The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-02-06

and silent, and the stars came out one by
one in the deepening blue Of the sky, and
Charlotte Morel felt very sad and very
lonely. But as she rose, and went in with
Louise, she thought, T" l would do it oYel
again"
She took the child to her own house
She found Monsieur Roussel in thegarden
Hesasked her to sit down and not having
any fear of seeing Henri she complied
whilst her uncle resumed his digging.
And how are you getting onP" he said
after awhile, resting on his spade to ad.
dress her.
lam getting on well, uncle, I thank
you" --rrg
Monsieur Roussol groaned, and shook
his head.
"Get married. he said "got married,
Charlotte" N..- i
clam in no hurry, uncle.p
"Well, you did wonderfully well not to
take Henri, at least" he said ruefully.
"What do you think he came forS"
Charlotte did not answer.
"Why, TO ask me for seven thousand
five hundred francs. Neither more nor
less What forY said /. But that he
could not TELL he replied. Seven thou
sand five hundred francs" exclaimed
Monsieur ROussel, In pious horror. "That
boy will not end we'll, Charlotte"
Perhaps Charlotte had found TO her own
cost that ones friends are liberal of such
prophecies, for she did not look SO horri.
fed as Monsieur Roussel evidently ex-
pected. IA
"You do not mean to say you think
that natural'" he exclaimed, looking in
jured. ..-.. ..-- .,.-.--, -ass
is aunt2"
Madame Roussel now Joined them. She,
too, was full Of the seven thousand five
hundred francs.
"You know what Henri came for?" she
said, plaintively.
+" Yes uncle has told me, What fine
"Wtil you come and spend tomorrow
with us? Henri will rot be at home"
continued Madame Roussel.
"I am not afraid of Henri" rather
proudly replied Charlotte; but l shall
be glad to spend tomorrow with you"
she added, with a little sigh, holidays
seem SO lonely" t
The Verrieres fashion of spending hoh-
day is q dull one. -t-y F.,
A good dinner, walk in the garden,
and round game of cards in the evening,
was all the entertainment that Madame
Roussel thought needful for her family
A thunderstorm interfered with one part
OF the programme; the garden was mac
cessible. The dinner and the round game
remained. Very long and wearisome
seemed the dinner 10 Charlotte, who did
not care for goodicheer; and the evening
was not much better. She soon lost all
her counters and was henceforth out Of
the game. Whilst the others played on,
she leaned back in her chair, listening to
the wind, which was rising, and to the
rain that now beat wildly against the win
dow-panes. Monsieur Roussel was peer
ing at the cards through his gold specta-
cles Marie showed her hand to her moth
er, who nodded and smiled; and little
Louise, leaning heavily against Charlotte,
was falling asleep, Mademoiselle Morel
looked at them little wistfully. There is
pleasure and also pain in beholding a
family circle when we are ourselves
alone.
"If they had not asked me to Join
them" thought Charlotte, "I must have
sat alone in my room this evening; and,
because they asked me, he left the house
just as he left Verrieres on my account
four years ago. They do not seem to miss
him much; and yet they surely care more
about him than they care about me2"
A violent knocking at the front door
reused her from her reyery. She looked
up with start and found the notary, his
wife and daughter exchanging alarmed
glances. u
Why, what can have happenedp be.
gan Monsieur Roussel. "Surely--"
Here the knocking was repeated more
violently than before, and this time the
shufiling step of the servant, coming from
the back Of the house, said that she was
fastening to give the impatient visitor ad-
mittanee. They heard the front door
opening, and some one rushed in; then
the door of the room in which they were
sitting burst open, and Monsieur Joseph
Roussel broke in upon them, with. wild
looks, wet garments, and a dripping UNI
brella.
"My money! hegasped. "My money"
lie shouted, recovering breath, and striking
the floor with his umbrella. "Where is
my money!
They looked at him aghast. Monsieur
Roussel remained with the uplifted card
he was going to play in his hand, and
stared at his brother with open mouth and
eyes.
~ tell you'll want my money" doggedly
resumed Joseph. II want my seven thou
sand five hundred francs"
Seven thousand five hundred francs p
repeated the notary, turning livid, and q
dreadful light seemed to break upon him
as he heard the amount Of the sum.
Eyes. seven thousand five hundred
francs" sternlY said Henri's uncle and
godfather seven thousand Eve hundred
francs, which were taken out of my desk
this afternoon when Henri was in the
house-do you hear ~ and he rolled his
eyes about and winked at them all with
terrible significance.
Monsieur Roussel tried to speak, but
words would not come to him! He sank
forward on the table, and, with his head
lying there, uttered deep, heart-broken
groan. Madame Roussel raised her
hands to heaven, and uttered q despairing
cry.
I'VE are ruined-rlined, disgraced, un-
donep' she said, wildly; and falling back
into her chair, she went into Mysteries !;
upon which Marie began sobbing violent
ly, and little Louise, who had been staring
round her in dismay, uttered assuccession
Of piercing shrieks. Charlotte, alone, pre-
serving some presence Of mind, ran TO her
aunt's assistance, and endeavored to
calm her Joseph Roussel looked around
him in grim and gloomy triumph, wink
ing grapidly.
Spare the rod and spoil the child" he
said. II knew how it would bel always
said So"
"For Heavens sake, hare mercy on
us I" cried Monsieur Roussel, looking up
wildly. "Perhaps-perha Henri did
not do 1t"
aThen who did ~ angrily retorted his
brother. "Do you want TO cheat me out
ofmy money, ehft You told me yourself
he came to borrow seven thousand five
hundred francs-did you notY Wen, / tell
you that left Henri alone in tho room
with my desk, ana when ! Catne back at
the end of a quarter ofan hour, Henri had
vanished, the key, which l had forgotten
on the table, was 81 the desk, and seven
u. t4 J, a VII A., 9Y4,, AVA 4 faaS. ~ a., 44,tae