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Show CUAlltll XXl - Loflinii, "Oh yes, mjr J0UBK adr , u ryou all about It and Indeed, It warmi up the old man- heart to tco that pleasant smile of yours again so much that I can tell It brlikly You remember remem-ber tho terrible night-there, there, I wont talk of It' I won't tar a word more than I can help, It makca mo ihlver mjriclf. Wo servants were half frightened to death, tucli of us ai were not In that wretch of an M. Pierre's plot, and wo huddled together, not knowing what to do, for they wouldn't let ui fir away from the chateau. We gutascd what terrible thing wa happening, hap-pening, but couldn't get near you to ee, until the new band came, tho masked men, which drove M. Pierre's follta awny. Then, while ther were fighting oult Ide, 1 crept Into tho chapel. Mr old blood qulto frote In my velna at the tight I taw; I thought you were all killed. I waa going to try to bring a llttlo Ufa to thoie who thowed no woundi; but I heard aome one coming through tho broken window, and I ran fttiv tamt t maiiI.I. I Ihmlshl t away ai fan at t could; I thought 1 thould bo killed for being there, to I ran and hid away till everything waa quiet. When I came out I found inoit , of the acrvanta gone; but thcro lay poor Vlctorlo'a body right In tho cor (rldor. "The matked men were moil of them outalde, keeping guard, I thought, and tome were getting together blankets (and food, and piling them Into baa-jketi; baa-jketi; I crept back softly and looked In-.to In-.to tho chapel. A tall man In a maak wan there giving direction! about burying the bodies, lie teemed to feel idreadfully about tho murder, and tho Oiue he uttered agalntt that villain-Otia villain-Otia Pierre made me feel ture he waa jfrlendly to your family. I couldn't aee (anything of my young mlttreat, and .this man kept atklng where the war. One of hit men aald that they mutt nave carried her off, and then he start-fed start-fed and went out at fitl at be could go. The men followed biro, and to 1 hurried 'In ami took my latt look, at I expected, expect-ed, of my dear mistress. While I waa bending over her, I taw a llttlo fluttering flutter-ing beating at her throat. I put my tar hattlly to her heart; It was a minute min-ute before I could mako sure, then I knew the waa not dead. I alood ft moment mo-ment wringing my bandt, not knowing what to do; then tome good taint put It Into my head to think of Vlctorlo lying there dead. I tore nut Into the corridor and brought the body In, changed the ornament! and mantlet, and put the long training allk tklrt of tho countett on tho dead girl, and the peasant cloak I wrapped around my mistress. "The matked people cama and carried car-ried the poor Vlctf.rle to tho grave In-ttcad In-ttcad of her mtttrett. Tbey teemed expecting M. Plerro every moment, and paid no attention to the rear door. Taking mr mltlreis In mr arma, 1 ran off through tho darknett, on that able, and got safelr to my cottage. I could not trust toul, but telling my daughter daugh-ter It waa Vlctorlo, I laid her on a bed, and gato her tho bctt cordial I could And. She laid to all tho next day, Just breathing a little, enough to show she was not dead, but ntver opening her eyes. "I went over the tpot where the chateau bad stood tho next day. It was a terrible sight, that smoking ring of charrci'. ground; but my heart was too full of the fear of the knowledge of what I had done getting to M. Pierre, to feel to badly as 1 thould rave done any other time. "I found out from the other servants that It was M. Pierre who ttruck Vic-torle, Vic-torle, because the begged the mlttreti' life, but none of 'em seemed to know the waa dead. Perhaps some of hit men gave the latt blows which made the face so nono could have told who It was. "lie came up to me, and asked me If I knew what had become of the young mlstrcis. I could answer Innocent Inno-cent enough there, and I pointed to the grave. "'No, no said he; 'there are two bodies mining. The old woman la dead fait enough, but the other has escaped,' and with a terrible oath he warned me not to harbor bcr. "I shook llko a leaf with fear, and atked meekly enough If he cared about my keeping Vlctorle, that the was at my cottage itck. " 'Keep her aa long at you like,' said he, 'but mind you, keep clear of any other.' "I went home, trembling you may believe, be-lieve, but the aalnts aeemed to help me. My lady never camo to herself for three long, dreary week!, to aa to know anything, I mean, and I managed to keep everybody out, and my daughter and I took all the care of her. They were such wild timet folks had enough to do to manage foi themtelvri, without with-out meddling with their neighbor.' affaire. af-faire. M. Pierre rnmo to the cottage once, but he only glanced Into the room where he supposed Vlctorle wai lick. He kept a guard around my place, I know, to no one thould come to me, and he had me watched wherever I went: but he never thought I had her all the time In my cottage. "When my lady woke up to know herself, she was Ilka a little child. I had dreaded It not being sure but the ahock would kill her; but when she asked for her daughter, 1 told her she waa safe (the talnta know I meant In Heaven), and abe waa to feeble, the allied no more, I waited till ahe wat strong again, and that wasn't for months, before I let her know what t bad happened, and aorry enough was 'tut I dldn t go on (.healing her. f thought ahe would Just die after all my tavtng her, for lack of trying to He When the wat able to go about, e fixed up Just tuch a patch at Victoria Vic-toria would have had to wear, and there ihe lived In my cottage, no one mistrusting but It waa Vlctorle. and the never ttepplng her foot out of that room, except at midnight I made up itory that Vlctorle waa ao hurt at her tcarred face the wouldn't allow sny ono to tee her; and the poor wench had been tuch a proud-tplrlted piece ther all believed It. I was dreadful unfair, un-fair, though, expecting cverr dar that something would happen to let M. Plerro know of tho truth. Many'a the night I've laid awake planning, but 1 "ever should have got the chance If M. Plerro hadn't tuddenly taken him-aMf him-aMf off to I'arli. Something ery queer had happened at the Llttlo Forest, which he had been guarding night and day, and he went off In wrath, vowing tcngeance on everybody, they said. "Then I went to work In earnest. I got all the money I could, and gave out that Vlctorle had taken a notion to go away, and that I waa going to Journey Jour-ney with her to Calais. I dressed her ill up, and put a thick veil on, so they could only see tho great patch, and my lady and I siVoff on foot. We had a Urrlble time of It; It waa only now and then we got a ride In a cart or on a donkey; but after sleeping In sheds and begging for doge' victuals, we mado our way to Lyons. There I stop, ped a good while, because of the troubles we heard of all about Paris. I got some work, and we Juit kept from tarring, becauie I had to lay by enough to help her to a paitago to Kngland, If ever wo could gel to tho coin." "Noble, faithful Jeannotl" exclaimed I'ellcle. catching his hand, and kissing kiss-ing It fervently. "Noble, Indeed; ho haa not told you half the aelf-tacrlflca and devotion!" echoed tho countess. CHAPTKIt XXV. rP. 0011 old Jeannot III tried to conquer jtrss I JJ "" "udden weak- iwW jr-' nesa that came over KrrHa e8i nlm nt "'' rariK' KMTOtiiHl gratitude, but tho V-7e?Ti&37 'car cams Pouring VSsOJaS? orcr M wrinkled NH cheeks, and his volco broke down entirely. Jules had stood gating blankly, from one to another. "Montlcur Kmlle," laid he, suddenly, sudden-ly, aa a momentary allenco eniued; "I don't undernand thlt at all. You lold me that Chlotllde waa your niece; I understood un-derstood that she was of peasant birth." Kmlle amlted proudly. "I adopted her for my nleco when I believed her frlendleta-now her mother haa returned tho must go back to her truo name. Will It matter to you, who asked me for my niece, though I warned you of my peasant origin, that alio comes from a noble famllyf" "Ah, not to me, who looked upon her while Chlolllde aa tho peer of our proudest duchess; but I am penntlen, stripped of everything her mother may object," ''I sea you aro still mystified; but what does the lady aar hersclfT" and he touched the hand of Lady Kellcle gentlr. She tmlled, blushed and then, looking look-ing up with tears at 11 1 aparkllng In her eyes, she answered: "I say I would rather remain Chlotllde, Chlo-tllde, alwaya If another namo will tako roe from tho love of Jules, or his .bo-trothal .bo-trothal low." Then turning to the countett, she laid eagerly: "My mother surely will not consider consid-er It any hindrance, that he I love has no claim to noble birth, when his na-turo na-turo has proved to be thoroughly heroic hero-ic and grand." "Heaven forbid r answered Ihe countess, coun-tess, earnestly, "but I am perplexed" "So are we all. Let me unravel a Utile of the mriterr- Julet, allow me to Ictroduco you to the bride who can now claim your heart aa well as nuptial vow. Gentle hearted, devoted little maiden, wilting to walvo ao generously generous-ly the clalma or birth and fortune, know who In truth It this Jules you have promised to love and cherish with a wife's tenderness. Lady Felicia I.anguedoc, Iho Marqula Kdward Julet Do Herri. I hope you duly