The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-03-05
: NOTED FRENCH AUTHOR

/ idea that he heard them. and even talk
to themselves according to the habit
people have some times when they think
themselves quite alone. All the guests
had departed thus. passing close by
him, almost brushing him. had ex-
changed their "Adieus," their "Au re-
voirs," and all their final. drawn-out
farewells. That dear little living
domovOi certainly was a rogue! Oh,
that dear little domovoi who had been
SO affected by the tears of Matrena Pc
troyna The good, fat, sentimental. he
roic woman longed to hear, just then.
his reassuring voice.
ut Is I. Here l am" said the voice
of her little living familiar spirit at
that instant. and she felt her skirt
grasped. She waited for what he should
say. She felt no fear Yet she had
supposed he was outside the house.
Still. after all, she was not too aston
ished that he was within. He was sd
adroit! He had entered behind her, in
the shadow of her skirts, on all-fours.
and had slipped away without anyone
noticing him, while she was speaking
to her enormous, majestic schwitZar.
$50 you were here?' she said, taking
his hand and pressing it nervously in
hers.
"Yes, yes. I have watched you clos
ing the house. 1t Is a task well done,
certainly. You have not forgotten any
thing"
But where were you. dear little
demon? / have been into all the corr
ners. and my hands did not touch you. J"
Il was under the table set with hors-
d'oeuvres in the sitting-room."
"Ah, under the tabe of zakouskis! 1
have forbidden them before now to
spread long hanging cloth there.
which obliges me to kick my foot
underneath casually in order to be sure
there Is no one beneath. 1t is impru-
dent, very imprudent, such tablecloths
And under the table Of zakouskis have
you been able to see or hear any
thing?"
Madame, do you think that anyone
could possibly see or hear anything in
alone, when the General Is asleep and
bedT
mo, no, I do not believe so. dc
not. No. oh, Christi"
They talked thus very low in the
dark, both seated in corner of the
sofa, Rouletabille's hand held tightly
in the burning hands Of Matrena Pc
trovna.
She sighed anxiously. "And In the
garden---have you heard anything"
II heard the officer Boris say to the
officer Michael, in French, Shall we re-
turn at once to the villa?' The other
replied in Russian in way could see
was a refusal Then they had a dis
cussion in Russian which !, naturally,
could not understand. But from the
way they talked l gathered that they
disagreed and that no love was lost be-
tween them"
mo. they do not love each other.
They both love Natacha."
"And she, which one Of them does
she love? 1t Is necessary to tell me.
"She pretends that she loves Boris.
and believe she does, and yet she is
very friendly with Michael and often
she goes into hooks and corners to chat
with him, which makes Boris mad with
jealousy. She has forbidden Boris to
speak to her father about their mar
riage, on the pretext that she does not
wish to leave her father now, while
each day, each minute the General's
life Is in danger"
"And you, madame--do you love your
step -daughter% brutally inquired the
reporter.
"Yes-sincerely," replied Matrena Pc
trovna, withdrawing her hand from
those of Rouletabille.
And she-does she love you?"
II believe so, monsieur, l believe SO
sincerely. Yes, she loves me, and there
! is not any reason why she should no,