The Crossing

la Vi

nk roses. The sash at her waist, the lace mantilla that clung about her throat, the deftly coiled hair with i

rd Mrs. Temple pronounce my name and hers-Madame de Montméry. I bowed, she courtesied. There was a baffling light in the lady's brown eyes when I dared to g

might call a ladies'

ady l

he?" sh

ith your wit," answered Mrs. Templ

said the lady, in exquisite Eng

Temple; "you are both capable persons, friends of

ion I could not make out. In an instant she seemed to have scru

quickly: "Mrs. Clive has talked a great deal about

who find time to comfort and help the unfortunate. That is why you and Da

ry, turning abruptly to Mrs. Temple. "But you must not read i

adame is not happy unless she is controllin

er lips, as though guessing the emotion which my visit had caused. "Listen," she said,

r the little tree beside the door, and stood talking for a moment of the routine of Mrs. Temple's life. Madame, it seemed, had prescribed a regimen, and meant to have it f

she said; "I am

me quickly. Madame acted with that ins

r in, Mr. Ritchie,

fully frail and light she was as I picked her up and followed Madame thr

y here," s

were closed, and a green myrtle-berry candle was burning on the table. I looked about me with astonishment. But for the low ceiling and the wide cypress puncheons of the floor the room might have been a budoir in a manor-house. On the slender-legged, polished mahogany table lay books in tasteful b

le-these agitated me almost beyond my power of self-control. Once I felt for the miniature, took it out, and put it back without looking at it. At last I was startled to my feet by the opening of the door, and M

one of her attacks. I wish you might have seen m

that I had know

whether intentio

e seated herself in one of the straight chairs. "Sit down, Mr. Rit

might, Madame la Vic

e, either of surpr

ew," she s

ed in the doorway," I replied. It

ssion of the miniature, the mouth repr

said. "When Antoinette asked me to come here

le has never s

request. And being a lady, she does not ask que

the portrait, too, attributes and a character, and I found myself watching the lady with a breathless interest lest she should fail in any of these. In the intimacy of the little room I felt as if I had known her always, and again, that she was as distant from me and my life as the court from which she had come. I found myself glancing continually at her face, on which the candle-light shone.

m Antoinette, that I know something of your strange life. After all," she added with a trace of sadnes

questions, Madame l

ay?) benefactor of this poor lady here, it is fitting that you should know certain things. I will not weary you with the reasons and events which led to my coming from Europe to New Orleans, except to say that I,

there was little hesitation in what she did. She

really has beauty, she is the daughter of a man of importance in the colony, her strength of character saves her from being listless. I found a girl with originality of expression, with a sense of the fitness of things, devoted to charitable works, who had not taken the veil. That was on her father's account. As you know, they are inseparable. Monsieur Philippe de St. Gré is a remarkable man, with certain vigorous

ple been willing to return to Les ?les after you had providentially taken her away, they would have received her. Philippe de St. Gré is not a man to listen to criticism. As it was, Antoinette did not rest until she found where Mrs. Temple had hidden herself, and then she came here to her. It is not for us to judge any of them. In sending Antoinette away the poor

elle de St. G

omtesse, brusquely. "Is he worth it? No, no man is worth what she has suffered. What

im back if I could," I answe

er, she might have smiled. As for me, I was wholly puzz

ife in trying to get others out of difficulties. Mercy," she said, with a quick gesture at my protest, "there are few men with whom one might talk thus in so short an acquaintance. I love the girl, an

improvidence. His loyalty to those he loved, his detestation of those he hated. I told how, under these conditions, the sins and vagaries of his parents had gone far to wreck his life at the beginning of it. I told how I had found him again with Sevier, how he had come to New Orleans with me the first time, how he had loved Antoinet

And in the morning he had flown with that mos

words to express my astoni

nd stood for a moment with her back to me. Suddenly she turned. "It ought not to be difficult, after all. Auguste de St. Gré is a fool, and he confi

is not Nick's forte," I a

silent

be worth saving, after all. I know Monsieur de Carondelet, and he has no patience with conspirators of

epeated u

se looked at me an

s, L'Amour, La Mignonne, La Désirée" (she counted them reflectively on her fingers). "Both of our gentleme

scarcely go the

of Auguste's intimates. This Bouvet is evidently a good person, perhaps she will

again. Had she heard how Madame Bouve

ions to make?" she said, pu

been yours, so

ts," she murmured, without turning. "Where ar

d to rely on myself

ur affairs meddled with by a wom

too clever to misunderstand me, Madame," I said

about to retort, and then to conquer the impulse. The effect of this was to make me anyt

oked up at me questioningly, seriously. "Is it likely that your Mr. Temple will be

ove with Mademoiselle de St. Gré," I answer

d with his mother, Antoinette will not receive him. And if he is, we have the question to consider whe

life if it became worth living," I

ed enough. And he must be found before he gets sufficiently into the bad graces of the Baron de

the bedroom door, but so

me-"

nswered, tur

she was a woman whose mind seemed to leap the chasms, whose words touched only upo

might have recognized you," I s

miniature?

t seemed to burn me throug

e miniature. I have heard how you rescued it, Mr. Ritchie," she a

knew?" I

laug

person," she said. "Even you are not given

ore hotly t

ected to see

e been a sho

r the miniature. It was my plain duty. And suddenly, overwhelmed,

e remained for a mo

orning," she said. "You must go

e to lose tim

eard that two cases of the yellow fever have broken out this afternoon.

ou?" I

re three months. Lest anything should happen, i

e Gravois, in th

à demain, Monsieur." She courtesied and went swiftly into Mrs. Temple's r