Evening star. [volume], March 28, 1903, Page 29, Image 29

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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CHAPTER XV.
The Hour Before the Dawn.
Seeing that no more was to be gained by
remaining in the western gate house of
the town of La Cavalerie, and that, as the
young t'amisard leader had said, the time
had come for their departure, Maurice rose
still sulkily, and, with the briefest saluta
tion to the pastor and his daughter, made
his way directly down stairs, resolved that
If there was to be any hole-and-cornering
he would not be the man to spoil sport.
But, all unconsciously, Cavalier countered
him. and with a parting salutation as brief
but far more gracious, intimated that since
he had business with this gentleman which
would in nowise stand over, it would be
convenient for them to depart forthwith.
To each of the young men Flower-o'-the
Corn had tendered her hand with the same
swift upward glance, blue and tender as
the dawning of a June day. Perhaps (and
If there had been any chronometer beating
fractions of seconds in the company) it
might have been observed that she with
drew her hand a trffle the more quickly
from that of Maurice Raith. From which
a man would have deduced one thing and
s woman quite another. The woman, of
course, would have been in the right.
The two young men sallied out into tie
night. The keen silent magnitude of th'
overreaching heavens receiving them, and
a sharp, effectual chill of the high causses
in the very bite of the air. It smelt of
snow-the snow which comes so early up
there. For in the valley of the Dourbie the
grapes have not yet done hanging black
upon the trellises when the good wives of
La Cavalerie are busily sweeping the white
wreathes from their doors.
"You have your papers with you?" said
Cavalier, carelessly, as they mounted the
staircase of the opposite or eastermost
towor.
- "I have:" said Maurice brjefly, and passed
them over intact, still bearing the seals
which had been impressed upon them by
my Lord Marlborough himself.
The young leader of the Camisards lit a
lamp, set it on the mantel shelf and, lean
ing his arm carelessly against the stone
work, broke the seal and set himself- to
peruse the documents within. As he did
so the fashion of his countenance altered.
He frowned more and more darkly upon the
written page.
He looked at the date at the head of the
letter, and then at a printed "Reckoning of
days' done in Toulouse which was pinned
to his desk.
"You have been long upon the way. sir?'
he said, somewhat brusquely to Maurice
Raith.
The young Scot resented both the words
and the tone.
"I have come as quickly r.s my orders and
"I b
tsafey of h thae, 'v e adttesdo h -u
knwe thautily. oftheevenne and the rae
a anmer to mye searonficerit
Sih ships, efuising upon the Mediterranean
coast, and from them receive further store
of provisIons and armament of war?'
"And what of that?" said Maurice Raith
scarcely yet come to himself.
"Well," answered the young Camisard,
gravely, "we have but three days to do it
in-that is all."
He threw the paper upon the table, and.
leaning I..s head upon his hand, stood con
sidering. Maurice glanced involuntarily at
the writing, which was, of course, wholly
. familiar to him. It was even as the young
man had said. So many day. the combined
fleet would cruise off the coast east of Cette.
If no communication was effected during
this period It would be understood by those
is command that the landing was impossi
ble and the squadron would return whence
It game.
There remained just the three days and
no more.
"I knew nothing of this," Maurice said,
remorse ful that he had not delivered his
papers upon the previous night, "you will
remember that I am a stranger among you
and knew not to whom to intrust my mes
sage. Further than that I have nothing
to reproach myself with. I came with all
.imaginable haste through an entirely hostile
country-"
The young Camisard waved his hand.
"'I know-I know," he said, "the fault does
not lie with you, but in the diffBculty of the
country through which you have had to
come."
- Maurice noted the deep cogitation of his
bearing. He knew the signs, and could not
help being reminded by this peasant boy
of the first general of. his age when he had
an Important problem to study, an irrevoca
ble decision to take, Both Marlborough and
he had the same hurried walk to and fro,
the same knitted brows, the mamne deep
vertical spade-cut between the brow., the
mark royal of men of thought.
In five minutes Jean Cavaller had made
his plans, had cast the lots, and there re
mained nothing save to carry out his deci
sions.
b"You will give me your note of hand," he
said, addressing Maurice Raith, "stating
gay and hour at which these Instructions
came into my hand. Yeu will reainh here
with a suficient garrison in charge of the
town. They will accept you as my lieuten
ant upon my bare word. I will take the
English Genevan Pastor with me to Inter
pret, and with 200 mounted men strike
southward to the Gardlole above IProntig
nan, whence with a gias. one may*read the
sea for twenty miles all shout, clear 'as It
were a printed book."
"And when do you start?" said Maurice,
the thoughts workingr like yeast within him.
"M," said Cavalier. his lips compressed
to a mere line, and his eyes far away,
new get your weapons and be ready to
take over the command of La Cavalerie in
half an hour. I leave Catinat with you,
Hie is brave and stupidt end will obey you
to th& last breath & y Edy. But yew
mat not mind hi " 3- r'u tl I be deat
r aet mior- :'e hurrisi
noise of footsteps upon the stair. Jean
Cavalier was gone. Three days to reach
the point designated by Marlborough was
quite enough had the road been clear. But
at any moment, who knewr! the 200 Cami
sards might not run into an entire division
of royal troops. Yet for the time being this
did not trouble either Cavalier or that
young aid-de-camp of Marlborough. who
was learning to be proud of being named
lieutenant to such a man. He went across
the sleeping village, where the watch, kept
awake and alert by the seal of Cavalier,
swung a curious lantern in his face and
demanded his name and business. r
Then a trumpet blew-, three or four stir
ing notes repeated thrice over. Nq more.
