The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-05-25
2RIDGwAY, PA, THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1871 90

the other to request me to attend hel
during her absence at her new residence
al shall send the two children to her
at the end of two months, unless the
last dose was too strong for her shattered
system, she will be quite well, and you
may. reioin her. Until that time you
had better bc--abssnt. ..F
"One wore more. You now know that
the Insurance Company, in which you
had that policy on your wife's life, has
failed. Perhaps you do not know that
Mrs. DeGrey has succeeded to an annuity
OF 900 year from an old friend of her
family.
You stay here for week, then, go
quietly to Paris; but, mark , if your
wife die in any circumstances of mystery,
whether am alive or dead, retribution
will hunt you to the end of the earth"
"But Virginie-the nurse Z" STAN
mered the self-convicted wretch.
."Virginie knows nothing excepting
that she did what she was told. She
will never open her lips on the subject.
You are perfectly secure, for the chem
lists had no idea on what their expert
ments were made" ....---......,. -.
Next day the Magnificent was in his
place in the Pump-room as usual.
Men looked shy ut him, and women
looked shy. He was as cool and lofty
as ever. co..
He waited until the room was full,
and then, taking an opportunity when
Heathcote and Henshaw were close to
him, he called out, +" Mr.. Henshaw."
He took no notice. He repeated his
call with the same effect. Lenoir took
two strides toward him. and lifting him
by his shoulders, placed him with his
buck to the pillar, and then said:
"You presumed yesterday to make
remarks disparaging to lady. You
will be kind enough now to retract
them, or | propose to kick you from one
end of this room to the other"
Pale and affrighted was the little
lawyer; but DIR. Heathcote interposed ::
CDR. Lenoir, this must not be; was
the first accuser yesterday, and you
must first deal with me-"
"True, my dear Heathcote, but 1 mean
to deal with each after their kind.
You are a gentleman and man of
honor, and as such intend to treat YOU.
Read that"
DR.. Heathcote read to his intense as
tonishment the following note:
BATH, August 12, 49,.
MY DEAR LENoIR: AS l am obliged to 20
to the Continent for two months, hope you
will allow me to leave Mrs. DeGrey under
your charge, should she at her present resi-
dence require your advice.
Yours, very truly, F. DEGREY.
Read it, DOCTOR" said Lenoir, and
the bewildered man obeyed.
"Now you slanderous little toad, eat
up your calumnies on the spot! |" said
7 -" 2iG.tntha LAWYER.
81 will make you repent ,s.-r5o" -o;AhN
Eat them up, say, for the last
time!" And terribly he looked down
on Henshaw.
The latter quailed. al admit" he
said, "they have turned out not to be
true"
"Aud ought not to have been spoken"
"And ought not to have been spoken"
$50, then, and be warned"
"You will hear from me tomorrow,
however, for all this"
al think not" said Lenoir, when he
had gone. And he did not; for the pur-
veyor of scandal thought better of it,
and transferred his attentions to Scar
borough.
"And now, Dr. Heathcote, 1 presume
you retract that epithet which you used
yesterday. l admit appearances were
against me; but a true physician dis
trusts appearances"
81 forgive the banter, and cheerfully
retract the expression; but after what
the Colonel said, hang me, doctor, if I
know what to make of it,"
81 never supposed you did," said Le-
noir; and the Magnificent reigned in
Bath for many years afterward.
The gaps in the story you may fill up
as suits you best. Lenoir, in his trip to
London, had consulted his solicitor, who
told the story to my late master. The
cautious London lawyer told Lenoir he
might be hanged for compounding fell
ony and Lenoir told him he might be
hanged for his advice. The annuity was,
the solicitor believed, provided by Lee
noir himself; and the surmise was, either
that he was in love with the lady, or
that he knew more of her history than
he chose to explain--or probably both.
The Colonel and Mrs. DeGrey never Wis
tied Bath again but the annuity was
paid for many years afterward, the Col
onel, probably, being as anxious to keep
his wife alive as he had been to destroy
her; and she, poor thing, with the con-
stancy and credulity Of woman, rejoic-
ing in her inmost soul at the increased
tenderness of her husband.