The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-08-14

think that there was st least no use
IN betraying himself; !; disco might
not come after all !; and if it should.
| he would try what his word could do
against that of one who was certainly
insane; so, gathering himself up, he
retnrned to the grave, replaced the
broken coffin, filed up the grave,
and made all smooth aud orderly
once more. The sun was high be-
fore he had finished, but at length
all was done, and the sexton returned
to his solitary cottage, to await the
conrse of events.
1t was the fifth anniversary of Gle
mence's burial, and Monsieur de
Servins. according to his annual
custom, knelt beside the tomb which
he had erected to her memory. At
some distance, covertly watching
him, stood the sexton, half remorse.
full that the faithful mourner should
expend so much grief over an empty
grave, and half exultant that the
secret had never transpired. A
slight noise aroused both Monsieur
de Servins and the grave-digger from
their respective reveries, and. they
saw young and lovely woman, whose
long silken drapery brushing the
sward, had caused the sound which
had attracted them. Themselves
unseen by her, they watched her
rapid approach. Monsieur do Ser
wins knelt for moment as if turned
to stone, and then with wild cry he
leaped and rushed towards the lady,
in whom, beyond all doubt, he re-
cognized his lost and deeply mourned
wife. The lady started back at the
sound, and at the sudden apparition
each stood motionless for q less
space of time than suffices to record
that they did so; but short as the
time was, Monsieur de Servins not
only had from it the assurance that
he looked on Clemence herself, but
also that she recognized him. White
and wild with terror, she stood an
instant, and then turned and fled,
pursued by her husband, who was
no match for her in feetness and
lightness of foot. He only came in
sight of the gate in time to see the
lady spring into a handsome carriage,
which Immediately dashed off at the
full speed of two fiery horses. The
equipage was already out of sight
before Monsieur de Servins reached
the entrance; but there he found his
footman and coachman, who, having
put his own carriage ut an inn not
far distant, had returned to await
their masters pleasure. The men
had not failed to note the splendid
carriage of the strange lady, nor her
own beauty, and they were able
to give their master all the details
he needed respecting the horses,
hveries and style of the whole thing,
which they declared to be evidently
quite new, and utterly unknown to
them; they added, that the servants
were negroes, and appeared not to
understand French. Monsieur de
Servins, having possessed himself of
this information, thought he could
do nothing better than return and
question the sexton; but the latter
lay in convulsions on the ground,
and with the assistance of the SER
wants, he was raised and carried to
his house, physician was sent for,
but in another hour the man was
dead, without having had moment
of consciousness.
Monsieur de Servins waited till
the fixed stiffness of death had re-
placed the hideous contortions of the
final struggle, and then returned to
Paris without further delay. He at
once sought his friend, the lieu
tenant-general of police, to whom he
told his strange story. and before
night-fall, he was made aware that
the carriage he had seen, was that of
Monsieur de Garran. an officer high
in repute for bravery, honor and
wealth, and who had but quite re-
Gently returned from India. Next
day, there was an official examination
of Clemence's grave, where the
empty and broken coffin gave q
coloring of truth to tale which the
acknowledgement had been inclined
to look on as a hallucination of his
friends deep and lasting grief.
On the day OF the iuckless rem
contre, Madame Julie de Garron, q
young and most beautiful woman.
whom George had married in India,
returned from her daily drive in O
state of agitation which attracted the
attention of her servants. Her first