And instantly windows were "throyn open
everywhere. Men came tumbling out upon
the street, There was a glitter of arms,
the padding of many feet, from opened
ground-floor doors the stamping of the feet
of horses. "A raid!" said some.
"The enemy. upon us!" cried others.
"'Tis only to prove us-he- is always at
his tricks-this baker's boy," growled a
tirird, of the strictest sect of the Pharisees.
But the trumpet rang out again, full and
round and clear.
"kounted, men., and in haste! The en
emy must be upon us!" was now the only
word. And instantly there arose the sound
of a mighty stamping in all the stables of
the town, and especially in those of Mar
tin Foy, whither the newly appointed com
mandant of La Cavalerie had gone to ob
tain his weapons, which he had left- in the
care of Billy Marshall and his spouse.
For many reasons it had been in the
mind of Maurice to resume upon this oc
casion the proper uniform of a British
officer. He told himself that it would be
the proper thing, as marking the right he
had to give orders and the support which
was being extended to the rebel moun
taineers by the allied powers. Really, how
ever, his reasons were quite other and
much simpler. But on the other hand it
occurred to him, first, that he had no orders
from my Lord Marlborough for any such
display: secondly, that the fact of a British
officer in uniform being in the camp of the
Camisards would spread like wildfire
through all France and make the enemies
of the poor hill folk ten times more bitter
than before, and lastly, that he might need
his disguise of wagoner to enable him to
get out of the country when his mission
should be finished.
So with a. siigle rather reluctant glance
at the rough packing of matting which con
tained his staff uniform (or at least had
contained it when the wagons were ran
sacked) Maurice Raith took his sword and
pistols from the reluctant Billy, who wished
to go over them for the last time 'wi' the
least bit drap o' sweet oil an' a kennin' o'
rag."
"And-oh. capt-I mean maister, be sure
that ye keep oot o' the wat, for thae wee
pernicketty pistols o' yours are just a heart
th trker!
u one marm
wctr h
woldb lf i hedfesd i1aeofL
Caaeieao1 5sgoda .loewt
preer -
It ws, idee, a hougt t mak th
hedswm hewul n- oesotb
une i rtcin.A h a efi
comndoIheIlag n isdfess
he fahrcul4o( vodaknghmt
hoe TOSedw of Cast IXTt seme3t
breok tcos clahen tshe dampkehs sw aoot
But thet o wnabe, decoue toghot
wih thriead himlikebnewae int the
wouldwhlef inorce dfenhe villaPg of La
farvasthey aleo asfuoed aspone-bweak
FrancesookigoCausHes rfval, Lorstean,wa
ashembe the litte upond ace his ria,
CaoleeAd heere undersio hic must
(tf telat flastho ll week, uhuner fthe
alt comganyingrohe eoanpeiobsler u
ttude, and ted ought to hmagee
heet, pswa and wouce, had soesort as
ch oman of thilagethund s d nss
keear, eye uonko the ley gio hi
hcoe o seme suddenlyfithed both aro
warmdswth scrdt of hew-eat wakelflower
The comreaths of sume rcadsad"h
omemadw ofophetleatanth seemedly.
bloiaed him ays hat buckled een swor
ath daknesto inbl,bfr.on u
withant, and riae sagg.*et it the
euholforoet obfr the eard soy
sth-l oourn Crusesin prhneLrc was ra
tasebleoi gth litrsef nde ate one La
sphen-doen oftsuc a skars onl Frosents
ltt o o lki wo v coeupud" h
"utn is rohecy o an sso ldv mul
itfe, and htshated vofce ofol him Gedr"ll
thErong eo rtedaiathlner ste y.
"anedar, yolk ofshClearherion thise
hae o te gto re udelyathe blt fomb
thsoud,g"o you shalsatakg,alIhavr ordery
hands hem wod o thow grar Dukehmef
thbommte aner, whf armies.-" trth
metsos yurtus igeice! coae
out Pr ot oftint spurt,dendl'y+.
fxdmwith le ens that lored ve i
othe runeos. uie atb
"Letia, be s edl agaDi e it boeo
enougn,r"o taioCobley. hmame hsead sag
tht your trudsta in apbinesdasion rEt
taevbl afer sal bmara ofG heran Is
it soriTe noit. ahre?idM om
"Ist isy so said att thann his had|.
lieor hi ha edow'e ok f"O
-And wtha gyoat shols heae vs ne
bolthe "ashes. whao brougtrhsthertse
mage
taklm a ~ phw
we ofs taeits
bnt asS .ur Hrt 3 thtt eonEt
rm- the s"l"se "h'. t :
and - a ef s thi
fe'th to msst the esewi aNl pertsns
to the m.nary a d>S i of
the tew shaM b' tf wholy
and nashr Ia the h?s. of the young
stranger known as Piere Dubots. ThI
the Spirit hath directed, and thus it saIa
bar'
As liaurice stood listening to the sound Of
his asum4 name, a soft voice spoke over
his should: "A nightily, cne nt spirit
for any man to be fm11mar with!" mur
mared Yvette 1oy, with the moot siien
satire. "I wonder the bakes boy-does aot
make it over to you duria his abseee. It
altrlkes me that yo may-eed something oe
the kind!"
