American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-02-08
she would go to him faithful to the vow

Marcel Vanier had been mitch NOR
friendly spoken or late. Something Seem
ed 70 draw him towards Sannette. Ell
lalie. Cloutier was. At las. tired of waiting
and had Married jacques Onfroi, the tan
me- OF Mortain,; and as MUCH as he oU;.l
without actually saving 90, Marcel showe'
Nannette that Ne would put no further oh
st~cfs in the way of his sons wishes. Ii
paid very little attention to his forge now
and left most of the work to be done b.
the men whom he employed.
One morning there was d great stir ii
the place. Marcel Vanier had had let
ter, and while it was being read, he ha,
fallen down in fit, from which he couit
not be recovered. Soon at least dozei
stories found their way to the, Hotel St
Pierre. The letter, it vas said, was abos'
dead, shipwrecked. 6rowned-words tina
now froze Nannette's heart and nov
turned her blood to fire.
6 must learn the truth" she said
she will tell me, / nave right to know
A"c EiGnOut listening to more, she ran t.
Marcel Vanier's house, where the doctor
was by this time come, and the sick room
was emptied of all intruders. Monsleul
Levasseur. however, heard .Nannette'
voics, and knowing q sood deal of hel
and her story, We called to her to step in
side. There lay Marcel, like one dead
and, bending yer him, stood his ole
housekeeper. The good doctor saw the
young girls blanched face, and guessing
the cause, he said, s'Nannette, thy child
take courage, it Is his money he has lost. y
And oil, madame, at those blessed
words what wonder that Nannette fell
upon her knees, and thanked God for his
goodness to her?
''Poor man - said Monsieur Levasseur
sit is a sad blow for him; he was so cont
dent of that FOurcher, whom 1 always
The whole concern it seems
was fraud, and one for which many ar
honest fellow beside poor Vanier will suf
fer-that is. if he lives to realize his loss
which just now is doubtful But to
make my story short, he did recover
madame, although for many week Nan
liette expected each breath he drew would
be hislast. She watched him and tended
him in every spare minute of her tire, as
if he had already been that which she
hoped to call him-her father. And hi
well repaid her care, for never was love
more devoted, than that he now heaped
Upon the once despised Nannette.
All Nannette,'' Marcel would some
times say, with sigh, 'sdost thou still
mourn my boy? If some miracle were
to send him back to us, and could see
thee and he one, would ask no more, nc
more; but my eyes will never again be
hold him. 1t lis just that 1 who drove him
from his home, and killed him should sui:
fer!''
1t was now more than eighteen years
since Raoul Vanier left Wire, and but
once in ali this time had news been heard
about him.
1t was spring-time, and the Hotel St
Pierre was being cleaned. and smartened
up, for the summer visitors, who had Of
lare taken to stop and drive up the valley
and paint pictures of Porte Horloge anG
the castle. Nannette was as busy as the
birds, and up almost as early. She had
just set tie salon in order when TrebOul
the postman, looked in at one of the win
dows, and said
"GOod day, m'mselle Nannette, ex.
pect have some news for you in my
leathern bag-a letter for Monsieur Va
nier."
ga letter !" gasped Nannette.
Yes, perhaps to tell him that his mon.
ey has all come back again."
ooh! yes" said Nannette, who had fol
a moment forgotten about the money
'' about what else could it be? Assuredly
first opportunity to run to the cottage
and see Marcel had got his letter, which
he was keeping for Nannette; he had moi
opened it because he could not read it
but he said that he felt certain it was
about his money, because it looked exact
ly like the last he had, and very anxiOus
he was to have an end put to his hopes
and fears. So Nannette undertook to car
ry it to the school-roOm, where she fell
certain that some of the good brothers
would tell them what it was about. Frert
Dominique was walking up and down the
green ollkside and he willingly acceded to
Nannette's request. She handed the let
ter to him, and he read it through, anG
then said
at is from Marcel's son, Raoul Va
nier. He lies at Granville, at the point o.
death, and implores his father will go tt
him at once. See, it is but a doZcr
words" But Nannette's whole life
seemed gone, and she fell down on the
herself, crowd gathered around her, and
every one was talking of the wonderful
news that Raoul Vanier was alive, and
was at Granville, from which place some
one had written to say he was ill, and his
father must not delay going to see him.
What was to be done? who should go
Marcel, it was certain. could not move.
81 shall CO., said Nannettc, as soon az
she could speak, sand stay until he is wei
enough to bring home.'
She made her few arrangements, thank
t,tl OCS11lIlC lOI Tile ulOuCt LllC SOOu WOIIAslI
made her take with her; and then, be
cause there was no diligence until the
next Tuesday, set off in a country cart
to Poutbert, whence she hoped
to fall in with some other conveyance
which would take her to or near Gran
vile.
From Poutbert, a farmer gave her a sea-
in his cart for some miles. After that sht
walked, and the next mornings sun wa.
Oh
the town fOOt-sOre and weary, but press
ing on in the direction given in the lettel
which was to the quay and inquire fol
Agar CagOt's. This she did, and dingy
looking house was pointed out to her
about whose door were clustered a mum
Der of sailors.
Madame Cagot?'' she asked, address
ing one of the men.
ayes, madame" And he made way fol
her to pass into the house.
II believe, madame, you have some on
lodging here named Raoul Vanier?' %
''Certainlv we have. Are you his sister
for he is very i'll, and the doctor says h
can do nothing for him. But you will
wish to see him. And she turned ant
went through into a passage, and up
low flight of creaking stairs, at the top c
which poor Nannette was forced to stop
sob !" thought she, ''surely he will b.
spared. He can never have come baci
only to die" The woman, who had step
ped inside the room, now reappeared, ant
ma 'e sign to Nannette, to come in.
''He still sleeps,'' she whispered, as sh
stood on one side to let her pass; and il
another moment Nannette was again fac
to face with him whose love she had cher
ished through all these long drear.
years.
you'd best have something to eat,
said Madame Cagot. ''He wont wake III
for hours yet from the doctors draught
and when he does he'll want all you
time for he needs deal OF waiting upon
Come down with me - ST g urcred seein,