The Washington times., 1917-07-27

~ UDbEhI ana ONuB udu DOlh
~ gone to their rooms. Moisette
passed out and Severac fol
lowed her. The young girl
walked down the hall with the
intention Of going back to her apart
ment.
Once on the stairs, however. she was
seized with a great longing to sit
once more in Aurora's char. and
there to dream.
Thereupon she went up the stairs.
When she reached the trapdoor she
turned around instinctively. Severac
was gone.
'what a strange man." she mur-
INJURED. why did he look at me so7
What does he want of met Ny
father said he was to be with US at
table hereafter. It is a nuisance! He
is distastefuI to me. 1 don't know
| why"
trapdoor opened.
A~moment later Moisette was re-
clining in Aurora's chair.
A simple white mantilla covered
her head.
she was turned so that the rays
Of the sun would not shine In her
face, and with her eyes hxed upon
the reef where her young god had
| nrst stood, she dreamed.
Moisette's dreams were those OF
young girl who has just begun to
experience an emotion completely un-
like her daughterly affection or her
friendships.
The young girl recalled the books
she had read. and asked herself with
emotion IL this new sentiment were
love.
She was completely lost IN her par
adise, when q voice, speaking some
undistinguishable words near her,
brought her back rudely to earth.
She gave q little scream, turned her
head and saw the engineer, SeVerac'
standing but q step away.
she sat up straight in he= stone
chair without entirely rising. She
asked, mechanically:
what do you wish. Monsieur
severac was visibly disturbed,
pale and very humble.
In q voice devoid OF any assurance,
he answered:
MAY / sit here, mademoiselle7 I
should like to talk with you
Very much amazed Moisette thought
of refusing TO hear him
Then suddenly q new thought
changed her resolve.
"Perhaps he has seen the young
man of the sea-" she said to herself.
Despite her instructive antipathy for
Seyerac, she forced herself to SMILE
though her voice was cold and grave
as she replied!
~Be seated. Monsieur. will listen
to you, although I do not know
what you can have to say TO mo
which you do not say In my fathers
presence"
geyerac sat on the rock facing Mol
| hack the
He kept his eyes intently lNed upon
those Of the young girl and said In a
tone whose emotion did not prevent
its being concise and clear;
| 'rMademoIselle. will be brief. For
eight months have cherished the
sentiment In my bosom which has
forced me to this unsolicited move.
and which inspires my words.
'I have forced myself to hide this
sentiment. Perhaps 1t would have
always stayed hidden. had not Its
tyranny made me understand that it
was about to be manifested. in spite
of ali l might do. So l made the only
resolve worthy of a man. and l have
come to you--
He halted, overcome by his erotion.
Moisette had passed from surprise to
stupefactIon. She did not under
stand, or rather. she refused to un-
derstand the trend OF Ms grave pre-
ambIe. She had become ss pale as
severac himself, when he went on,
without lowering his eyesI
| 'MademoIselle, when first saw you,
almost q year ago, life had no inter
est for me. Existence was really a
burden, and ] was about to carry
out a long standing resolution to do
away with myself.
"You reconciled me to life once
more.
1T was ysuF FIRST deed for me, but
1t was not the greatest one.
MY heart itself was dead, nr rather
Il was deep in the lethargy of insen-
sibility.
you alone have awakened it-you
have made Il live, palpitate, even
suffer-and you have made II hope!
do you understand me now? Have
! said enough for you to realize that
l love your"
Moisstts shuddered. She was about
lts speak, psrhAps to tell him Of the