The Raymer enterprise., 1914-10-15
CHAPTER XVI.
The Finest ThInas.

Inc FINEST lnln9s.
Endurance, Francois own negro boy,
brought note to Roanoke house on a
morning five days after, II read:
Asy Dear Miss Hampton:
The doctor has given me permis-
sion to ride tomorrow and wish to
eide to Roanoke house before all 9th.
ar places. VIII mademoiselle see me ?
VIII ma1eruoiselie permit me to see
her for short time alone? | await
tnKiousiy a word from you. and | am
your servant.
FRANCOIS BEAUPRE.p
Mademoiselle sent fair sheet OF
paper with few unsteady scratches
across II, and sat down to live over
~ vas accomplished The colonel had
ridden to Norfolk for the day--had
Francois known OF that. ono wonders
Lucy. waiting In that small stately
itudy with the dim portraits and the
vide vague view across the fields OF
he James river, heard the gay hoof
beats OF Aqnarelle pound down the
gravel under the window. heard Fran.
co!s' deep gentle voice as he gave the
horse to Sambo. and waited one min
ute more. the hardest minute OF all.
Then the door had opened and he stood
there-thn miracle. as 1t seems at such
moments to woman, possibly to a
man-of all the gifts and qualities
worth loving.
Ae had made his precise bow, and
nhe had heard his voice saying gently:
Good morning, mademoiselle." and
Che door was closed; and they we're
alone together. In fash she felt that
II could not be endured, that she must
escape. She rose hastily.
I'm sorry | must go; cannot
stay-"
But Francois had laughed and taken
her hand and was holding II with a
tender force which thrilled her He
understood. She knew he understood
the shame and fear OF a woman who
has given love unasked. she was safe
in his hands; she knew that. with a
slgh she let her fingers rest In hts and
Eaf down again and waited.
Dear Mndemoiselle Lucy" said the
!eep kind voice, my first friend in
Virginia my comrade, my little
schOlar-
Why did Lucy grow cold and quiet
at these words OF gentleness? Fran.
cots was sitting beside her. holding
har hand In both his, gazing at her
With the clearest affection in his look
Yet she hraced herself against she did
not know what. The voice went on
with Its winning foreign infections, its
slip OF English now and then. and It's
nsyer.to-bedescrlbed power of reach.
ing the heart,
See, mademoiselle," said Francois
we are too real friends, you and |. tc
have deception between us. We will
not pretend, you and |, to each other
is II not, mademoiselle? Therefore
shall not try to hide from you that
heard that day those words so wonder
iul which You spoke to me so unwor
thy. ! have thought OF those words
ever since, mademoiselle. as lay III
with this troublesome arm; ever since
all the time. My heart has been full
OF a-gratlfeatlon to you which cannot
be told. | shall remember all my life;
] shall be honored as no king could
honor me- by those words. And be
cause you have so touched me, ant
have SO laid that little hand on the
heart of me. ] am going to tell you. my
dear comrade and scholar, what i,
most secret and most sacred to me"
In as few words as might be, he tolt
her Of the peasant child who had beer
lifted out of his poverty bound III,
with such large kindliness that nc
bond which held him TO that poor, yel
dssr life bad besa broken; who hat