The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1850-11-14

friends rmanner. took him aside afte
supper, and begged that he would &C
company him 10 another room. Whel
they were there alone, he tried in vail
for a long time to obtain satisfactory
answer to his anxious inquiries as I,
his friends unwonted melancholy an,
taciturnity. At length the visiter said
"Nay. nay: you would never beiiev,
il. You wonld declare that | was tell
ing yon one of my fables. as v,u ars
pleased to call them; and perhaps thi.
time we might fall out"
"What do you meant" cried coun
du Saillant. "This seems to be Sc
ricus affair. Am 1. then. connected
with your preseniiments w
s'Not exactly you but''-
"What does this but moan? Has il
anyahinz ~ 10 with my wife. Explain
yourself'
.Not the least in the world. Mad.
anne du Saillant is in nowise concerned
ia the matter; hut"-
But but! you tire me out with
your butts. Are you resolved to worry
me with your mysteries Tell me al
once what has occurred-what has
happened to you"
"Oh nothing-nothing at all. No
doubt ! was frightened"
frightened and at what! bv
whom! For Gods sake. my dear friend,
do not prolong this painful state of un-
certainty"
aDo You really wish me to speak
out! 7"
"Not only so, but I demand this of
you as an act of friendship"
"Well, / was stopped tonight at
about the distance Of half a league
from your chateau"
whom !n
why. stopped as people are stop
ped by foot-pads. A gun was levelied
at me; was peremptorily ordered to
deliver up my purse; | threw it down
on the ground, and galloped of. Do
not ask me any more questions
why notl | wish to know all
Should you know the robber again i!
Did you notice his figure and general
1T being dark. could not exactly
discover; cannot positively say. How
ever II seems 10 me'-
"H'haf seems 10 you! What or
whom do you think yen sawp
Il never can tell you"
/. "Speak-speak: you cannot surely
wish to screen malefactor from Jus
lice r
mo: but If the said malefactc,
sho4ihu ne were my own son. should in
sist upon your telling me"
swell, then, it appeared to me that
Inc robber was your brother-in-law. Mi
Bu, I might be mistaken /;
and, as said before, fear-
Impossible: no, il cannot be. Mi
rabeau a footpad! No, no. You are
mistaken. my good friend.'
''Certainly-certainly."
Let US not speak any more of this.n
said Count du Saillant. ave will re-
lurn to the drawing-room, and hope
vou will be as gay as usual; if not,
shall set you down as a madman, ]
will so manage that our absence shall
not be thought anything Of"
And the gentlemen re-entered the
one . short time before
he other.
The visitor succeeded in resuming
his accustomed manner: but the Count
Fell into a gloomy reverie, in spite of
Ill his efforts He could not Danish
from his mind the extraordinary story
he had heard-it haunted him; and at
last worn out with the most painful
conjectures, he again took his friend
aside, questioned him afresh. and the
result was, that plan was agreed up
On for solving the mystery. 1t was ar
ranged that N. De - should in the
course Of the evening mention casu-
alIy. as it were, that he was engaged
On a certain day to meet a party at a
friends house to dinner, and that he
purposed coming afterward to take a
bod 1t the chateau, where he hoped to
arrive 1t niue in the evening. The
was accordingly made
in the course of conversation, when all
The guests were present-good care be-
ing taken that il should be heard by
who 1t tho time was play
ing = game of chess with the cure.
A week passed away, in the course
pf which = fasmer was stopped and
robbed Of his purse: and 1t length the
critical night arrived.
Count du Saillant was upon the rack
he whole evening: and his anxiety
became almost unbearable when the
hour for his promised arrival had pass
I'd without his having made his appear
ance. Nsiiher had Mirabeau returned
from his nocturnal promenade. Pre-
senlly storm Of lightning. thunder.
aad heavy rain, came on; in the midst
Of il he boll at the gate Of the court
gard saag londly. The Count rushed
ont Of 'lhos room into the courtyard.
heedless Of the contending elements
and before the groom could arrive to
lake his friends horse, the anxious host
was 4 his side. His guest was in the
aet Of dismounting.- es
: WelLn said NJ D., al have
been stopped. L il really he. re-