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Show PRINCESS MARY'S (QII'T BOOK THE EBONY BOX scruple of remorse into that neat. and pretty chamber. Mademoiselle Sophie followed me as I searched wardrobe and drawer and box. At last I came to one drawer in her dressingdable which was locked. I looked suddenly at the young lady, She was watching me out of the corners other eyes with a peculiar intcntncss. " Open that drawer. madenioisellc." I said. " It contains only some private things." " Open that drawer or I burst it open." " No." she cried. as I jerked the handle. " I will open it." She fetched the key out of another drawer which was unlocked. and titted it into the lock of the dressing-table. And all the while I saw that she was watching me. She meant to play me some trick. I was certain. So I watched. too. and I did well to watch. She turned the key. opened the drawer, and then snatched out something with extraordinary rapidity and ran as hard as she could to the doora not the door through which we had entered. but a second door which gave on to the passage. She ran very last and she ran very lightly. and she did not stumble over a chair as I did in pursuit ol‘ her. But she had to unlateh the door and pull it open. I caught her up and closed my arms about her. It was a little carved ebony box which " Oh, what would that matter ? " she exclaimed impatiently. "You would have opened it in the hall. That was what I wanted. 0an it here! At all events open it here I " The yery urgency of her pleading made me determined to refuse the plea. " No, you have some other ruse. miulemoiselle," said 1. "Perhaps you wish to gain time for your friend in the next room. No, we will return there and open it comfortably by the tire." I kept a tight hold upon the box. I shook it. To my delight I felt that there were papers within it. Icarried it back to the tircside and sat down on a chair. Mademoiselle Sophie l'ollowed me close, and as I fixed the little gold key into the lock she laid her hand very gently upon my arm. " I beg you not to unlock that box." she said; " if you do you will bring upon me a great humiliation and upon yourself much remorse. There is nothing there which concerns you. There are just my little 94 '. V',1vv" Wfimwu mum 95 secrets. A girl may have secrets, monsieur. which are sacred to her." She was standing quite close to me. and her back was towards the she held, the very thing for which I searched. " I thought so," I cried, with a laugh. " Drop the box, made- French ollicer and her aunt. They could not see her lace. and they could hardly have heard more than a word here and there of what she said. I answered her only by turning the key in the lock. She took her hand from my arm and laid it on the lid to hinder me from opening it. moisclle. Drop it on the floor I " The noise of our struggle had been heard in the next room. The Baroness rushed through the doorway. "\Vhat has happened?" she cried. "Mon Dieul you are killing her!" whispered. "Does that teach you nothing? Even though you are young. does it teach you nothing! I said that it" you unlocked that box you would cause me great humiliation. thinking that would be enough to stop you. But I see I must tell you more. Read the " Drop that box, mademoiselle l " And as I spoke she threw it away. She threw it through the doorway; she tried to throw it oyer the banisters ot' the stairs. but my arms were about hers, and it fell in the passage just beyond the (l00|‘I darted from her and picked it up. \thn I returned with it she was taking a gold chain from her neck. At the end of the chain hung a little gold key. This she held out to me. "I wore the key on a chain about my neck, monsieur," she letters, monsieur, question me about them, and you will make my life a Very lonely one. I think so. I think you will destroy my chance of happiness. You would not wish that. monsieur. It is true that we are enemies. but some day this war will end. and you would not wish " I tried to throw it down into the hall." she answered. to prolong its sullerings beyond the end. Yet you will be doing that, monsicur. ii" you open that box." It seems now almost impossible to me that I could have doubted her sincerity: she spoke with so much simplicity, and so desperate an appeal looked out trom her dark eyes. I‘lrer since that Christmas night I can see her quite clearly at will. standing as she then stoodiall the sincerity of her which I would not acknowledge. all the appeal which I would not " My corporal would have picked it up." hear ; and I see her many times when for my peace " Open it here." she said in a low, eager Voice. The sudden change only increased my suspicions. or rather my eoi'n‘iction, that I had now the proof which I needed. " "'hy, if you are so eager to show me the contents. (lid you try to throw it away ? " I asked. Mllsknll |