The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-08-29
"Traitress So this is why YOU Are

|
ised you no love. Ny hand was and
yours"
"And your love is Godfrey Haven's.
know all. Others have told mem
own eyes have seen proof of your false
hood. Dare you deny you love him z"
IL do not deny it. 1 love him, bu
only within this hour have known h
loved me-"
"Adela," the man fairly screamed i,
his agony, "do you think to deceive me
If he was not your lover, why did yo,
give him the diamond crescent, tn
pledge of love you accepted from ME
Adela! Adela!" and, wailing the name
Theodore Lecourt, for the second tim
that day, fell in writhing convulsions.
Adela's screams brought assistance a
once from the house, and her cousin wa
carefully conveyed to q lower room
Medical skill was of no avail, and wher
the last of the Mortified guests left tn,
house, a stiff corpse was all remaining O
the unfortunate Theodore Lecourt.
Monsieur Lecourt implored me to re-
main. Adela went to her room, and thu
old gentleman, after he had given al
necessary direction, drew me into the Ii
brary. --.E Hl..
Tell me all you can, Mr. Haven" he
said. You were in the summer.
house?'
All l could tell was soon told, not
emitting my own love-story.
"You think Adela loves you p he
asked. a.t .. ..
"She has said so.'
"That explains so much. Poor Theo-
dors Butifyou have notspoken before to
Adela, how did you become possessed Of
that ?"
As he spoke, he pointed to the ring
had found in New York. A few words
told that story, as well.
Godfrey" he said to me, "you think
me hard father-one who would have
forced my only child into marriage
her heart abhorred. I might plead the
custom of my country, for French mar
riages are too often contracted for money
or family convenience. But it was not
exactly the case here. Theodore and
Adela have been affianced since they
were children, and l had no idea that
my child had any dislike to her cousin,
still less did I dream she loved an
other" .....s .s.s ..E...
"But, sirs she was so sad Some
cause must exist for such deep depres-
sion."
"There was cause. Her mother, who
was always an invalid, was sent to Sara
toga by her physician, and Adela accom-.
panied her. Theodore was Just leaving
for Paris, and l was detained here; but
we had friends going to the Springs for
~. J.
daughter joined their pal party rs1tead @ste d@f Of
gaining health, Madame Lecourt became
rapidly worse, and was attacked by a
fever and violent delirium. In one of
her paroxysms of delirium, she sprang
from her bed, and rushed to the window
of her room. Adela, who was alone
with her, struggled with her, crying
loudly for assistance, but before it came,
her mother had burst from her arms,
and thrown herself headlong from the
window. She was killed instantly by
the fall. I fastened to Saratoga, to find
Adela very i'll, but kindly nursed by her
friends. When she was sufficiently re-
covered, we returned home, bringing
with us the body of my beloved wife,
We were in New York few hours, and
during that time Adela must have lost
Theodore's ring from her wasted hand.
For many months the shock of her
mothers death, and the self-reproach
she would feel, kept her in a state of
deep sadness, that seemed to threaten
life and reason. Since you came she has
been slowly recovering her health and
spirits, until Theodore's return threw
her back again. Tonight she reused
herself, I think now, hoping to see
you. l have been blind, Godfrey,
blindw
"Do you feel, sir, that I have been,
innocently, heaven knows, the murderer
of your nephew I"
"No. From childhood Theodore had
been subject to such convulsions as you
witnessed. There was an injury to the
brain in his school-days, that was never
cured. Any sudden excitement would
produce convulsions; and we have been
frequently warned that sudden violent
shock would be fatal. Doubtless he saw
the ring upon your finger at the st.
Charles to-day. His initials are engraved
inside, T. S. L.-Theodore Simon Lee
court He ordered it for Adela on her
eighteenth birthday, sending the design
to Paris, where friend attended to the
commission. Poor Theodore p
We sat silent for some time. scarce
ly dared speak of my own affairs in the
presence of death, and the uncertainty
about Adela. If she looked upon me as
having caused her cousins death, could
she consent to be my wife? Monsieur
Lecourt broke the painful stiffness of
the room.
Godfrey" he said, gently, "if Adela
loves you, remember, will gladly give
you sons place in my heart and
home"
l grasped the hand extended to me,
and pressed it cordially. 'f
1t was many days before 1 saw Adela.
She did not leave her room until after
the funeral, and was ill for long time.
But she came at last to welcome me
when l called, pale and sad, yet not with
the deep-settled melancholy of cid. It
was my happiness to bring the roses to
her cheeks, the smile to her lips, to learn
that she loved me as 1 loved her, and
that her wedding-day now would be no
dream of pain or horror.
A year we gave to the memory of the
dead, and then my fair bride came to
bless my life, with happy love-lit eyes,
and no cloud upon her lovely face.
The building committee of church
ln1 &c 4.