Major Vigoureux

member me, Maj

Something in her voice, vibrating like the rich, full no

ess at the point of the jaw to balance the broad forehead over which her hair (damp now, but rippled with a natural wave, defying the fog) la

ple; but, where the collar opened, her throat showed like a pillar, carrying her chin upon a truly noble poi

y. He could not have described their colour; but he saw

s unpardonable in

of the liquid chuckle in a thrush's song, or of water swirling down a deep pool;

im, and he fro

?" he asked. "This is

r shoulder-there is no lamp on the quay-head to guide me, or at least none visible." She laughed again, but on the ins

nds; you are glad

no

ot wish to be

ee, sooner than I intended. The

out saying," sa

my journey by days." She paused. "No; I ought not to speak of it flippantly. I sh

she

er, where it rested firm as a rock. Only the jewels quivered on her rings and

led everything." This explanation enlightened the Commandant not at all. "Besides," she added with a practical air, "I left a note with my maid, to be given to the c

while?" he

her fur cloak a little aside, and displayed it-a small satchel hanging from her waist by a silver chain. The

" he asked, "where

n your

dismayed. "But y

er me; not a soul, at

ume of Feathers

t," she said, demur

emper. "Recommend it

er of the Plume of Feathe

d, desperately, staring into the fog, in which t

e quay-light? There!... didn't I promise

quay itself. The Commandant, after he had shipped his oars and checked the way on her, pressing both hands against the dripping wall, put up one of them and passed the back of it slowly acros

, I did no

e steps, painter in hand, and groping for a ring-bolt. "Yo

stooped, having found the

led across Wyoming-in winter, in

you, was no debater; yet sometimes he had been known to triumph even in debate, by sheer simplicity. "The

she suggested,

y of the inmates. To them, of cou

n y

back of his head-a trick of his in perplexity. "Upon my word, no

lma Cottage?-and knock. The hour is two in the morning, or thereabouts. Miss Gabriel, overcoming her first fear of robbery or murder, will parley with us from her bedroom window. To her you introduc

" suggested the Commandant flinchin

some inward mirth. "But we cannot so describe Mrs. Pope, can we? Also we c

knock up Miss Gabriel without

e, when Mr. Pope or Miss Gabriel (as the case may be) begins by dem

did not forget. I waited, supposing that if

istaken: You are the man I have counted to find.... And you are a brave

suggest a be

st that you offer me a room

m!" the Comma

, if you are willing. To begin with, you have rooms and to spare. Nex

the rooms in the Castle are unfurnished, ruinous, and have been ruinous for fifty

ke her along to the Barracks for chaperon

the heels of her rose-coloured satin shoes twinkling in the

y a narrow street wound up towards the garrison gate. Past rains, pouring down the hill, had worn a deep rut along this street, ploughing it here and there to the native rock, zig-zagging from centre to side of the roadway and back again obedient to the trend of the slope. But over the causeway, and up the channelled street she found her footing with the same confidence, steering far more cleverly

up the tortuous unpaved street?-this apparition who, coming out of the seas and the dum

and to his thoughts. The fog had been thinning little by little as they mounted the hill, and at a few paces' distance he

?" she asked, pointing

should he give away to her

answered; "passing it as I d

first time since their meeting, seemed to be touched with a faint shade

as s

igoureux, if only for old sake's sake; for it was, I believe, the fi

ndant, hastily. "I remember it well. I almos

ndant took it for an exclamation of triumph at her cleverness. "But

was an evening when he should not have been late; for the door stood open for him, and his daughters-h

n, pl

the mainland, which she had never seen. She told me this.

o

the girl-" He paused again, staring at her between sudden enlightenment a

lantern close to her face, he saw two large tears bri

he mu

lip Cara's daughter. I daresay, though, you never heard my nam

land. But you know this, of course? Yo

d smiling, "it is all explained, and there is no myster

nd jewels, but in her careless air of command, of reliance upon her power, beauty, charm-whatever her woman's secret might be; an air of one accustomed to move in courts, maybe, or to control great audiences, or to live habitually with lofty thou

sked, a trifl

us," he stammered. "At

se she was as

ccurred to him. If ever a man could have taken honi so

eemed) than in disappointment with him. "Naturally that would be

quicker step than before. The Commandant, aware that he had offended, but not in th

gged blind of his sitting-room-to the left of the entrance hall-a light shone feebly out upon the f

on the doorstep

y, "run and fetch Mrs. Treach

him, and he stood still, there by the doorstep, gazing after her a moment as she disappeared into the d

ght footfall sounded again close behind him. She, to

you tell me?

ide with a kind of horror; and yet she s

ou?" he

it was

cuse me-what

u were entert

die

wo of them-sitting on your sofa! And, I think