"Catinat will attend to all that for me!"
said Maurice, smiling at her in turn over his
shoulder.
,e"Catinat!" murmured the voice again
scornful. "He Is playing his. own game. I
will help you-for-for-weil, for nothing!"
And Maurice Raith, turning completely
round, saw. a marvelously beautiful fe,
glorious and dark with the beaut'
of' a tro0l1e night, moni ntsrily torch-illU
mined, new as well as,if he heardit swar
In a court of Justice that the'girl heant to
say, "I will help you for love's sake alonel"
CAPTB XVL
Cheal.'
Thus was the Virgin Camisard fortresi'
of La Cavalerle left in charge of a certain
Captain Maurice Raith, late aid-de-camp
to his excellency, the Duke of Marlborough,
presently known as one Pierre Dubois, a
wagoner, with a precarous and not-to-be
.too-closely-inquired-Into connection with the
towns of Roche-a-Bayard and Hoo.
Theologically the Prophet Catinat, an old
soldier of the earlier Italian wars, drilled
the Inhabitants with a severe prayerfulness,
much as he was used to exercise his com
pany with pike and musketoon.
'There was, first of all, morning service
which lasted two hours, from the shivering
matin chime of the 6 o'clock bell at the lit
tie Protestant temple. Then there was a
prophetic review. an4 forecasting (both
equally tedious) at the hour of noon, and in
the evening a rechaugee of both discourses
till the male inhabitants of the village came
en masse to Maurice to beg from, him some
imperative military duty, if It were only
the digging of trenches or the transport,
tion of earth.
And Maurice, his heart full of pitifulness,
found work willingly for the poor men.
There was a certain heap of stones which
(it was bruited) saved as many as sixty
God-fearing Camisards from suicide. For
as soon as they had transported these bodi
ly.to the spot at which Maurice had ordered
them to be placed, it was always open to
him to bid his workmen to restore the
status quo.
It was the day after the departure of the
seaward expedition.. Maurice had taken over
his full powers, amd already Catinat was
developing Into a thorn In the flesh so un
endurable that the military chief could be
under no manner of illusion as to why Jean
Oavaller had left him at home.
No matter what drill 'or military exercise
Maurice might order for day or night,
Catinat was always on hand to propose that
It should be prefaced by "a few words of
- - 44,~ ~
-INGiRTL
exhortation," or to declare that "the spirit
moved him to an address at that time and
place."
Yet Maurice, having by order of Cavalier
nothing to do with the religious duties of
the embattled mountaineers, could interpose
nothing. But he observed wit:h sympathy
the shudder which ran through the ranks
as the "Prophet of the Cevennes" settled
himself to his fell work.
Now, before leaving, Patrick Weliwood
had taken his young countryman aside, and
in words few and chosen had committed his
daughter to his care.
"Precious to me as the apple of mine eye
is-this child," he had said. "So let her be
unto you. W'ithout fear I leave her to your
charge, young man, the one ewe lamb that
hath lain In an old man's bosom. Accord
lng as you fulfill my behest, so may the
blessing of God Almighty rest upon 'you.
Thus and not otherwise. I have spoken to
the damsel, herself, and as I understand dhe
is noneways averse to considering herself
under your protection. Ever since our com
ing hither this young David of a General
Cavalier has always proven- himself as a
brother unto hea'. I have small doubt but
thou wilt do likewise!"
Right willing was Maurice Raith, or- Jn
other words Master Pierre Dubols the wag
oner of Roche-a-Bayard and Hoo, to perform
the commission laid upon him- by Patrick
Wellwood.
He- lost no time, therefore, being thus
armed with the parental aut'hority, in call
ing at the westernmost gafehouse of the
Temnplar walls. It wasn shortly after sun
rise, and It came to him that, as mayhap
the young lady was of a eleepy head and not
yet up, he might find hmelfi intruding. e
was moving off When he came suddenly at
the foot of tihe winding stairway on an an
cient charwoman, her head wrapped com
pletely about in a kai of e husands
nether gamenta,'the lo tied uleturesquely
and sufsetly bemeeth be msta.
A maudli. Me payed armi Jar
bloated features, and die de eda sat
of teeth whida, like the King WUnasm's line
of battle after Utehtairk, was moestly gaps
'"Too late, youg an," she- nittered,
huskrly. "The bidhas lown. You must
seekt her la . diferemt nest Ydtrimes it
had bem mnem maatter, hat
measMee:
'It's pes e -a 2eed ang es
"BIs We e e4t e i
you ~ aSbls~p d~
rice, tspS gusty aowe.
les -yi si'tey
h.e@ that in ti-swea..
=sehaerPa td*. Wr, had rees190d bft
thee bad steed, a a - .- the pi>
camp ed of the obdplin oc Arlyammena
regiaoent.
