The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-01-20

| lie fnlgnL nave thought The nuen great
er disparity Of fortune ia his favor
/ would balance and reconciIe-but TO
the very important fact, that Hector
Bertrand, young menutSter, (carpen-
ter,) who had recently commenced
business on his own account, and whom
he SO frequently met at the charming
'nodtste's shop, was her accepted al
| fianced lover.
Bertrand obtained a considerable con-
| tract tor the carpentry work of large
| house belonging 10 NJ. ManGier. He
had but little capital. and he was terri
bly, puzzled tor means TO purchase the
| requisite materials, of which the prin-
cipal item was Baltic timber. He es-
sayed his credit with a person of the
name of Dufour, on the quay, and was
refused Two hours afterwards, he
again sought the merchant, for the pur-
pose of proposing his friend De Beaune
as security. De Beaune's security was
declined by the cautious trader: and as
Bertrand was leaving Dufour said, half.
jestingly. no doubt: " Why don't You
apply to your friend Derville2 Ber-
trand made no reply. and walked off,
thinking, probably, that he might as
well ask The statue of the "Pucelle" :"
for assistance as NJ. Derville.
But reflection and the necessities of
his position had their effect, and he re-
solved on applying-there could not he
thought. be any wonderful harm, if no
good, in that--to the ship-broker Mr..
Derville was not at home, and the
office was closed but Jeanne Favart
understanding Bertrand to- say that he
had important business 10 transact with
her master-she supposed by appoint
ment-shoWed him into M. Derviile's
private buSlness-rooms, and left him
there. The ship-broker's astonistment
and anger at tiuding Hector Bertrand
IN his house were extreme, and his only
reply 10 the lntruder's stammering ex-
planatlon, was contemptuoGs order TO
leave the place Immediately. Bertrand
skunk away sheepishIy enough and
slowly as he sauntered along. had near
ly reached home, when NJ. Derville
overlook him.
''0ne word Monsieur Bertrandn said
DerViIle. This way, if -yon please"
Bertrand, greatly surprised, followed
the ship-broker TO lane close by-a
dark, solitary locality. which suggested
an unpleasant misgiving, very pleas
antIy relieved by Derville's first words.
" Monsieur Bertrand" said he. 81
was hasty and ill-tempered, just now,
but | am not man TO cherish malice.
and for the sake of-of Marie-of Made
moiselle de la Tour. am disposed to
assist you, although should moi. as you
will easily understand. like to have
any public or known dealings with you.
Seven or eight hundred francs under
stood you to say, the timber you re-
quired would amount to?
Certainly not more than that, Mon
sieur," Bertrand conlrived to answer.
taken away as his breath nearly was by
astonishment.
. Here, then, is note of the Bank of
France for one thousand francs"
/" Monsieur Mnnsieur" gasped the
astonished recipient
You will repay me-" continued
DerviIle, Hwhen your contract is com
pleted; and you will please TO bear
strictly in mind, that the condition of
any future favor of like kind is, that
you keep this one scrupulously secret"
He then hurried off leaving Bertrand
in state of utter amaZement
Hector Bertrand went to Dufour's
timber-yard about noon the next day.
selected what he required, and POM
pously rendered the thousand-franc- note
in payment.
Whe-e-e- -e-ewlw whistied Dufour.
" the deuce!' at the same time look
ing with keen scrutiny in his custom
er's face.
g 81 received il from Monsieur Man
gier in advance,o said Hector. in a
hasty reply to that look, blurting out in |
some degree Inadvertently the asser-
ton which he had been thinking wonld |
be the most feasible solutit n of his sud- |
den riches, since he had been so per-
forbidden to mention M. Der
ville's name.
1t is very generous of Monsieur
said Dufour, "and he is not |
famous for that virtue either. But let
Us 90 to Blaise's bank; I have seen
sufficient change in the house, and I /
expect we can get silver for it there"
2 As often happens in France, daugh-
Ter of the banker was the cashier of the |
establishment, and it was with an ac-
sent of womanly commiseration that /
The said after minutely examining the
tote; g From whom, Monsieur Ber-
rand, did you obtain possession of this
tote ?S ~
Bertrand hesitated A vague feeling /
If alarm was beating at his heart, aud I
le confusedly bethought him, that it
night be better not to repeat the false
lood that he had told M. Defour. Be-
ore, however, he could decide what to
ay, Dufour answered him
He says from Monsieur Mangier,
ust by.n hs isa1 sa
HSirangem said dMademoiselle Blaise.
A clerk Of Monsieur Deryille's has
,een taken into custody this very morn
ng, on suspicion Of having stolen this
tery noten
Poor Bertrand! He felt as if seized