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Show THE EBONY BOX had halted an open park stretched level to the door. 89 The house had, no doubt. a very homelike look 011 that cold 1' it. It should have spoken to me, no doubt, of the well-ordered fan ly lite and the Gentle occupations of women. But I was thinking of M. Bonnet's black cat. \Vas this solitary chateau the un scovered‘ last station on the underground road through wh' -h the ne '5‘ pa 'ed into I'aris '! If not, th was it still inhabited ? \Vhy lid the lights hlaze out upon the snow so late '2 . I commanded my escort to be silent. \V'e rode across the park, and half-way to the door we came upon a wire fence and a gate. There we dismounted. and walked our horses. \Ve tethered them to a tree about twenty yards from the house. I ordered one of my dragoons to go round the house, and watch any door which he in it find at the back. I told the other two to stay whe'e they were, and 1 advanced alone to the steps, but before I had reached them the front door was thrown open. and a girl with a lantern in her hand came out. She held the lantern high above her head and pee d forward. so that the light l'ell l'nll upon her hair, her face, and di a tall girl and slight of ' made for laughter. It were drawn together in a frown. mum . She was re, with big. dark eyes, and a lace pretty and a very pale now. however. and the hrows She wore a white evening frock, shoulders she which glistened in the lantern light. and over her hare swung the had flung a heavy black inilit ' cloak. So she stood and as she stared into the darkn ss. while lantern slowly from side to s y across her white frock, the lights and shadows chased each other s » her aux )tlS face, and the waves of her fair hair. I asked. " \Vhom do you expect at this hour. inademoiselle ? " for I stood at I was quite close to her, but she had not seen me, over my head. Yet the bottom of the steps, and she was looking out rattled in her lantern the Only any utter or she did not start hand. and afterwards Then she stood quite still for a moment or two, lowered her arm until the light shone upon me. " You are Prussian ? " she said. have nothing "A lieutenant of foot." I answered. "You " to f I am not al'raid," she replied quietly. " \Vhom do you expect .' " heard the rattle " No one," she replie . "I thought that I It is lonely rang. stirrup a and Of iron as though a horse IUOVL‘L ' to s here since our neighhours have fled. I came out madcinoiselle?" I signal, a not was then, lantern "The asked. |