The old woman. with a nauseous grasable
about knowing when she could trust to the
generosity of a mled thi w.y o
a stair and. a deer. There,
sweet and white as her ewn pure
skrin, was Flower-o tbhe-Coen's-chamber
the bed folded down han showing the Une,
fne and choice, the walls of wood smoked
blacl; from the great open fireplace, with
engravings of great men and eblongs of
embroidery and tapestry work all about.
disposed whith a natural taste under th
team and. over that cupboard door so that
the whole (Co the eyes of Maurice Raith)
was a wonder and a marvel,- so different
from his own bare quarters at the Auberge
of the Bon Chretmel.
He aim seemed to er o er-o'-the
Corn'sed with arn n l him "what
he did. t be ? y e ofe Maurc a vir
gin's shrine. a a m
"Go: In-go In.!" croaked the vile. old
woman. who had meantime repeated the
dose of spirits from a small pocket bottle
behind Mausice's back while he stood en
tranced. "make sure that the little mas vir
int there pretty as she keeps every
tig! But I wager It is the bird you want!
Ah, you soldiers, you are all alike. Yot
woild not give many sous for the poor
nest. Al the same, you will not. forget old
Elise for showing it to you!"
Maurice Raith. felt - it wroul4 be a
profanation to answer the woman, as it
would be an indignity almost personal to
enter the dwelling place of so pure a spirit
in his great clumpizg military boots. In
stinctively he took ofil hat at the open
door, said an unwontod prayer; and so stole
silently away, his head downcast, leaving
the drunken old woman to follow or not as
It pleased her.
She locked up the clamber and grum
blingly descended.
"Whither did you day Mistress Frances
had gone?" he asked as ctrclessly as he
could.
The old woman, a horror of chalk-pale
cheeks -and brick-red features, with that
unspeakable headgear of her husband's
breeches legs swagging this way and that
over her blousy bosom, laid her fingar cun
ningly by the side of her no,e, with a cun
ning action which said, "Jon't you wish
you may get it?'
Maurice, ever wilIhig to take the plainest
road to the solution of any problem, ex
tracted the second 'gold ouis from his
pocket. He held it between his finger and
thumb, in full view of the ancient, blear
eyed crone. -
"Has Mistress Fasnces at the last mo
ment accompanied her father?" he asked.
Madame Elise shook her head so emphat
ically that the ruins of a tobacco pouch,
the brass clasps worn to the quick, tumbled
out of the pocket of her deaddress and de
bouched its contents upon the Boor.
"N," she said; "she stayed here by her
self for two hours last night, reading good
books-her father's books-and then came
Mistress Foy and took her a,'ay, saying
that It was not becoming that a young girl
so beautiful should be left alone in such a
wide house! He-he! dOubtless she knew of
your coming, sir!"
Maurice turned on his heel as on a pivot
and stamped his way out angrily. But the
crone pursued him, crying, "The gold, good
gentleman! The g louis. Do not de
fraud a poor women, , indeed, I would
have kept her if I could,- kln4 gentleman;
much more money would have come to poor
old Elise If she had remained here!"
Over his shoulder Maurice angrify tossed
the piece of gold, which the unclean hag
caught ere It fell, and stowed away In her
pouch carefully (s containing the means
of procuring many 11, square-faced bot
tles-e-an unlicensed expo of the states gen
eral of Holland, which Madame Elise
counted more precious than whole parks of
artillery.)
CHAPTER XVII.
Under Which Queen, Bezonian?
It was about this tihe that the Marshal
de Montrevel began to\ manifest renewed
activity. He moyed out of Millau and oc
cupied as'* first easure all the valley of
tbefourbie-With e exception of the forti
fied villa of Saint Veran, a perfect
eagle's n upon an eminence so com
pletely isol ti.t only by means of a
cable could coiwunileatio--be held between
the Camisards there and those upon the
nearest escarprment of the Causse de Lar
sac. This t lace even over the heads of
the king's poate, who often used to fire
upward ax'the packages which were sent
to and sfro overhead upon the swinging
crades, on'the chance that they might con
tain a stray Camisard or so, escaping from
the hen-coop of the Causse Noir to the
comparative freedom of the Larzac.
This was rather a relief than otherwise
to the feelings of Maurice Raith. It gave
him something to. think of besides the fact
that Flower-o'-the-Corn was in the same
house and inaccessible to him.
For, whatever might have been the ideas
or desires of Frances Wellwood on the sub
ject of Pierre Dubois, Yvette saw to It that
these were not carried out.
The whole menagel of the Bon Chretien
was a curious one. "artin Foy, who had
been left behind by Cavalier (as not sum
ciently young and active) was unwearied
in his atte'mpts to bring his reluctant famn
11y together. Many of his temporary guests
had departed and he was therefore at lib
erty to devote a much larger portion of
his leisure to Maurice Raith's entertain
ment than that young man was at al
grateful for. It is quite posible, however,
that he may have receive from his daugh
ter a hint to that effect.
At all events certain it is that,- though
Maurice had no -diffieulty In coming at
any time to face to face speech with Yvette
Foy, he could not advance one step in the
direction of breaking down the iron reserve
behipd which Flower-o'-the-Cra had
chosen to entrench herself.
Yet every day, and indeed every hour, he
spent within the Eon Chretien, Yvette Foj
never left him to himself. Never was a
lonely man so comforted and cossetted,
And had Maurice Rlaith. not longed with
all his heart for the absent blue eyes oR
Frances Wellwood adthe sweetness oa
her smile, he omight tery well have con
tented. himself with the very obvious favor
of the very fair demolselle, Yvette Foy.