appreciate each other's clalmt." And .mile, hla face glowing with happiness, clasped tho two youthful handa together. They stared at each other In amazement. amaze-ment. "The marqula I dreaded and feared," uttered I'ellcle. "Tho Lady Felicia I ao thoroughly detested!" stammered IMward Jules, Kmlle smiled Joyoutly, and bending down to the countess began a whispered whisper-ed explanation, "I knew that they were prejudiced against each other; I saw It was your with they thould bo united. When I found the young marquis waa only ttunned by the blow on hit head, I knew I mutt keep them together In my tecret retreat, and I formed this plan, foreseeing how It would end." "Our benefactor and preterver always," al-ways," said the counteai, softly; "alaa! we have no reward to give In return." Vmlle opened his lips eagerly, and theu closed them again, murmuring, as be turned away , . . "It la no time now; I can afford to watt" Kdward. leading tho smlllnc Fellste, came to the countess. "Dearest mother, will yon give v your Meeting, though I come stripped of coronet, fortune, estate; of everything every-thing except a devoted love, a stronr arm, and resolute will." "A thousand times more Joyfully, my dear boy, than I could have done In the Chateau I-anguedoc on that fatal evening, even-ing, you will give my Kellcle Ihe priceless price-less offering It was not then In your power to bestow, a loving and appreciating appreci-ating heart." answered the countess. "As regards Ihe fortune." obierved Kmlle, "the packago of diamond! re-malm re-malm untouched, Juit aa your hapten father tecurcd It In rcadlnrts for leaving leav-ing France. 1 have kept It on my person per-son day and night through many perils and vlclstltudra, but It Is safe, and ao are all the valuable gems of tho Lon-guedoe Lon-guedoe family. You may lack the grandeur of the old days, but poverty you will never need to fear." "Noble, generous Kmlle!" echoed ono and all; "you have done all for us, nothing noth-ing for yourself." He trailed dreamily. Lady Kellcle drew hit tlalely head down to her lips, and whispered some-thlnaln some-thlnaln hit mr He milled again, ktned her fondly, and turned away haitlly. "What did you say, my child H asked the countess. "I made him a promise; sometime I'll tell you what It waa. Oh, mamma, mamma, how can we be thankful enough for this Joyful ending of our troubles I" The other passengers had discreetly retired. Jeannot bad retreated after Kmlle, and now IMward Jules dlscov-errd dlscov-errd It were Judicious for him also to leave the agitated mother and daughter daugh-ter to themselves. It was a long and perfectly open conversation which ensued. en-sued. And the good ship rped on her way, and bore them all safely to the friendly Kngllah shore. They found a pretty country scat ft Utile distance from the aeashore, but whose cupola gave a gtlmpto of the blue waves stretching toward their poor, distracted, but still dearly beloved be-loved France, and thither they all went. Jules and I'ellcU wero to bo married at once. In the most private and un- I oitrnlalloui manner. Kmlle waa very grave, and very rcitlen after tho day , wai actually fixed upon. Lady I'ellcle had watched him anxiously, anxi-ously, and ono morning ahe suddenly selied his hand, and with an arch i mile, though a dewy eye, the led blm to the caty chair where her mother aat , looking out thoughtfully Into the sunny gsrden. Her new found happlneaa, and clothing cloth-ing becoming her station, had wrought a marvelous chango In tho appearance of the countess. A soft color restored the youthful outline to her face, tho peaceful look In the dark eyea, the becoming be-coming head dress, all had restored as if by msgle, her olden beauty, "Try, dearest Kmlle, and remember that I hate promised It," cried Kellcle, and ran hastily away. i What followed was too sacred for I'ellcle even to Inqulro about, much more, then, for mo to give to pen description. de-scription. Hut In a, little mora than an hour, they cama out to the garden where Kellcle and IMward were waiting wait-ing In painful auspense.' A slnglo glanco showed the young couple what bad happened. What a acreno peace deepened the tints of Kmlle'a eagle eyes, what a aweet content nestled around tho lips of tho counteaa! "I'ellcle," said Kmlle, "my child Indeed; In-deed; we will have a double wedding." Kellcle klraed them both In extrava-ganco extrava-ganco of delight. And ao both members of the hauehty count'a family parted with Ihe proud name of Languedoc. Neither ever repented re-pented It. They lived In Kngland In peaco and quiet, until tranquillity returned re-turned to France, when they sought again her beloved shores. The Knd. |