The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-09-23
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b) Louis
Joseph Vance

fisred In the xusty draushts.
There was puchemln learned no
ether means OF illumination but by
candlc-lixht IN the entire chateau.
The old.tim. structure had been
thereby renovated and modcrnired
In most respects. Il wa. furnished
with taste and reverence tone could
guess whose the taste and pursel
but Madame de scvenie remained
It's undisputed chatelaine. a beiated
spirit OF tho ancient regime. stub
horniy act against the conseniences
OF this degenerate age. Electric light.
ing abe would never oountenanee.
The telephone she esteemed . con.
venience for tradc>peopie and vui.
Earians In general. beneath the dig.
nifty OF icisured quality. The motor
car she dlsappreved yet tolerated
because. for all her years. she was
OF brisk and active turn and liked
10 set about. whereas since tho war
coed hcrseflcsh was difficult 70 find
In France and men to care for Il
more scarce stili.
30 mach. and more besides. abe
communicated to Duchemin at In.
tervais during the mesi. comporting
herself toward him with gracious.
ness not altogether innocent OF a
certain faded eoauefrv.
Having spoken OF herself as one
born too late for her time. che
paused and eyed him keeniy.
gieam Of light malice In her bright
old eyes.
And you. too. monsieur shs
added suddenly. "But you. I think.
belong 10 an even earlier day :"
Il. madames And why do you
say THAR"
Il should have been guliiosined
under the Terror: but you. mon
sieur. you should have been hanged
Ions before that-hanged for a buc.
cancer on the Spanish Main.s'
Madame may be right said
Duehcmin. amused. And quite pos.
sihiy l was. you know"
Then he wondered . little. and
began TO cultivate some respect for
the shrewdncss OF her intuitions.
He sat on her left. the place Of
honor going BY custom lrnmcmoriai
TO monsieur 10 cure OF Sant. For
all that. Duchemtn declined 10 feel
sighted. Was he not on tho right
OF Eve de Mcnfalsisr
The Eiri Louise was placed be-
tween the cure ana her sisser.in.
law. puchcmin could not have
besn guilty Of the offense OF ignor-
Ing her, bat the truth IL that. save
- n
pay her some attention. he hardly
saw her. she was pretty enough.
but very quiet and seifabsorbed. al
slender. nervous creature with
that pafhesicaify eager look Pc
cuIiar TO her sgs and caste In
France. starving for tho life she
might not live I'll marriage should
net her free A pale and ineffective
wrath beside Eve. whose beauty. |
relieved In cAndiegiow against tho i
background Of melting darkness. |
burned like some rare exotic flower |
set before . screen Of iussreiess
hack velvet And like flower toI
the sun she responded 70 tho hon-
age Of his Admirasion--which bel
was none the less ssudioux 20 pre-
serve from tho attn Of ebviousness.
For he was wei aware that hrrl
reponss was impersonei. Il was not |
his but any admiration that she
craved a. a parched land wants
rain.
Less than three months q wife.
moro than five years . widow. still
young and ardent. nearing thsl
noontids Of her womanhcod. and i'm. |
rnoiated In this house Of perennial
mourning. making vain citation oil
her youth. her beauty. the rich
wine of life that coursed 80 Justify
thru her being. upon the altar oil
memory whose high prsessess was
only an old. old woman
He prccsived that II would BE-
quite possible for him. did he yield
20 the bent Of his sympath.o.. 10
dislike Madame de Sevenlc most In
tenseiy.
Not that he was apt 70 have
much opportunity TO encourage such
a gratuitous aversion. tomorrow
would zee him on the road again.
his back forever turned 20 theI
Chateau de Montaiais
Or. II not tomorrow. then a. soon
as the storm abassd.
II was raging now an n n would
never weaken and had the viii TO
raxe the chateau tho II were the
fnrk m