She compassed him aboui with kindness.
above his thoughts, or even 12ls desire.
Whoever at the Eon Chretien mitM go
hungry, Maurice Raith must be fed and to
the minute. When ha came in from the
walls and the trenehes (for he was con
tinuing and extending the military woracs
of Cavalier on more scientiflo though per
haps not abler lines) he never entered the
"auberge" or left behind him as he as
cended the sharp tang of the stable atmosq
phere without findlne at the top of the
stairs a lovely face, a. bewitching smile and
a hand pressed quicl to a softly ker
chiefed bosom, as if the "long4ooksd-fos
come-at-last" were a pleasur, too great
for a form so frail quietly to.endure.
Not only so, bua the miinutest details
of the camip w6rI'hd the duty of the
trenches Yvette proved herself not only as
excellent llstener -but -a -most intelligent
critic .
Yet in all thiae.r *gr nr glimpse* of
Frances wouwoo4. - e showed her
self on the street. est wholyon the
top Boor of the T~house, w*eshe
and Yvette Fey '* a geatroai
completeness and' of a#a1ty re
ciprocal as is only 'by collage comn
panions and you In their first burt
of friendship and
Not but wrhat ma eerla,
tempts to break.. pathe resrve otifs
young hesteswt~d to ligfilend,
one -night in partWb oomta a back
weary ad depresseg. sia d dags of his
commaend were alq~aever, and as
far as Flewer- 4i~ wa toeneerued,
shb- had far .ete - .a. Sth her
father in the wsen st tper e h
Tesoplars ate. Hoe oked upthelghe
window of the roo. sb bch e for
rvette 1oy's; and i~4e(fteewas
within an? thought aaer(the
ear he knew was altlad.US )
enen= Itself aver'~ lit
tik,of the spurs wI,l g.aao
hu saber qs,-thest
abgU.
wie ns
t 1a~ ws mom Cie"al.
-l hat m sa .
hnr Quant a I G S
bemU irery tirs it 4 1 ;1t lr<
t~ uer h~ us blaoraTs 01tiawi
Wag klagl er a was: a tee
hea
ttr ost tP of jo
head, e.met c - hp ba wth a .-ss
a and tsrt4.ng es. the soh
of yoitk aad health o ter aft and ier
lipa as ever, red as the ioa-te
e9m, the most $oyse c satty tss
ween against the de 'sr ghis of the
sky. Her gawm was of the paset lie.
such as an ordinary g wt wowi have
thought porle only with a regieef Com
plexion and a skin of milk. But In this, as
in all that pertained to. attractotn TVett
Foy' made no mistakes.
Nb knew that none can wear pale blue
with such effect as a dark-eyed girl with
an Ivory skin and heaped masses of hair.
with blood that went and game in dusky
wine-red flushes upon her theeks-respon
aive to the beating of her heart. A little
white fringe of feecy lace about the usek.
above the heaped, careless, tumbled masses
of dark hair, the subtle drawing power of
wiling eyes, the slender lissomeness of her
figure. Small wonder that night Maurice
Raith owned to himself that there were but
few maids in France equal in beauty to
Yvette Fey of the Bon Chretien. in the lt
tie Camisard village of La Cavalerie.
He stood a moment beneath her, struck,
regardent, while she smiled-smiled with
the petulant assurance ~of a girl who Is
sure of her charms. ai l aplomb of a woman
who can afford to give a' man the full pleas
ure of the eye without compromising her
self.
"Ah," he murmured in English, without
thinking how be spoke. "but you are very
lovely! I had not thought It!"
"Pardon me," she said, In her own pretty
French, "but I do not understand. I: have
not the English-no word of it. 'Ti. my
misfortune."
Though, indeed, ahe had understood well
'enough the start, the stoppage on the stair
way, the dumb game upward.
"You w!ll get cold standing there in that
light dress," he said, as he came up to the
landing, unable to take his eyes off such
a radiant vision,.
Yvette laughed with a light amusement.
"I wonder," she said, "how long It will
take you to get the parade rasp out of
your voice when you come Into my par
lor!"
"Did I order you-I did not mean it!"
said Maurice penitently enough.
'Indeed, It sounded much like It," she
said, "but give me your cloak! I will
order you in my turn."
"Indeed, I wili not-on other nights when
you are not arrayed as one of the angels
of heaven-all in white and blue. But not
tonight.
She stamped her little foot sharply, with
a mock of Inteterance.
"Who Is in charge of the commanderie
of the Bon Chretlan-you or I?" she cried.
"You-you-of a surety-you and no oth
er!" he replied with mock humility and as
if in haste not to displease her.
"Well, the-your cloak?'
And she took the great heavy folds from
off his shoulders with a masterful action.
They were no light weight, as she held
them out dripping at arm's length.
"See," she said, "can any In your regi
ments do more for you than little Yvette
Foy-aye, even the sour-l?rowned gypsy
down stairs himself?'
And Indeed the light way In which she
bent to the ground and lifted heavy
weights-the easy indifference with which
she could upon occasion and with the ut
most nonchalance do the work of a man,
proved the exquisite perfection of 'the
muscles which worked so smoothly con
tracting and extending automatically ud
der that sajn skin.
Then after a little pause she spoke ca
ressingly, yet simply, as his mother might
have done (at least so Maurice Raith
thought, who could not remember his
mother) "come Into this little room where
there Is a fire. Change your wet boots
there, and then, when you are ready, come
Into my parlor and tell me all about your
troubles. I see you hive been distressed
today. Catinat, I suppose as usual. But
you shall tell me all afterwards!"
She vanished light as the flitting shadow
of a bird when It crosses the road. Never
theless It remained long In Maurice's mind
that ere she went she had tossed him a
careless kiss, such as a sister might have
done. Maurice had no sister, but In this.
as In other things, be felt that he had been
badly treated by nature. Such a sister as
Yvette Foy, so full of understanding, so ca
pable, so sympathizing In all things, never
in the way and never out of it.
But he did not get time to specify further
-before a low; quick knock returned to the
door of the little room. It had evidently
been occupied for other purposes than the
doffing of wet mascuHne garments, for pet
ticoats and feminine falderals hung about
it, all In a faint, indescribable perfume,
which went to Maurice Raith's head like
wine.
Gingerly the young man opened the door.
Yvette Foy stood before him, smiling, a
pair of slippers in her hand and dry stock
ings over her arm.
"They are my father's," she said in an
excusing tone. "You may find them rough.
All the same, I knitted them myself, so I
can promise you that they are warm; and,
Indeed, I have had them for an hour or
more before the fire before bringing them
down."
She nodded brightly once more, and turn
ed to go, while he stood dumbly gaming at
her, with the stockdins and slUppers In his
hands.
Perhaps It was that which made the girl
turn her head over her shoulder with a
peculiarly witching smile as she stood on
the second step of the stair.
"Am I not a good hostess-to those I-I
like?" she said.
And the last, part of the sentence was
spoken very low, and the expression of her
eyes at the moment would have satisfied
most men.
Then she seemed to take fright at what
she had said and took to her heels.
Maurice Raith could hear her pretty little
Parisian slippers clitter-clattering up the
stairs toward hei- bed room at.,a great rate.
Then came the slam of a door and-silence.
All the while be stood in the blank door
way, the warm woolen stockings and the
easy slippers in his hand, his heart trying
in vain to beat out its admiration flor two
girls at once. His heart wasn not, so he told
himself, in the least untrue to Flower
the-Corn. How could he be? But-he cer
tainly wanted Yvette Foy very much--as a
sister.
(To be continued.)
BLACKmAXTT.D EUREST.T SAGg,
Got 910 to Eny a Glass Ee for a Zet
tie GIrL.
"I once bnakmailed Rassell Bage out of
p.0," said a well-known New York poli
tician, in a conversational group the other
day. 'It was a long time ago, but the
great flnsinciers habits et thrift and aes
omy, were $ust as well devebeof. then ae
now, and it was just as dificualt to part him
from a dollar.
"I was in his onice one day, and he yap
tealing me of time appeale for charity uman.
upon ip. His waste -basker= at the sne
ment was fuR of letters asking for mnoey,
I picked uip the topmost letter and with
his per-t==ton read it. It was ftrom a litle
girlt out west, who said she had ftllen while
playing, and knrmkid out an eye. She want.
p.$1 with which to buy a. glass eye,
"'Mr. sge,' I ssM,.'tWe seem to be s
claim perily of gensideratio. Tem~ought
to give that .es UWtl gilt the Saa.
'Oh, noe, ns I ean't; -as.ssy gao.
possible to beef ak these requestal Then
.he.say be an inmpot
"I es #e eteragin, adits a.o
appeald to us, 'Mr. b,se I Ooetamsd. it
Ahim, 7~3i~Isaq. ~ ht
mager aa iws# su
gregtest - , ya w
UTIE EAlERS
VIEWG FINE GEM
AND I.E)f"" A N
TI.Sm8 110 GMN.
Ld Cu'on's Tse Was SO Occupled
That Even He other Could
Net See Jem
The great durbar being over, and of course
the state entry, we felt that we had seen the
best, bht Captain H., an A. .D. C. of one
of the generals; and a frequent 'visitor to
our camp, assured us that the best of all
was to come-that the procession of native
retainers would be better than anything we
had seen.
One thing we very much wanted to see,
but of course could not, was the "garden
party for native gentlemen," given on the
2d by the viceroy. The very name formed
in our iinds, a distinct picture of the
garden, the rather pompous viceroy and
a crowd of native gentlemen, in many dif
ferent costumes, stalking about with great
dignity and smiling elegance. On the morn
ing of the 2d of January we decided, having
nothing better to do, to walk slowly up the
Chandni Chauk. the beautifully broad prin
cipal street of Delhi, and behold its won
ders. One side of the street contains all the
jewelers' shops, tiny places, most of them.
with open fronts, one step up, and the step
a swinging board suspended from the legs
of-the show cases by short ropes; but the
contents of the cases were quite worth see
ing, although the jewelers evidently carried
the most precious arttcles, done up in dirty
rags, concealed about their persons.
