Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-02-19


mally. She was thus betrothed, and went
away to her room in mortal horror of the time
when the cold lips that pressed her hand would
claim the right to chill her cheek.
The marriage once determined on, the pre-
liminaries were pressed forward with great
vigor Julie was in agony the sight of her
future husband dIsgusted her. She was told
that she was too young to know her own mind
that she could learn TO love him that many
of her school companions, who had married the
husbands Of their parents choice, had lived to
acknowledge the parental sagacity. She pass
ed nearly all her time in her room her ia
ther since Adolphe's conviction, had kept the
keys of his bureau himself, and also attended
to his own books He was certain, now that
he could not be swindled But he told his
wife, one evening, in jules presence, as be
pored over his accounts, that he had been so
long accustomed TO clerk that he had almost
forgotten how to cast up the simplest sum-
There was wide margin between the sum he
ought to have in hand, according to his books,
and the sun he actually possessed.
Try again replied Madame Perrin, calm
", as she laid out her embroidery over her
knee, to notice the effect of the pattern Try
again, monsieur it must be your mistake
Monsieur Perrin sat up very late that night,
poring over figures, and twisting and recast-
ing them, in the hope of obtaining a satsfac-
tory result Yet there was one or two thou
sand francs uuaccounted for. TIE keys of the
desk had never left his pocket therefore, this
time, he could not have been robbed. How
ever, the sum was not large, and the marriage
preparation demanded considerable time so the
rich broker could afford to forget the di>cre-
pancy for the moment, promising himself to go
into it again ct some future time. Madame
Perrin, too begged that Monsieur would not
suffer 50 trivial matter to interfere with the
more important affairs he had in hand 1t
was small and mean. How could he expect
to arrange all his vast affairs in day or two
Monsieur Perrin saw the force of his wife's OBJ
servationS. and busted himself simply with his
balance in hand which he took remarkable
care to keep under lock and KEY. the KEY be-
ing perpetua!!v in his own pocket He would
not trus. it to any person on the face of the
earth again, since Adolphe had deceived him.
The young rascal, too, had such an innocent
look of his own remarked Monsieur Perrin,
as he twired the KEY around his fore-fnger
In three DAYS Julie was to be married in
three days the sallow young gentleman was to
be happy Madame Perrin was very busy in
deed, and 7ery serious. But that vas natural
in mother who was about to loose her only
child. She was continually ont. thinking of
trities for her daughter and then, when she
came in she invariably went to her own room.
Monsieur Perrin was also very busy. In three
days all this hustle would be over, and Mon
sieur and Madame Perrin would be alone
Madame could not sleep at least, three nights
before the marriage, even at one O'Clock in the
morning standing in the vast court
ward OF the hotel, there was not light to be
seen IN the long rows Of windows that tower
ed TO sixth storv-through the dense red
curtains Of Madame Perrin's boudoir the close
observer might have perceived the faint glow
from her lamp She was still sitting up. The
eve that would have peered through the red
curtains would have perceived the lady with
three or four open letters before her, devouring
their contents one after another then rising,
apparently 20 listen at the door then walk
ing to and fro uneasily
The monotony Of all this, carried on as il
was during two or three hours--till indeed.
the eastern sky was paling before the coming
sun, would have driven any outside observer
awav Let Us however, watch emotions that
1t wore even a ghastlv palor when protruded
between the curtains in the blue morning light
Madame Perrin seeing the dawn, appeared to
gather energy, and set about the object she
had evidently held in view throughout her Vi
Cil with frnuess. From drawer she took
kew steaIthilv ard quietly Then holding il
to her bosom, as . treasure she feared 10 Io>e,
she crept to the door, gently opened it, with
the candle in one hand, and slided across the
saloon towards the bureau
In minute she was before the open desk.
and rolls of gold and notes lay before her
There was not drop of blood in her face, and
as her nimble fingers flew about the treasure
they looked Ike the fsshle>s hands OF a skele-
ton AT every turn she glanced fartively
around Presently she begtn 10 count the
money. aud 10 select some OF it. Unhappy
woman she knew not that two ewes were gar-
ing upon heT-were fixed with ferocity upon
her hands Still she knew not that a. she
moved from the desk and passed to the saloon
door in the co!d gloom, icy hands vould be
laid upon her arm and she would BE- asked 10
render 10 an account OF her theft Foolish
woman how cleyerlv she re-arraaged the NO
aey she left IL the desk aS she had arranged
il before-so that every thing looked as order
" as when she had first lifted the i'd Still,
in the full! confidence Of old guilt successfully
she remained to fold up the ab>,rac-
ted notes and 70 enclose them in letter which
she took from her pocket
And then Why then the eyes that had
-lared uTcn her all along met hers the hands
that hed been c!eRched in an agony of sup
pressed rage fell upon Der shoulder and Der
husband bayed out MS charge az her more Ike
= mai dog than man She fell to the ground
and moa8ed, while Monsieur Perrin. recover
.ng his self-posseSsion IS the words few through
rs liFs poared out al his wrath Ii was she
who mad stolen his moGe: vino had dared 10
see Adolphe sent to pFisoB /: who had calmly
sept while the Young man Korkei in felons.