The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-08-28

"Yes, Madame, very good one" /
replied "but first earned the right.
"Ah - calculated Madame again but
this time very TREMENDOUSLY. Then you
have-you-"
Eyes, Madame" answered, finding
she could not finish the sentence. "And
now will you kindly allow me to see
Mademoiselle De Gray ?"
"No, Monsieur no !" she replied
with hasty emphasis. "My poor An
toinette has sinned no doubt but she
shall be protected. You shall not see
my poor child, Monsieur. she con
cluded passionately. Heaven and L
will make good woman of her yet !"
"My dear Madame, you quite mis-
take me-, L answered feelingly.
Mademoiselle is innocent. l was
| hardly prepared for the little French
woman's outburst of Joy.
"My Antoinette My pure darling !
My white dove My wronged angel
Sweet heaven, thank thee y she cried
tearfully.
And, before L could say more, she
had darted from the room. In few
minutes she returned, leading a tall,
elegant, golden-haired girl, whose
proud eyes glittered with tears. This
| fair vision of Youthful beauty left
Madame's side and came to me.
thank you, Monsieur" she said, with
simple earnest dignity. "I thank you
most truly.
81 have done little or nothing to en-
title me to your thanks, Mademoiselle,
/ smiled in response. But have you
no desire to learn the name of the guilty
party?"
"Ah, true !" exclaimed Madame. 81
forgot all but my infinite joy. Tell us,
Monsieur.
/" First, Mad ame," answered, "per-
nit me to restore your stolen money.
You have your keys, l see; will you
be kind enough to open the treasure
box 2"
I And, Fastening to the closet, brought
out the japanned-box.
Madame knelt down and wonderingly
turned the key. / then lifted the lid
and removed the false bottom. An as
tonished exclamation parted Mademoi-
selle De Gray's lips, but Madame
leaned over the box like one in dream,
and could not be convinced until the
notes were in her hand and counted,
that it was no dream at all, but most
pleasant reality.
Yes, Antoinette," she at last said,
rising and casting the notes ON the
table, "every sou of it is here. And
to think of It's being in the old box,
Antoinette - Yes, smiled Mademoi-
selle, with puzzled expression, but
But" interrupted Madame, even
more vivaciously, "but who put it into
the box ?" And she fixed her eyes in
eager expectancy Oh mine.
The-the apparition, [ faltered,
entered the room between and 3
o'clock, and went straight to the cabi-
net In few moments the notes were
purloined and deposited where you just
now found them.
"But the secret compartment. Mon
sieur," interrupted Madame, excitedly,
twas it opened without difficulty
eyes, Madame.
Strange! most strange p she
calculated, in perplexing tones, add
ing the next instant, Go on. Mon
sieur."
"That is all, Madame"
cali But what did you do, Mon
sieur," she asked, sharply.
Nothing, Madame, but stagger
aside and gaze like an imbecile after the
retreating form 1 had extended my hand
to seize"
Oh ~ exclaimed Madame, in low,
awed voice. Was it-you called it an
apparition. 1 recollect, Monsieur
What-what did it resemble?"
1t was a woman. A small, pallid
woman clad in trailing crimson robe
-"
GA crimson robe ~ echoed Madame
and Mademoiselle, both evidently
aghast.
Yes, and with silvery white hair"
"White hair!' again echoed both,
looking at each other with faces of con-
sternation.
Mademoiselle De Gray recovered
herself first. "What else, Monsieur p"
she queried, impatiently.
" Nothing else, Mademoiselle, except
that this singular apparition carried n
bronze candlestick and yonder bunch
of keys" Mademoiselle gazed at me a
moment in silence, and then, turning
suddenly, flung her arms about the
Madame's neck, and, kissing her on
both cheeks, exclaimed between tears
and laughter
ooh you naughty, naughty thief "
Madame stared from Mademoiselle to
the picture of bewildered dismay then
dropping her eyes to the floor, she re-
volved, apparently, some perplexing
question. Presently she looked up.
"Tell me, Antoinette, she muttered
doubtfully, why did you drug Mon
sieur's coffee ?"
"I?" exclaimed Mademoiselle, flush
lug with establishment, 81 did it no
more than L stole the money. I knew
not that Monsieur was here, much less
that he took coffee. But perhaps" she
roguishly added the next moment, as
she again showered kisses on Madame S
roseate cheeks, "but perhaps you can
plead guilty" Again bewildered dis
may widened Madames eyes, and, after
a little. she faltered:
ooh, Antoinette I-I-yes, l GER
tainly did Monsieur slept well and /
slept poorly. Yes, Monsieur got my
powders 1 never thought of it till
this minute"
a. WI. Il ! - o., I NJ l..