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Show I cL. .,.., ry '"'. IHelen (Dboate prince. - : --...mJJHr H iv ftVlock on a December morning in Tourainc; H v. -is asleep in the large round room on the tl'lom oT" ?cUlednfSm h,s hole toward a H TT bMaSsieepS bh.g0.."; nhadedlns sfshc bJ?CBinVSdul?enfly. and the mouse H finished A slight sound, far off, made her point H lie? car, and sit up. One docs not come to years H ! of discretion in the kitchen of a chateau, which is H ' Wvlnrfc,??ndvpus for .huntsmen without cuUmg H i 'one's cyc-tceth that is, if one is a cat and I uss. M . w two years old, knew to the faintest shade those B " , L rusted and those to be avoided. So. shevat I tlcrt unti the door opened and old Denis, carrying 1 (a lamp in one hand and a huge twine bag filled with M 1 'boots ami shoes in the other, entered. He never H I Interfered with her, so Puss crooned good morning, 1 ' l",d followed hcr 'prccting with a loud, continuous H Wr She then setUcd herself in an obscure corner H 'Folded in her paws under her. white breast and I iafched him wfth green inquishive eyes whj e he H J remade the fire, grumbling under his breath the B WTlils done, he emptied the contents of the bag on M the floored began to arrange the shoes in pairs on H I the ong shelf against the wall. There were all H sorts and conditions of foot-coverings; top-boots ' S uiUroddcn heels and well-shaped toes, bringing M f to the imagination a faint echo of horns and hunters M I Sics: rough. Heavy boots, laced to the knee, the H SS covered wth nails, telling of long,, happy I trampsRU" on shoulder, dog at heel Denis took m in a pair of tius description, turned them over H iXolccd hard at the soles, and grunted as he placed M I hem in order on the shelf. He put the biggest at H ' ' the head, and this special pair came at the end oj. H I the men's; next tbcm began th- 'adtcs All were M i I let up at last but two pair,, tlv 5 -gcr of these was M - so pretty that it was strwi . .hey should make M I anyone, let alone a man. -0wi; but Denis . brow H grew yet darker as he scanned their soles, in. the H fame careful manner w-Mi which he had examined H I the heavier, and growled. "I've caught 'cm; that 1 clinches it." , H At the very end of the row he placed a little H pair, not more than four inches long, with round r toes which told his experienced eye that their owner f I "scuffed." Small as they were they had a manly H ' I look, and when Denis put them down he ceased his H J ! angrv muttcrings, the scowl vanished from his 1 ' 'knotted forehead for a moment, and he looked H almost tender as he said, "Poor little fellow! Poor H little fellow 1" H Just then he heard a sfaght sound, and looking up, H saw a light coming toward him from the further M end of the long passage leading to the cast tower, for he had left the door open to get a better draught H to start his fire. As the person carrying the lamp M came nearer, he saw that it was his niece, Claude, H and the scowl became still more pronounced, while H I he advanced his chin in an obstinate manner H peculiarly his own. I 1'hc girl was tall and slender, with a pale face and H J grave eyes; sometimes she looked sad, but this ' morning her whole expression was transformed as H 1 iKsomc inward joy gleamed warm again w-ithin. ' H r VGood morning, my uncle I" she said, offering her b 1 soft cheek for his kiss. ... I J "Good morning? Bad morning!" he returned, with H almost a snarl. H She was evidently used to his ways, for she set H ' hcrMamp down and took up one of the bewitching H boQts, H ' "I came down to help you, and I will begin with H ! the countess," she, said gently; but he snatched the H I boot from her hand H "You shall not touch them, unhappy child! ou H ' have done your last stroke of work under this roof. I To-dnv you and I leave." H ' "Arc you mad, my uncle?" she asked, in amazc- I meut. H ' I ''Mad! Yes, if it's mad to think that women should Hj ! be pure and men honorable Mad, indeed! It only H L wanted this L knew that 1 was out of. the fashion Hi . with my ideas; but now my own niece tells me that H - I I, am mad, because I have the folly to want her to H I live with decent people." 1 ' "Dear uncle, I never called you mad for that; I H only" H ' "Don't interrupt' I know your tricks. I'm your Hj master, for I stand in the place of your parents, H and I've given up my life to you. My old mistress H left me a pension, to be mine only when I quitted H 1 1 the young count's service But she made mc piomisc ( solemnly I'd stay with him until I was too old to H 1 1 ; work, unless my conscience told mc to leave. I H want a home of my own; I want youjo keep it for H me. I've been on the watch for six years for a H chance to leave and it's come at last, I won't have H them say I 'can't keep my word; I'm a philosopher, 1 1 and consider myself a very good mail, Now I prove B , it. I quit for the akc of morality. If you arc H economical, c can put aside something for your dot H when I'm gone; but while I live you shan't have a sou. Get ready to leave to-day" Up to this moment Claude had stood staring at him with frightened eyes, but whet; he paused for H breath she struck in: H I am young and my life is before mc. I am happy B , ' here; "my mistress is so kind, so good " H i 'Girl, you licl If she is kind, it is only to make H you her slave; but good! No! She is bad, and six H I years ago, when she came here a bride, I began to Hl foresee this day. She was so young, so dressed up, H I so different from the old countcsb. I have lived H I in this house for forty years. The old countess took H ' ' mc, a raw lad from the fields, and taught mc all I B know. Thcn!was a fine woman for you! Did she H wear miserable, shoddy things on her feet like tins?" H The .irate old fellow held up the little boot with H an air of scorn "N"o, "her shoes were as solid and H big a3 a man's; she never wore heels. The first time H I blacked this fine lady's shoes I knew what would H come, sooner or later, and here it is." H "Here is what, uncle' Don't talk riddles any more H tell mc the truth! Remember what leaving here H means for me; it means giving up Pierre." H She covered her. face with her hands as she spoke H and sank on a chair She was one of the persons of H whom Puss approved, so her catship jumped on Hj her lap and made herself comfortable. H "Eicrrp' Well, L should not cry my eyes out for H t.haC want to look jut for my own comfort a . H little now. I didn't bring you up for nothing you H know." H 'Now, my predictions have come true. For six B j y$ars rve waited for a chance to get free; at last H it's H I rtWhy do you hate the countess, my uncle?" H J'Tm a philosopher and hate no one. But she's H .jiot my sort. A great family like this should have H ' a$,erious lady at its head. It goes against mc to H 'Jsccv a chit taking up old mistress's place. Now, H JIMl explain why we must go" H lHc 'took up one of the bewitching boots, holding it by one button as if he feared poison from its touch, and dangled it before Claude's anxious eyes. "Well?" he said, after a moment. "What do you sec?" "The countess' boot, not yet cleaned." "And what's that?" "Mud." "Clay. And wherc's the only place on the property where clay is found'" Ciaudt- thought a moment : then half asked, half asserted; "The Abbot's Walk." "Exactly. Where does the Abbot's Walk lead?" ''To the Louis XIII pavilion." "Exactly," he repeated, still more emphatically. "And that's where your lady spent. 3-estcrday afternoon, after-noon, hamg given out she was sick in her room. And that's where the Italian prince met her. Now, do you see why we must gor" "My uncle1 It canVbc true." "You don't believe it, eh? Then, listen! We'll sec what you say after you've heard my story. Night before last," old Dpnis began, drawing out a stool from beneath the shelf and sitting down close to his niece so as to be able to speak low, "night before last they sent for mc to the drawing-room, to fix the blower that had got out of place. My old mistress mis-tress would have had a name for the crowd of drcsscd-up manikins this countess had got abbut her. She didn't mince matters She was like me The worst one of the lot, that perfumed Italian prince, with his rings and gimcracks, was hanging over the back of my lady's chair, which was cloc to the fire She was the only woman in the room with her neck covered but that was because she had a cold and had wrapped a white shawl over her shoulders. They were all jabbering about the meet next morning, and some one asked the countess if she would go. 'Not unless my cold is better," says she, and as I looked up that moment T saw her cheeks turn as red as the embers. 'Ah, hal' thinks I, 'guilty people get red; white is the color of innocence.' At her words the prince gets closer still, and says, so low that no one eUc can hear but me 'Do you suffer much?' 'A good deal,' says my lady, and her voice shook so that I looked up from my knees again, and here, as plain as day, were two dimples in her cheeks and her eyes twinkling as if the flames had got caught in them. She had her back to the prince, but the. joke vas for him, as you'll SC. - 'The least suffering of yours costs mc agony,' says that Llalian. Then he turned quick and asked the count if he would join the party for the meet, end he answered, very formal and set. unlike his usual way. that he had special business in the county town and it was not probable he'd be back before dinner, for he should ride and the roads were bad in that direction. Well, all this had made mc suspicious, sus-picious, so. yesterday, when they were starting for the hunt, I hung around. Everyone was there but my master, the countess and the princq.." The princess's maid, that ridiculous Hortcusc. wasbtherc to tuck her old mistress upt so when they had all 0 ridden and driven off, I said to her that her master did not seem much of a sportsman. 'Oh, yes,' says she, 'he's shooting to-day, 'he was off at daybreak.' So then I watch. And I find out three things, which I piece together: '.First, the countess was not in the chateau, in spite ot the cold that was to keep her in bed. Second, a fire in the pavilion, for I saw the s,mokc from the chimney. Third, the prince out long after ft was too dark to shoot and coming home with an empty bag. And here's my last proof. See!" With a triumphant gesture he held up a pair of heavy-nailed shooting boots? the soles were crusted with the same yellow clay there was no denying the fact. "I don't believe you," said Claude, passionately. "I won't I can't believe anthing but good of my dear mistress." And, to show how she disbelieved his story she fell, to crying silently. Then, all of sudden, "tick-tock" came the sound of a sharp pair of heels along the passage. Puss gave a subdued hiss and jumped into an obscure corner, and a very smart, very Parisian young woman tiptoed into the room. "Good, morning, Master Denis Good morning, Mademoiselle," slic said, making a turn so that her full skirts stuck straight out "I'm early this morning, for at last we're jjomg, thank Heaven!" Denis darted a meaning look at his niece and asked, with unwonted graciousness. "What takes you off so soon'" "La, Master Denis, you've lived too long in good "Claude's dot is my present to Mama? families t,o expect mc to'givc you a straight answer," she returned, . "All ' f can say is that wc leave this morning, and I hope to sleep like a top to-night, sung off by the good tunc of the cab wheels and the horses' hoofs on the macadam and the crack of the driver's whip. I'm almost out of my head down here for lack of sleep. In the beginning be-ginning of the night the quiet keeps mc awake, and then, just as I'm nearly off, the barnyard fowls begin their to-do. I want c princess's boots, sharp now. She had one of her tantrums last night, and to-day oh, la-la! We'll hac to step around lively, the prince and I." "lie's a good master, your prince?" asked Denis, picking out the d-sircd boots and beginning to clean them. "You speak the truth there. As good as gold. And why should he be, blamed if he has an eye for a pretty woman once in a while, when you think how old and hideous the princess is?" Ilortensc again whirled around in a circle until her skirls flew out in a tangent, and put her hands into the useless pockets of her useless apron in approved stage style. "And so it's a CcaS of jealousy that takes you away so Juncxpcctcdly?" "How clever vour uncle is, mademoiselle fjHe'.s like a detective, 1 vciwT Well, jes; as"long as you've COPYRIGHT. 1009. guessed it. I can tell you that the princess found out that yesterday, instead of going shooting, the prince found the game to his liking nearer the chateau. He, he! .Wasn't there a' famous to-do last night! I'm quite worn out to-day, I assure 3'ou." "And the lady?" asked Denis, his eyes on Claude, whose pale face made a white patch in the gloom. "Who is she?" Ilortensc pirouetted about the room on the tips of her toes, saying: "Don't you wish you knew? Don't you wish you knew?" "Here's what you came for," said Denis, holding out the boots "Thank you, Master Denis! You haven't once said you were sorry to have mc go " "As I'm going myself, the pain of parting with you, my lady, is deadened." With her mistress's boots in one hand she tripped off, kissing the other to the unresponsive Denis, who looked after her with anything but a flattering glance. "The monkey!" he muttered. Then, turning to Claude, he added, in a kinder voice. "Now, my girl, you sec I spoke the truth, eh?" The cat had once again found an asylum on Claude's knee, and the girl's tears fell thick and fast. "Oh, pussy, pussy." she moaned, "It's not only the countess I must leave it's Pierre, too. And I love lum so I loyc him so." Some light had begun to struggle in at the deepest windows, fighting with the lamp flames; so Denis blew them out and the room seemed darker than before. Claude could do nothing but sob and sit like one stunned She dared not creep out of her corner, for the other servants had begun their work; 5hc could hear the calls for hot water and the orders for the trays with the "little breakfasts" for the early risers. She forgot that her mistress might be ringing for her even then She could only think oj the shipwreck this morning had made of her life Next to Pierre, she loved the countess. Who else in her place, a great lady and a pretty woman, would have taken her, an ignorant country girl, for her maid? Who would have been so patient with hcr? Who so