Page:The Mystery of Madeline Le Blanc (1900).djvu/89

Rh said Madame Le Blanc, trying to caress her.

"No, you must not disturb me until I have finished. I hardly know how to begin. I do not want to blurt it out. You must not take it strangely."

"Well, well!" commanded Monsieur, anxiously,

"Where did I leave off?"

"About living with your aunt."

"Yes—I told you with my aunt. She was very good to me; but that is not what I have come to tell you. I thought I should stay with her; but I had to come here first; we shall all go back to Paris to-morrow—Monsieur, Joseph and I—to-morrow, by the first stage." She paused again as if trying to collect her thoughts. Monsieur arose and placed his hand on her forehead.

"No, no, I have no fever. Now listen. Take your seat, Monsieur. I will just tell as it happened; I can think of no other way. Last night as we sat down to supper, my aunt asked her husband to take us for a walk later in the evening. 'Very well,' he said; and after we had finished our meal, the three of us left the house,