The Mystery of Choice

sprawling on the stone doorstep. He

diot dog?" I said, looking ab

raised one deprecating forepaw,

life raised whip to the brute. "But you are a fool dog," I continued. "No, you needn't come to be babie

d I followed, mounting directly t

me. "Oh! I see you don't know. Don't pretend you do. Come off that lo

ged my somewhat grimy shooting clothes for a suit of warm, soft knickerbockers, and, after lingering some extra moments over

sneaking out to be comforted, and I forgav

arted you off across the moor? If you do it again

ch I had been a victim, but now I faced it squarely, flushing a little w

what didn't exist at all! I lost my nerve like a schoolboy in a dark bedroom." For I knew now that I had mistaken

be in a devil of a condition if I see such thing

and sulky, and thought disguste

pensively, watching the sun low dipping in the western ocean. As the twilight fell for a moment over ocean and

ut over the sea; the cliffs da

ed with the afterglow, and

gulls turning and tossing above the sand bar, their snowy wings tipped with pink; I saw the sea swallows sheering the surface of the still river, stained to its

reath as one who listens to the first low rumour of an organ. All at once the pure whistle of

sed m

efore me in

oonbeams sparkle on the sand bar as the tide ebbed and ebbed. The broad beds of white pinks about us

is Yvonne? Has she promised

t this afternoon. She sent her love to yo

in the gun room. I told Catherine not

lly denied that it was for my sake and not for the pure love of sport. So she dragged me off to inspect the rather meagre game bag, a

ttuce," I said, attempting t

t a beauty! O Dick, you are a

stion and hauled

a whisper; "it seems a pity-doesn't i

iled," I said guarde

presently 'Fine Lelocard, Lys's maid, announc

y, thinking, "My boy, you're the happiest fell

gain; met Tregunc in the hallway, beamed on him; glanced into the

Lys came hastily out. When she saw me she gave a l

g peering in at my

I cried

iest, and he has a mask on. He mus

den was absolutely deserted. Tregunc came up, and together we sear

-and take your supper on the porch where you can watch. My wif

mile. "He will not care to venture in

und Lys seated qui

it was only some foolish lout from Bannalec. No one

but Lys treated it as a stupid joke, and aft

minded me of my promise to have

sted. "Herbert is in Paris, an

k to flirt with the prettiest girl in

girl! Not m

then?"

a trifle s

n me, Dick," said

ore you,

? Ah, no

s were served I spoke abou

glad, won't he? What

e need a gardener; you

bent down and hugged M?me, who whistled th

happy woman

y bad dog to-da

!" said Ly

nights are often chilly in Finistère-Lys curled up in the chimney corner wi

ys," I said teasingly. "I don'

ished hair thoughtfully. Her w

d four years? I don'

nce and touched the embroider

g at the embroidered garment

ted Lys. The

you perfectly sure that

heeks and neck. She held up the little garment, all fl

"don't use your eyes too much

id, selecting a ske

ce, watching her slender fingers amon

"What did you say y

ng or other rampant on

ic

are

be fl

y crest; everybody in New York has th

Dick. Send Josephine

t that crest on the-

my own cr

urple Emperor and

I had one, did

?" I replie

ee. Ring for

orders in a low voice, and Josephine trotted away, b

g a tattered, musty volume, from which t

ands and examined the a

!" I ex

s," said my

stonished, and

this book?" asked Lys, with

there should be a de before Trevec? Lys de Trevec

" crie

hat is it? Oh, here it is, all down in black and white-about the Marquis de Trevec who drowned himself before Alva's eyes rather than surrender the banne

ecs since then have been Republi

ans should agree upon some feudal system. My dear, I drink

y garment on her knees; she touched the glass with her lips

ill tell the king stories. H

y," repeate

I laughed.

rmured Lys, wit

Jack the Giant-Killer," I

ut the were-wolf, and Jeanne-la-Flamme, and the Man

said I. "I shall teac

n," cried Ly

n lizards from the gorse, little gray mullets to swim in

primrose, the first branch of aubepine,

I; and there was

ning the leaves of t

," said I, "f

's head with an arrow-shaped mar

nd stared

ened in the third crusade. There was a monk whom men called the Black Priest. He turned apostate, and sold himself to the enemies of Christ. A Sieur

said quietly; but I thought of the brand

ed him with an arrow mark on the forehead. The book says it was a pious action, and the S

ear of any othe

he old chronicler, and of the other priest, Jacques Sorgue. Some said he was a lineal descendant of the traitor. Of course the first Black Priest was bad enough for anything. But if he did have a child, it nee

mil

ppeared," pe

r the story of the morning. I had utterly forgotten the masked man at her window, but before I

ome clumsy clown's trick. You said so you

gold cross from her bosom and kissed it. But her