The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-12-17

rs that your sentenCe?"
Call it that if you like, Therese."
DO you mean that ! am not to
put foot outside of these premises?"
she asked, wide-eyed. He nodded his
head my keepers? Who are they
to be? The old men of the sea"
Your keeper will be the thing you
call Love-" said he.
DO you expect me to submit to
this"
He held up his hand. Il expect you
to remain here until return Therese.
did not intend to impose this condi-
ton upon you by word of mouth. |
was going away without a word, but
you would have received from Mr..
Dawes a sealed envelope as soon as
the ship sailed. 1t contains this YER
dict in writing. He will hand it to you,
of course, but now that you know the
contents it will not be necessary to"
and when you do come back am
to hope for something more than
your pardon and a released" she cried,
with fine irony in her voice.
Il will not promise anything" said
he, slowly.
She drew a long breath and there
was the light of triumph in her eyes.
Laying her slim hand on his arm, she
said: x am content, James. ! am sure
Of you now. You will find me here
when you choose to come back, be 1t
in one year or twenty. Now go, my
man! They are waiting for you. Be
kind to them, poor souls, and tell them
all that you have just told me. 1t will
make them happy. They love me, you
see."
Eyes, they do love you," said he, put
ting his hands upon her shoulders.
They smiled into each others eyes.
"Good-by, Therese. l will return"
"Good-by, James. No, do not kiss
me. 1t would be mockery. Good luck
and-God speed you home again.
Their hands met In warm, firm clasp
i will go with you as far as the door
of my prison..
From the open door she smiled out
upon the young people in the motor
and waved her handkerchief in gay
farewell. Then she closed the door
and walked slowly down the hallway
to the big library. She was alone In
the house save for the servants. The
old men had preceded the voyagers to
the pier. Standing In the center OF
the room, she surveyed this particular
cell in her prison with a sort of calm
disdain.
He has taken the only way to con-
quer himself" she unused, half aloud
He is wise mana very wise man
I might have expected this Of him. u
She pulled the bell cord, and Jones'
who had just re-entered the house.
came at once to the room.
Eyes, madam"
when Mr.. Dawes and Mr.. Riggs re.
turn from the ship, tell them that
shall expect them to have luncheon
with me. That's all, thank you"
Yes, madam"
"By the way, Jones, you may always
set the table for three"
Jones blinked. It was most I'M
usual order. He had been trying to
screw up his courage to inquire what
his mistress plans were for the i'm
mediate future-whether she intended
to travel, should he dismiss the serv'
ants, would she spend the heated term
In the mountains, ETC., etc. He, as
well as the rest of the servants, won
dered why the masters wife had been
left behind. Her instructions, there.
fore, to lay three places at the table
took him completely by surprise
Knocked the breath out Of him." as
he expressed 1t to the cook few min.
utes later. She had never been known
to take meal with the garrulous old
men. They bored her to distraction.
according to Celeste. And now he was
to lay places for them-always! It
was most extr' ordernary!
A cold, blustery night In January,
six months after the beginning OF
Yvonne's voluntary servitude In the
prison to which her husband had com.
mitted her. In the big library, before
a roaring fire sat the two old men,
very much as they had sat on the De.
cember night that heralded the ap-
proach of the new mistress of the
house Of Brood, except that on this
occasion they we're eminently sober.
On the corner of the table lay long,
yellow envelope-a cablegram ad.
dressed to Mrs. James Brood.
Its been here for two hours and
she don't even think Of opening it to
see what's inside" complained Mr..
Riggs, but entirely without reproach.
Its her business, Joe." said Mr..
Dawes, pulling hard at his cigar.
Maybe some ones dead" said Mr..
Riggs, dolorously.
Like as not" said his friend. "but
what Of it?"
What of 1t, you infernal-but. ex.
cuse me, Danbury, l won't say 1t. It's
against the rules, God bless EN-. But