Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-12-31

| never thought this selfish heart coul
love any one and. by Heavens, whe
she is all my own, will do my best t
make her happy | will teach her t
love me as love her; will forget tn
past and walking through life with he
pure presence by my side, | will striv
| to-
Mr.. Duplessis ceased abruptly
There was the sound of footstep OF
the gravel outside the garden gate
The nimble Antoine disappeared silent
ly among the evergreens but before 1t
conld reach the gate, Mr.. Duplessi
heard the well-known hail of the coun
try postman, and presently Antoine re
appeared with letter in his hand.
"A pretty time of the night to be re
ceiving letters :" exclaimed the Cana
dian.
"A breakdown on the railway, Mon
sieur Henri; hence the delay" explain
ed Antoine.-'From Montreal,' he add
ed in a whisper as he handed the epistlt
to his master.
Mr.. Duplessis muttered a maladic.
ton below his breath all his finer feel.
ings had been put to flight by the mop.
perfume arrival of the postman he was
his cynical calculating self again, such
as Antoine always remembered him to
have been. He waited with what pa
tience he could command till Antoine
had lighted the lamp and closed the
shutters and even then he dallied
awhile with the letter before opening it,
examining the seal and the postmark,
and the curious grabbed writing of the
direction. When he did it. it did not
take him long to read but when he had
spelt it through to the last syllable, he
seemed for a moment or two as though
he could not take in the full import of
it's contents so he read it over second
time and when he had made sure that
his eyes had not deceived him. he flung
the letter across the table, and turning
on Antoine with Il face from which all
colour had fled, he said in a hoarse
whisper: "Read.' - and then passed
quickly out into the solitude of the gar
den.
Antoine picked up the letter, and
read as follows:
MONTREAL, May, ,.
Marie has escaped. | am on her
track, and hope to find her either to-day
or tomorrow. No time to say more.
Will write YOU full particulars by the
next mail.
Antoine having mastered the con-
tents. spread the letter out on the table,
and stood with his hands in his pockets,
staring at it in blank dismay.
poor Monsieur Henri what a ter
rible blow for him" " he muttered to him.
self. But, bah why do | frighten my
self: She is no match for Van Goost,
and without doubt he has coaXed her
back again long before this. >
Mr.. Duplessis coming in the next mo-
ment from the garden, Antoine repeat
ed to his master the assurance he had
found so comforting to himself.
1T must be so. Monsieur Henri he
volublv added, as Mr.. Duplessis shook
his head in dissent. "Iou know we'll
how crafty and fearless is that Herr
Van Goost. Yes, my faith !, rs bold us
II thousand lions, and as crafty as the
good Gentleman in Black. He is not
man whom Antoine Gaudin would
like to have in persuit Of him; and La
Chdhe Rouge herself will find that it
would have been better to stop quietly
where she was, rather than eXasperate
him bv vain attempt to get out of his
clutches"
Its like my cursed luck" said Mr..
Duplcssis bitterly. revertin@ to ilio-
matte English. Ito be bowled out in this
style. Just at the ;:ioment that fortune
seemed to be shining her brightest on
me -
..Ah, Monsieur Henri, do not lose
courage, | pray YOU" exclaimed An
tome pathetically. You have no oc-
casion to fear anything. Grant that
Lo ChdHe Rouge has escaped-grant
even that Van Goost fails to find her.
What then: She does not even know
whether you are living in Europe OF
America much less. that You are snug
ly hidden away, like Il dormouse. i'll
this quiet English retreat. as utterly ill.,
accessible to any search Of hers a> II
You were locked up with the man III the
moon. As far rs she is concerned. you
are dead and buried
Thou dost not know her as we'll rs
| do, Antoine. else thou wouldst not
speak so confidently. In crattnes>
and duplicity, Van Goost himself is Il
child compared with her. Tho news
that cursed letter has brought me hangs
like y milestone round my neck, and
will do so till the next mail shall BRING
me further tidings-either good or bad ;
for to know the worst would he less in
tolerable than this suspense.
''Rut look YOU. Monsieur Henri, even
supposin9 Lo Chatte We're to discover
that we reside in this damp paradise,
and hy miricle only gould she he
come possessed Of such Information
why. even in that case. do not think
she would come near us, or let us know
where she herself might be. Would
she not rather say to herself: Let him
90 his way. and will 90 mine and
let us meet no more on earth! Say
Monsieur would it not be so:'
"Do not delude thyscli with such ~
idea, my poor Antoine, SHE woulo
heg her way barefoot for Il thoasano
miles to wherever might he, rather
than miss the opportunity OF blightin2
me with her hateful presence. But il
she does come, let her beware. Lee