first noticed her From my saddle l
saw that it was Moliere.
why do you tend turkeys?"
asked.
Because it pleases me-" she re-
piled, raising her eyebrows in faint
displeasure.
For that same reason you read
Monsieur Moliere?" suggested.
Doubtless, monsieur"
"Are you what you pretend to be,
an Alsatian turkey tender?"
"Parbleu! There are my turkeys
monsieur"
Perhaps" said I, "but I have asked
you a question which remains par
/ ried. Who are your" demanded.
"Oh, a mere nobody in such learned
company" she said, shaking her head
with a mock humility that annoyed
me intensely.
Very WELL" said I, conscious every
moment Of her pleasure in my dis
comfiture; under the circumstances
l am going to ask you to accept my
escort to La Trappe; for think you
are Mademoiselle Elven, recently ol
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-'N Nothing is sacred from g
hussar,'" she hummed, deliberately
| in a parody which made me writhe in
my saddle.
"Mademoiselle," said /, taking of
my forage cap. your ridicule is not
the most disagreeable incident that
expect to meet with today. / am at
tempting to do my duty, and I must
ask you to do yours"
"And If refuse?'
| Then" said l, amiably, 'T 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 met"
"Oh, shall not be very violent" ]
replied, laughing. / held the opened
WdtCA III NY uduu 80 tUdI Suo CUulO
see the dial If she chose.
'.It 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 L.
Trappe?"
She did not stir.
stepped toward her; she gave me
| a breathless, defiant stare; then in ar
instant caught her up and swung
her high into my saddle, before either
she or 1 knew exactly what had hap
pened.
She was clever enough not to try
to dismount, woman enough not tc
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 stiff1y
in the saddle, with a f1rmness and de
termination that proved her to be &
stranger to horses. / scarcely daret
look at her, so fearful was of laugh
ing.
So we went on. The spectacle of &
cayalryman in full uniform leading 9
cavalry horse on which was seated ar
Alsatian girl in bright peasant cos
tune appeared to astonish the few
people we passed.
| We met dozen people in all,
think, some of them peasants, one
or two of the better class-a country
doctor and a notary among them