The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-12-18
CHAPTER VI-Continued.

CHAPTER VI-Continued.
ooh, it's you, Lanny-Colonel Lam
stron" he exclaimed thickly. II saw
that some one had come in here and
naturally I was alarmed, as nobody
but myself ever enters. And Miss Gal
iand!" He removed his hat deferential-
ly and bowed; his stoop returned and
the lines of his face dropped. Il was
so stupid; 1t 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.
Eth? Eli" 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 a
sincerity that half-convinced even him
self at times that he was really DEAF
when the fire fickered back suddenly
to his eyes and he glanced from Lam
stron to the stairway in desperate in
CURRY.
wait, Teller! Three of US share
the secret now. These are Miss Gal
lands premises. 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 l ann" he asked.
His story!" exclaimed Marta, with
q puzzled look to Lanstron before she
turned to Feller with look Of warm
sympathy. why, there Is no story!
You came with excellent recommended
tions. You are our very efficient gar
dener. That Is all we need to know.
Isn't that the way you wish it, 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 masculine roughness of
impulse which may be sublime gentle
ness, swung him around and seized his
hands in a firm caress.
Forgive me, Gustave!" he begged.
"Forgive the most brutal of all in,
iunes-that which wounds a friends
sensibilities."
why, there Is nothing l could ever
have to forgive you, Lanny," he said
returning Lanstron's pressure while
for an instant his quickening muscles
gave him soldierly erectness. Then
his attitude changed to one Of doubt
and inquiry. "And you found out that
u was not deaf when you had that fall
p the terrace?" he asked, turning to
farta. THAT Is how you happened to
get the whole storyi Tell me, hon
Z estly!"
yes"
"You saw so much more OF me than
the others, Miss Galland," he said with
q charming bow. "and you are so quick
to observe. l am sorry"-he paused
with head down for an instant-"very
sorry to have deceived YOU"
"But you are still a deaf gardener
to me-" said Marta, finding consolation
In pleasing him.
"Eh? Eh?" He put his hand to his
ear as he resumed his stoop. "Yes,
yes" he added, as a deaf man will
when understanding of remark which
he failed at first to catch comes to him
in an echo. Eyes, the gardener has no
past" he declared In the gentle old
gardeners voice, when all the flow.
ers die every year and he thinks only
Of next years blossoms-of the ru-
ture!"
Now the air Of the room seemed to
be sitting him, that of the roofless
world Of the garden calling him. The
bent figure disappeared around turn
In the path and they listened without
moving until the sound of his slow,
dragging footballs had died away.
when he Is serving those of his
own social station l can see how It
would be easier for him not to have
me know" said Marta. Sensitive,
proud and intense" and look of
horror appeared in her eyes. "As he
came across the room his face was
transformed. l imagine it was like
that of man giving no quarter in a
bayonet charged"
Felier had won the day for himself
where a friends pleas might have
failed. This was as it should be, Ian.
etron thought.
"The right view--the view that Yen
Neee bound to takei" hs lid.