When we boldly asked to see a very good
unset ruby we had to wait while the dark
gentleman, seated crooked-legged on a beau
tiful Agra carpet, thrust his hand within
his coat and in course of time brought forth
a small and dirty rag, from which he poured
out three or four fine rubles. It is possible
to get a ruby,. surrounded by very small
diamonds, for $50. but of course not a fine
gem. The most beautiful ring that I have
ever seen .was at the exhibition building,
three not very large uncut rubies, for $250,
but we were told to offer half that and that
we could get it. which we did not venture to
do, however, as Burma, with its ruby mines,
was on our schedule of travel and we
thought it safer to wait. There were many
very dainty and pretty things that were
very moderate in price, and one of our
party bought a string of tiny seed pearls
with seven pendent moonstones for 36.06;
another a chain of seed pearls with topas,
the same number and a very good shade,
for $7, while a. third bought a very beautiful
little necklace of three rows of small irregu
lar pearls the size of currants with uncut
emeralds an lnck. apart, and five pendents
on the last string, all for the sum of 80
rupees, or $26.06, a thing which in England
or American would cost at least $100, prob
ably much move.
The jewelers' small shops were mixed in
with shops in which all manner of cheap
English things were sold, and to which all
the natives flocked joyfully; shops where
granite iron ware was offered for sale,
chemists with -natives back of the counter
and strange drugs and preparations within
the cases, and very Interesting shops of
beaten brass and silver or lovely felt rugs
and cotton curtains stamped in perfect
colors and beautiful patterns, all from
Cashmere. There were no sidewalks, and
the fruit venders had their stands or -big
flat baskets in the street and stood beside
them, scantily clothed, calling their wares
loudly to the passers-by. The streets had
been watered to such an extent that they
were inch deep in mud, and it was a risky
thing to pick one's way along under the
noses of huge camels, skirting the clumsy
carts, drawn by buffaloes, and threading
one's slippery way among all sorts and con
ditionb of vehicles. An elephant bell's
weird jangle made us step to one side as
the huge creature marched slowly by, and
we nearly ran down a palanquin carried
by eight natives, through the half-open
door of which we caught sight of a veiled
figure, and pitied her for her close quarters
and lack of freedom.
Club House Pleasures.
Polo again in the afternoon, with odd and
interesting sights all the way out to the
club house, one of them a native chief
holding a durbar in a thatched house, him
self in a gold armchair and the rest of the
assemblage seated around him in a semi
circle two deep, all on their heels and all
draped In white chuddarAs. A little later
on we heard the sound of weird music, and
found that It came from a room over the
old red gateway arch which makes the
Jind camp, and we were told that the high
priest of the Bih was holding one of his
five daily services. We longed to go up the
narrow stairway anid behold for ourselves,
but, alas! we wei-e women-at least two of
us were.
Dinner at 7 in place of 8 allowed of our
going early to the fireworks, which were to
be seen in the space in front of the Juenema
Musid.
To one who has seen the fireworks at
Washington at the time of a presidential
inauguration, or even at old Codey Island
In times gone by, It was a picture seen be
fore, as. to the display itself, although
Brock certainly made a great success of It,
but It was well worth an- early dinner and
a cold drive to see the Illuminaoted city wall
and the mass of natives ...memb at the
Jumnmn Mei=#4
The ..a.n.llatl. of the wall were all
outlined is Sam hum he..ma. of tiny
glass lauas,, wass et eU- with asaing
wicks, and the e@et' as ene droe along
was very wenmrft larthe wall atse
of coure, perfetly dark, with the
casten.anle.. ...mgiyailesing in the air.
It was thegetttost lgt mae.ha and
seemed quitoe aruet epcaly when a a
tive appearea em the waB to trim the
little liE, hto bie. emeum
coloa,m thed kem heed to feet in tig
volumnt=- esaweris. Itt ien~ty Em
terestim to se the Way inaWlMeh a city
in India t atek Ia hemer of the wtne
roy.or the eoeend
Aabg Umm
Thze wha he. of emey pgEbe buBMg
Is ooveued with a nework ot a ee i
-lng, on 1se are stn homeed eq the
tiny lams toe, asht huoe er mbee
eight orm sset hg hunm thb emes
and arsatre ase with the Watu hasss
bamboe staa amachrwm -kees
with rei sttaa stof er gom- ds Mr
tinseL ass aen Iheamset o hetsas,
and the ~es when a t as de -
ting, a ge&of --eMznom
We am--mu to name
homes, as Mq~ w~
have ue
et me Qar aber.a
Os tbg he 3d we made
-wl of a bomEamt euit. d.edn by'
lahtag:ee het behids - ent,wihwe
5.4 wit
at -eed sr m1- ae w .a wa yj
lometlstdtml.aitt am i ie o- a wrS
not hed" An - oe et wt now
daghter A- r bet be he a fesos
Ie ints Ldy Cnse 's tisr was se Di
durtag that two' Veenie ,e1 DOW Vat, We
were teld, N si wae.t ot -s son
her esoe't for te 0 at a tirns, and
thee oly-oe or twi.r,
Km the afternoon we west to se a mow
waImere game of pol o between the Is
peril. adtenaho em
tLs mest ealting thing poenle to be
seem is a native game of polo. It has ao
equaL The men are such perfect riders,
so reekless both of their owa lives and st
the bones of their ponies. that there is an
"e d swing and dash about thei
sad any other polo will seem slow
after that native game, I fear.
