Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-03-13

INTO OeAtn ~ SoTse'~
side the feet Of those two great gentle
men and served them In their commu-
nications while the heart In my breast
was going into death by a slow, cruel
torture.
The exact meaning Of those papers
and words Of business did not know,
but once I observed my Capitaine the
Count de I.asselles throw down his
pencil and look into the face Of the
Gouverneur Faulkner with a great and
stern astonishment.
"The work of grafters, Captain Las.
selles, with a woman as a tool. But !
yet don't see Just how 1t was that she
worked It. Ny secretary Of state, Gen.
eral Carruthers, and l have been at
work for weeks, and we could not
catch the exact fraud" made answer
my Gouverneur Faulkner with cold
sternness.
81 was warned in Paris that beauti-
full American women were very much
interested in the placing Of war con-
tracts, NJ. le Gouverneur. I fed upon
q tugboat from the ship that escape
some for whom had letters Of intro
duction which could not ignore"
"It was your capitaine, the Count de
Lasselles, whom that Madam Whit
worth sought upon the ship. Roberta"
I said to myself.
~ think women are alike the world
over, captain, and the discussion OF
them and their mental and moral proc
esses is fruitless," answered my Gou-
vernon Faulkner az he again took up
his pencil. a.
when it happened to me to find the
fragment Of the letter to the lady OF
America from my false lieutenant l
had a deep distress that tenderness for
the sufferings Of poor France should
fail to be In even one American wom-
ans heart. And now I am In deep
concern. Where am I to obtain the
good strong mules by which to trans
port through fields heavy with mud
the food to my poor boys In their
trenchesY'
Fright here, captain, feel reason
ably sure. I think see a way to give
you what you want at better figure.
And from 1t no man shall reap more
than a just wage for honest work. As
the governor Of the state Of Harpeth l
can give you at least that assurance"
And as he spoke my Gouverneur
Faulkner looked the Capitaine the
Count de Lasselles In the eyes with q
fne honesty that carried with 1t the
utmost Of conviction.
~ give thanks to le bon Dieu," l
said, with words that were very soft
in my throat but at which I observed
the mouth Of that Gouverneur Faulk-
ner to again become as one straight
line Of coldness.
Indeed, thanks to le bon Dieu, made
moiselle," made courteous answer to
me my Capitaine the Count de Las
selles. "But how will you accomplish
that purpose, M. le Gouverneur"
"As soon as I've done with these dg-
ures I'll have in Jim, your jailer, and
then you'll hear some things about the
American mountain mule that you
never heard before, believe" As he
spoke my Gouverneur Faulkner pro-
ceeded with making figures with his
pencil. a fine glow Of eagerness added
to that of rage in his eyes very deep
under their brows. "Now I'll 60 and
call In Jim." he said after few min
utes of waiting and left the room In
which was then alone with my Cap.
itaine the Count de Lasselles, who
came to me with outstretched hands.
"Ah, Mile. Roberta" he exclaimed,
II ain In debt Of gratitude to you
for bringing this great gentleman, your
friend, to my rescue and also to the
solving Of this very strange situation
concerning these contracts. Indeed
have you accomplished the mission for
which you enlisted-your friends for
France s.,ssa,. - \
but before procedure must sSA
you, little lady, why It was that You
made a vanishment from that hotel
IN New York. sought you there In
vain, and 1t is great ease to my un-
happy heart to find you in the care Of
Z family and friends. ~ make compH-'
ments on your costume Of the ride. !
also observe the custom Of attire mas
culine to be on those plains Of the
great west where !, bought the wheat
cit u . great JOY to me, mon capt
taine, that you give to me your ap-
|pNval. Much has happened to mo m
these short weeks since you left me- IN
loneliness on that great ship that I
must tell to you" said ~ { rob rose
into my words, !. $50, 5l'is
"Poor Nttae grill Itwill not be- many
hours now before 1 can say to you The
things, that have BEEN growing n ny
heart for you since that night upon th4
/ sAip," he said to me n Z great tender
nsls u be raised my hand and bent p
III Il Just as entered tba ereat Con
| verneW Faulkner and The wi6 Jim. {
hoA nok tho coQHnGo ~ - ,uoon