sympathetic in her simple love affair' And now she was told that her idol was false. Never! She would be obliged to obey and follow her uncle he stood to her in the place of parents but she would keep her faith in her lady. She was not conscious that a part of her rebellious rage came from the feeling that Denis had never liked his joung mistress and was glad to find her m fault. The long passage was now brilliantly alight, for the'sun was pouring his full rays through the row of windows, and they were reflected from tl e walls. Tainted a gay shade of yellow. A door at the other end shut with a bang, quick foot-falls were heard, and a gay tunc, hummed by a man's voice From her corner Claude saw the sunlight on Pierre's honest, rosy face as he came forward toward, the furnace-room. "Hello, Uncle Denis!" he cried, when only halfway half-way down. "You have mc to thank this morning, for I've done some of your dirty work for you without with-out being asked. Look here!" He held up a pair of riding-boots as he spoke. "You never saw such, a mess as these were in covered with a nasty clay that sticks like bad habits " "Bad habits don't stick to a man who has a bit of philosophy anl honest notions," growled Denis. "Come now, my friend, don't be grumpy this morning. I've a bit of good news for you. Have you seen Claude?" The old man jerked his head toward the dark corner Pierre looked, and when he made out Claude's form he wa by her side in an instant and had his arm round her waist, to the disgust of Puss, who jumped down, arched her back, and then bcglin to clean her face with a disapproving air "Cheer up, httc girl! There's a good time coming." he whispered. "Now, Uncle Denis, I'd hkq to make a bet with you that I'll have you laughing before ten minutes as you haven't laughed for years." "I don't bet." "Well, then, I'll make you laugh anyway, bet or no bet. Now put plenty of cream on those boots, and I'll amuse you. I'll begin at the beginning, for it all leads to us you and mc," he added, with an extra squeeze for Claude. Denis peered at the couple half-hidden behind the furnace. "None of that, now," he grumbled, divining divin-ing what was going on. but unable to see it. "All right," returned Pierre, holding Claude's hand in both his and warming it between his solid palms, for it was icy cold "Here goes! You know or, if you don't, what matter that yesterday was the countess' birthday. Well, night before last, when I was dressing the count for dinner, he says to mc, 'Pierre, can jou keep a secret?' I said I thought I could. .'Even from your nrctty Claude?' says he. 1 said if it was for a short time I hoped so, but after wc were married he mustn't be hard on mc. So he laughed and told me a famous plan he and the countess had for getting away fo the afternoon from all the visitors. He gave mc my directions, and in the afternoon I arid Master Baby took a basket of goodies to the pavilion and lighted a fire and spread the table Pretty soon the countess came running in, laughing like a little girl, her checks as rosy as apples, under a thick veil. 'I'm sick in bed, Pierre,' said she, 'I may be well enough to go down to dinner if I keep quiet now' And with that she began to play with Master Baby and romp 'until the count steps in, his boots caked with clay, but a smile on his face a yard long. lie took a box out of his pocket and said, 'Give that to your mother, you rascal, and tell her it was the important business that took mc to town this morning' So Master Baby made his funny little bow and the countess opened the bqx and there were diamonds or such like; and she htigged the count, and hugged the boy, and said she was the happiest wAman in the world, until T got regularly choked up." "Oh. yes happy because he gave her gewgaws," interrupted Denis, testily. "Go on, Pierre dear Pierre!" said Claude, gently. "Well, if it hadbcen the countess' fifth birthday instead of her twenty-fifth, and count's age matches hers, they couldn't have had more fun with Master Baby. And the count kept chaffing, her and pretending pretend-ing she only put on her good spirits to please him: that she really liked being a fine la,dy. So she boxed his cars " Denis broke in with a groan, "think of the old countess behaving so!" "And she kept saying: 'Oh, no. this isn't half such fun as trying to keep that stuffy old princcs. ju good humor, so that sMic needn't sec her wretched little husband making love to everything with a a. petticoat o.u. And it's not nearly as amusing as .listening politely to your godfather telling a story for the fifteenth time, while you arc saying nice things to some pretty woman. Dear me. what a stupid day I'm having.' And then there were more romps until Master Baby got so excited that he started in screaming at the top of his lungs, steady ,'kJK,Tnc'i;stoPpcc- nJm b" sayng 'hat thev had something serious to say to mc, so he hefd his breath for a moment to listen and the count began, very severe. 