Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-03-29

Cu6 6uueTluSS 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
trenches?"
Right here, captain, l feel reason
ably sure. I think I see a way to give
you what you want at a better figure.
And from it no man shall rear more
than a just wage for honest work. AS
the governor of the state Of Harpeth I
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
fine honesty that carried with it the
utmost Of conviction.
Il give thanks to lie bon Dieu," I
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 GOODNESS.
Indeed. thanks to lie bon Dieu, made
moiselle," made courteous answer to
me my Capitaine the Count de Las
selles. "But how will you accomplish
that purpose, M. lie Gouverneur?"
"As soon as I've done with these fig
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, I believe" AS he
! spoke my Gouverneur Faulkner prp-
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 go and
call in JIM" he said after a few min
utes of waiting and left the room in
which | was then alone With my Cap
1taine the Count de Lasselles, who
came TO me with outstretchel hands.
"Ah, Mile. Roberta" he exclaimed,
Il am in a 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 en~listed-your friends for
France
But before procedure l must ask
you, little lady. why it was that you
made a vanishment from that hotel
in New York. l sought you there in
vain. and it is a great ease to my un-
happy heart to find you in the care of
a family and friends. | make compli-
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 l bought the wheat"
1T Is a great joy to me. mon CAPT.
tame, that you give to me your ap-
prevail. Much has happened to me in
these short weeks since you left me in
loneliness on that great ship that l
must tell to you" l said as a sob rose
into my words.
Poor little girl! 1t will not be many
hours now before can say to you the
things that have been growing in nv
heart for you since that night upon the
SHIP he said to me i'll Il great tender
ness as he raised my hand and bent to
kiss it just as entered the great Gou-
verneur Faulkner and the wild Jim.
l 4 not the courage to gaze upon
the face of my Gonverneur Faulkner,
but I felt its coldness strike into nv
body n turn it to hardness. For a
second stood as a stone; then a sud-
den resolve rose in me, and again that
daredevil seized upon my thought. l
took a piece of that white paper with
caution and also a pencil and with
them slipped from the room, while that
wild Jim seated himself upon my low
ly stool beside the table at which again
the two great men We're writing.
And out in the soft light that was
now slowly fading from the side Of
the mountain because Of the retire
ment of the sun 1 sat me down upon
the step Of the hut and wrote to my
Gouverneur Faulkner this small letter.:
Honored Excellency the Gouverneur
Faulkner of the State Of Harpeth-I go
from you into the trenches Of France. If
your humble boy Robert has done for you
any small service, 1 beg of you in that
name that my uncle, the General Robert,
and my FRIENDS never know of my dis
honor of lies SAbout my woman's estate,
but believe ms to die as a soldier for
France. as will be the case. Make all clear
for me to my Capitaine the Count de Las
selles. 1t is that all women are not lies,
ROBERTA,
Marquise of Gree and Bye.
Then l left that letter upon the door
step, held in place by the weight of a
stone, and very softly slipped out into
the shadows Of the twilight and down
the mountain by the path up which
that morning I had come with my be-
loved Gouverneur Faulkner. then my
friend.
1 felt a certainty that as many as
two hours would those men continue
in a consulting with that wild Jim and
in that time by going 1eetingly I could
gain the place where were tethered
the. horses before a complete darkness
had come. From my honored father I
had learned the ways of woods in hunt
ing, and also I knew that the good
Lightfoot would in darkness carry me