. As the investure was down for 9 o'clock
we dined at T and started early in order to
find our seats without trouble, and they
proved to be In the small gallery at oaa
end of the Diwaaei-Am, opposite the gat
lery of the musicans.
The entrance was to us as interesting as
anything else, for we drove through the
magnificent Labw Gatm, under whose tre
mendous arch is a smal native baasar, pre
ceded and followed by gorgeous carriages,
in whose uncomfortable depths mest gor
geous beings, a mass of silk, satin and Jew
ela, could be seen, then walked up the
broad steps leading to the Nakar Khana,
and on into the beautifu Hall of Audienee.
the Diwanet-Am, with its rows of red sand
stone pillars and its white marble caaop1
for the Viromn
Underneath this, on siver thrones with
gold lions as arms, sat Lord Curson and
the Duke of Connaght. Lady n
gowned, as always, in perfect taste, looked
very weary, but in spite of it caused much
enthusiasm. I heard a very well et up
middle-aged otacer in the seat Just back of
mine say in quite audible tones: "Why is
it that that American girl has an air of
distinction whIch makes our own Duchess
of Connaught look quite the trutnpr' and
he grunted discontentedly. The conferring
of orders was interesting for ten minute,
the gorgeous costumes and jewels absorbed *
us for half an hour more, and the "in
vested," In their long robes trying to back
gracefully and easily down the three or
four necessary yards gave us amusement,
but after that ennui claimed us and we
felt that we had seen enough. To tell the
truth, the Investure ceremony, very glori
ous for the viceroy and very "honorable"
for the invested, was very fatiguing for
the onlooker, and so many left before the
close that Lord Curzon is reported to have
been extremely wroth. Discontent reigned
in camp the next morning at breakfast,
and it is quite a sure thing that to one and
all of those assembled in the cosy tent eat
ing their breakfasts as well as they could
with the tears caused by smoky fires
streaming down their cheeks one investure
in a lifetime wquld be voted more than
sufilcient. MARGARET STERLING.
APTE TWENTY-NINE YARa
He Has Paid His Board Eill in Part
at Last.
A welcome visitor was received at a
house rear the Capitol a few days ago and .
he promised he would call again, although
he refused to make known his identity.
The house is occupied by an elderly woman
and her grown children. They are wed
known and have a host of friends. The
mother celebrated her four score years in
1900 and recently she was_ so ill that she
was confined to her room several days.
She had gone down stairs for $he first
time and was the only person on the lower
floor -when the ringing of the bell informed
her that there was somebody at the front
door.
Going to the door she was surprised by a
man of refinement shaking her hand after
he had made certaire that she was the one
for whom he was looking. He declined an
Invitation to enter, saying he merely want
ed to inquire if she were still In the land
of the living.
"Take this," he said, pressing a piece of
paper against her hand, "but please don't
open it until I have departed."
The eldetly woman did as she had been
requested, and when she related her experi
ence. to her children the latter laughed
at her and said she was the victim of an
advertising scheme. Opening the paper
she saw it contained a $20 bill.
"Look on the other side and I guess'you
will see an advertisement of some kind,"
one of the children suggested.
The bill was turned over and examined.
and to the surprise of the one who had
received it, as well as to the children, it
was a genuine United States treasury note.
It was recalled that tne well-dressed man
of ,refinement had said he would explain
the meaning of his visit by letter.
Curiosity caused the careful watching of
the postman. With the morning came tne
postman, but he had no missive from the
strange man who had so unceremoniously
parted with his money. The noon delivery
brought no tidings, but on the afternoon
trip of Uncle Sapi's mail carrier the letter
that was looked for came. Then all was
explained except the name of the man
whose visit had seemed so mysterious.
"Twenty-nine years ago," the letter read,
"I boarded at your house."
The writer then went on to explain that
he had departed- without doing the thing
that is so necessary in order that the land
lady may not have to declare herself a
bankrupt. He further stated that he had
been given to dissipation and =amitted
that the woman he had sought had been
almost a mother to him.
."You not only bore with me during the
time I was given to dissipation." he wrote,
"but you .advised with meand pointed out
to me what I should do to wpe a man of
mnyself. In the course of tneyour words
bore fruit, and I finally became a Chris
tian.
In conclusion he stated that the 35 did
not cover the amount of .his indebtedness
*and when he has paid his bill In funl he
will reveal hIs Identity and maEe a asist
calL.
A Hint.
Prom the New York Weely. -
Xetheg-"I 'eaat. have that yun ma
staying here s lat, at night. You must
gshe him a hint of some Ald."
n==ghter Oa the evening)-"I a- very
masin atraid seta= will bappea to you
em the streets at night. Toum u be more
careful ot yourself ad not be eut s late.
If aything should happen to yes, i'd-I'4
dial"
They are -nae now.
Easdty Wedh YMe
Wb-"Thme garn my -er alaeinto
the weck basa ad deam intO the trapi
Orn 9e the pl..6. at ee miy dear."
NEusbanl--1 guess not! Net Aer e est
se he Q W Qa. M.
Yes mye ssa M. Qui
- -eQ QM- Q-s a
wamase isettoesn soW.c
3.s as e -d asdea
- of--sa en as.
Us 3.s mas
ea nWe asm aas se
a- - shs e t -i
* as ge$ N na e ga t
det he ...U e me eseet
WUS a twtisme of &W
he as ofn et ee