'Pierre,' says he, "with such a warning n before you as I, can you put jour hand on your heart and say you ain't scared to enter into the married state' 1 told him I thought I had pluck enough ', to say that, for I'd always bcn counted a brava man. They both laughed, and he went on- 'But, 3 on know youc set jour heart on the countess' own maid'. I said that was a fact and no mistake " "Well, go on. can't you?" snapped Denis "I'm v wasting my time. What arc you doing. ehv' "Not much," returned Pierre, smacking his lips, while Claude grew as rosy as the little lamb clouds had been. " , "Then he warned mc, very seriously, what an awful pull the two wives would have over their helpless husbands if thej' banded together, and the countess cried shame on him. He asked mc what hindered my marriage, and L said. 'Well, if monsieur wants the truth, it's only that skin" "Hold on! Np I didn't say that, I said it wa m ' " . 'ri a safest jdsiffleSw WdO- i m -4 Claude. because Claude's uncle was such a tender guardian that he wanted her all to himself, and wouldn't givt her any dot. And then they both kept still for a moment; then the countess said'Baby' sort of encouraging. en-couraging. Master' Babj. he hung his head and scuffed his toes and put his fingers in his mouth, The count says 'Baby' likewise, and Master Baby, ran to, his mother, put his head in her lap, nd sort' of kicked out behind and hollered- 'Claude's dot ! is my birthday present to mama.' Well, then I j choked quite up, and I bcievc 1 cried, for the counl I gave a sillv. kind of a laugh and said. 'What a fool J 3'ou arc, Pierre,' and the countess hid her head on .- Master Baby's shoulder, and then it was time to go, ' Didn't I tell you I had something nice for you, nvj girl?" ', "But I don't understand," gasped Claude. It wai true that Pierre had been very incoherent; the lasl part of his story had been terribly interrupted by circumstances over which he seemed to have no control such a spasmodic desire to put his arm round her and a simultaneous impulse to blow his nose violently. J "Your uncle will," said Pierre rather dryly. j "Listen, Uncle Denis. You'll say nothing if I ask 1 for Claude as my wife without one sou as dot?" , "Surely, my lad, surely, and welcome!" said Denis, j "( -with, a show of genial alacrity He held out his y, ha ml: Pierre took it and then returned to his dusky I '1 corner. 'I 'I At last Denis looked up, with at least half his scowl gone; "I've won my bet it was five francs, ' j wasn't it?. I haven't laughed once at your story." t 1 "Oh, said Pierre, "the funny part is to come. It f 1 was arranged that the countess was to slip out first, U then the count was to go back on foot to the lodge, j 1 where he'd left his horse, and I was to pack up j I with Master Baby and bring him home. So my ' !f lady opened the door and peeped out; then she gave ' V a little start and drew back. 'Some one is here,' : I says she. The count went to the window and gave ' I a Jong whistle. 'Who is it?' says the countess. I M 'Your dear prince, with his arm round the .waist of J 'I his wife's maid,' says he, and turned back, half t. 1 mad, but with a twinkle in his eye. There wasn't i any twinkle in the countess' eye, I promise you! f W She stamped her foot and flew into a high old I passion. She said it mortified her to sec her husband U S smile at such a thing So the count pulled as long ft 4i a face as that the old countess used to wear, but he S still stood looking out AH of a sudden he brought j Jus hand down with a slap against his leg, and says, V $ By Jove, the princess has them! No, the maid'i j slipped away; she's safe, but the prince will catch it f tiow. And then we all watched and saw the prince J; tS, take his wife's hand find lead her off. There was a 4 fine row between them last night, the prince's man S told mc. and they're leaving to-day, for the old lady : If thinks the pctticpat she saw whisk away belonged to f . ; one of the ladies here " 1 As -Pierre finished his story Denis burst into ar ". & ecstasy of laughter he had held in too long to re- ft strain it now. ; l "Holy name of a pipe!" he said Puss shuddered I V or this is a terrible thing to say in French, and f i being a French cat she understood just, how wicked f , it was. "You have made mcTaugh' Thinks she's J fe running away from danger, docs she" That's too t Vt good! And now I'm certain that betting is a bad 1 jjti habit, for if I'd taken jou up I'd have lost. f The rapacity of mankind passes all belief." ? (j Uiought Puss, as she jumped down and picked her j 'fa painty way to the kitchen to get her- breakfast, leaving Pierre holding Claude's hand wih a tcudcr imf radiance lighting up his honest face. 'Jrc II |