The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-08-16

jean"
Jean, who was his coachman and
his confidential servant, left his game
of 6risq,.e, and came to him.
"You must all go to bed,' said his
master, at the same time making q
sign to him to come nearer.
And then he added, in low voice:
"When they are all asleep-asleep.
you understand-come down stairs
and let me know"
NJ. de Merret, who had never lost
sight of his wife while he gave his or
ders, retuened quietly to her as she
sat before the fire, and began to tell
her about the game of billiards and
the discussion at the Club; and when
Rosalie came back she found the two
conversing together very amicably.
Nj. de Merret had lately had the cell
ings throughout the reception rooms
on the ground floor repaired. Plaster
is rare comodity at Vendome, and
its price is considerably increased by
the necessity of conveying it from q
distance; he had accordingly got in q
large stock, knowing that he would
always find plenty of purchasers for
what remained. This circumstance
suggested the plan which he now put
into execution.
"Gorenflot is here, monsieur" said
Rosalie, in low voice.
"Tell him to come in" answered
the Count, in his natural tone.
A slight pallor came over Madame
de Merret's face when she saw the
mason.
"Gorenfot," said the husband, Ego
and fetch some bricks from the coach
house-enough to build up the door
of the closet. You can use the rest
of the plaster / had in the coat over
the WALL
Then drawing Rosalie and the
workman aside:
Listen, Gorneflot." he said, in q
low voice, "you will sleep here to-
night. Tomorrow morning you shall
have a passport, with which you can
go TO foreign country, to town
which will direct you to. will
give you six thousand francs for the
journey. You will stay there ten
years. If you don't like the town |
choose, you can change it for another,
but it must be in the same country
You will pass through Paris, where
you must wait for me. / will meet you
you there and execute deed by which
another six thousand will be secured
to you on your return TO France,
provided you have fulfilled on your
part, the conditions of our bargain
In return for this you must preserve
profound secrecy with regard TO all
that you have to do tonight. AS for
you, Rosalie, / will give you ten thou
sand francs, TO be paid to You on your
wedding day; but il you wish TO mar
ry you must be silent, otherwise no
portion"
"Rosalie," said Madame de Merret,
"come and dress my hair"
Her husband walked calmly up and
down, watching the door, the mason
and his wife, without, however, in
sulting her by any sign Of suspicion.
Gorenfot could not avoid making a
noise, and Nine. de Merret took ad-
vantage of the moment when Goren-
fiot threw down his load of bricks,
and her husband was at the other end
of the room, to say to Rosalie:
"A thousand francs year if you
can manage to tell Goreniolt to leave
a crevice at the bottom"
Then she said aloud, without be-
traying any emotion:
Go and help him."
NJ and Madame de Merret re-
mained silent during the whole time
Gorenhot was walling up the door
way. The silence was intentional on
the husbands part, for he did not wish
to give his wife the opportunity of
using phrases with double meaning
with the wife it was the result either
of caution or of pride. When the
wall had risen to its intended height
the cunning mason, waiting for mo-
ment when his employers back was
turned, struck, the tool he was using
against one of the two windows
which were let into the door, and
broke the glass.
Madame de Merret knew that Ro-
sale had spoken to Gorenfiot. The
three saw a mans face within-dark
and sad, with black hair, and eyes OF
fire. Before her husband had turned
round, the poor lady had time to sig
nal with her lips to the man, as if to
bid him hope. At 4 O'Clock, toward
daybreak-for it was in the month OF
September mason's work was
finished. He remained in the house,
under the eye of Jean, while M. de
Merret slept in his wife's chamber
The next morning, as he rose, he said,
carelessly.:
"Ah! must go to the marie for
the passport"
He put on his hat, and took three
steps toward the door. He then
changed his intention, and took the
crucifix with him. His wife trembled
with delight.
''He is going to Duviver," she
thought.
AS soon as her husband hsd gone
out, Madame de Merret rang for Ro-
sale, and then, in wild voice:
"The pickax! the pickaxp she cried,
"and to work! l saw yesterday how
Gorenfot set about it; we shall have
time to make an outlet and block il
up again"
In an instant Rosalie brought a
kind of chopper to her mistress, who
with inconceivable energy, undertook
the task OF pulling down the wall
She had already displaced some OF
the bricks when inst az she was gath: