New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-02
THE FLOWER OF THE GORSE

such cold ,nsp, in December There va, little
or no wind Il was ideal day for walk
Moaning 70 excuse herself from motoring, and
wheedle her father into long tramp after
luncheon-with Lorry, perchance, to disprove the
infallbiIity Of the adage that two Is company and
three Is none-she warned Mere Pitou that she
would return for the midday meal.
"Ah, tchal" said Madame testify. what be-
tween one thing and another, I'm thinking OF
taking a holiday. Little Barbe could have done
all the cooking needed In this house during the
past week. Look at your fatherl Any one would
say starved him As for you flying about and
eating scraps and hashes in strange hotels, I'm
surprised at you'll"
Yvonne assured her irats landlady that the best
ragout in Brittany would not lack appreciation
that day, and went to visit her mother In more
cheerful mood than she would have deemed pos
sble overnight. II market day. and the Place
au Beurre, beside whose old houses the parish
church Of Saint Guenol6 reared It's modest spire,
was alive already with country carts, smart colts
and velvet Jackets. In the larger square across
the bridge traders from neighboring towns were
erecting stalls for the display Of their merchan-
disc mostly wearing apparel and articles Of house
hold use.
Yvonne knew everybody and everybody knew
her She had a smile and nod for the Widow
Limbour whose confectionery and sweets had won
her heart years ago; for Marrec, the barber;
Daoudal, the baker; Nine. La Naour, purveyor Of
a strange blend in hats and Liquors. and Nine.
lie Garrec seller Of newspapers and picture post
cards NJ. lie Courronc. whose little gallery had
held many of her fathers pictures, had spared
moment from his artistic wood carving and
looking out at the crowded market place. The
uh
tunes and laces excite the desire and empty the
purses Of fair visitors in the summer, were In
Point Aven that day, and Canivet the coach build
or wss standing at the entrance to the yard that
houses his industry. Each and all greeted Yvonne.
For . few happy minutes she forgot her worries,
until q girl met her and asked shyly:
ais there any news Of Madeleine7"
That took some Of the blue out Of the sky.
Yvonne had TO confess that nothing was known Of
Madeleine except that she had gone to Qumperle
tho previous day. Her questoner simpered, and
passed on. Madeeine's story was already dis
credited. Much water would flow under the bridge
before she was reinstated in the good opinion Of
Pont Aven
Yvonns caught sight Of Tollemachs, standing
with a pipe in his mouth and his hands in his
pockets, outside Julia's. (And, by the way, there
is no dsrespect in this curt allusion to the
OF tho cnleL motel IN the village. III Is never
spoken Of locally otherwise than as "Julia's" In
English and "Chez Julia" In French. The excel
lent lady who to large extent built and In every
other way owns, the property would think her
popularity fading II any more ceremonious
description was used.)
Near Lorry were Captain Poppe and Jackson,
the latter promoted to stick and slow
limp. Yvonne would have passed with a smiling
Good morning" but Tollemache pocketed his pipe
and hailed her. She realized instantly that he
was excited about something quite out Of the
common run, though his air was studiously com
posed.
You're going to Mrs. Carmsc, I suppossT he
said
"Yes," she answered, coloring slightly under
the intensity Of his gaze; for Lorry had fine eyes,
and now they seemed to be looking into her heart,
which was so absurd q notion that her cheeks
grew redder and redder.
"You won't be there long before Raymond comes
n," he went earnestly when he turns up I
want you to look out through the window, and
touch your chin with your right hand That's
all"
She laughed quite merrily, for sheer relief at
the discovery that he was thinking Of anything
but the fantasy that had caused that riot in her
veins.
in the code? Is he to be garroted straight OFF,"
Toemache laughed too Don't ask any ques-
tons, little girl, and you won't be told any fbs"
he said. Captain Popple and Jackson and have
some business hand, and We want Mrs. Carmac
and you to be present when We drive a bargain
with the willy Raymond. Now shant tell you
any more; so you needn't pout."
"Im not pouting"
"Oh, by the way, il there's any news Of Made
leine, get it while the deputation is approaching"
She curtsied, with demure "Oui, M'sieur"
Somehow, that morning despite the unpleasant
tidngs that might have arrived from Paris, she
felt oddly lighthearted
But the smile froze on her lips when she met
Raymond on the steps Of the annex, where he had
evidently stationed himself in order to waylay
her. His slight figure tightly buttoned up in
heavy overcoat, and he carried another coat over
his left arm; so he raised his hat more awkwardly
than usual. Then she remembered that he
was going down the river with the salvors, and
summoned all her woman's guile to the task Of
bringing him back TO her mothers apartments in
he had been there already and taken leave
She could hardly have explained her motive II
suffced that Lorry had made point of Ray
mond's attendance under given conditions, and
she determined that his wish should be
obeyed.
"I've received telegram from Duquesne," he
said, plunging at into topic on which they
could converse freely without the inevitable con-
straint of first meeting after the extraordinary
disclosure OF the preceding night. cts satisfac-
tory in sense. He was unable to approach
Madeleine, because Fosdyke met her on arrival at