Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-07-16

false bottom from large Japanned box
in one corner. Dropping it ntbefoor
be- ide her, she took from the box roll
Of notes, and after adding. me one just
stolen, returned ths,bunaIe to itsiplace
again. Then hastily restoring the Eox
away. = 'i''''' E9f isS2o ~
stepped back a. pace or two,with the
design OF seizing her outside the closet.
fronted me, and for the first time OBJ
tanned q fair view of her features. = But
instead OF the horror. and, dismay which
| had been anticipating. ] was the one
to fall back aghast. /, Z, 10 I6 aaEi iTtA
My outstretched arms dropped power
less az, with swift tread and STRONG gaze,
she swept past me and out Of the room.
Q "And thiasis the solnti,snd"tI NUT.
tered, drawing o deep breath, of relief
as the door closed upon her. M'What
will madame Say {? Will ,sbaa readily
credit the reportI must giye?',sz9 !,i!b
Without deciding the question I drop
ped on the sofa and made myself COM
Portable for the remainder OF the night. ]
| Il As con- the previous day. madame
sought me early. She locked at me
sorutinizingly. 7''s ~ -''l219 7l !
"Ah monsieur has had another good
night, without the aid of, drugs ahe
remarked, somewhat tartly.,
Yes, madame, very good one," /
replied !" but first earned the right"
"Ah!" calculated madame again ;;
but this time very tremulously.. "Then
you have-you-" "i DydHoH
eyes, madame" answered, finding
she uld not finish the sentence.
"And now will You kindly allow me to
see Mademoiselle Do Gray?".ia elra
No, monsieur (! no!" she replied,
with hasty emphasis. "My poor An
toinette has sinned, no doubt but she
shall be protected. 81 You eshalk not see
my poor child, monsieur, she con-
cluded passionately. "Heaven and I
will make good woman of her yet !"
My dear madame, you quite mis-
take me-" Iyanswerei feelingly. "Ma-
demoisele is innocent" ,[
I was hardly prepared for the ''little.
Frenchwoman's outburst of Joy.
My Antoinette My pure darling
My white dove My wronged angel l.!
Sweet heaven, 1 thank ,theel,' ehe
cried, tearfully. II
And before could say more, she had
darted from the room. a In o. few. min
utes abe returned, leading d tail, ele-.
giant, golden-haired girl, whose proud
eyes gil tered with tears. This fairyis.
ion of youthful beauty left madome'ss
side and came to me. Is ~ :s I. y
WIN simpie, earn earnest dignity III thank
you most truly"
have done little or. nothing to en-
title me to your thanks, madamoiselle,
L 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. t'Tell
us, monsieur"
First madame" I answered, "per-
NIT me to restore your stolen money.
You have your keys, see will you be
kind enough to open the treasure box q"
And hastening TO the cleset I brought
out the iapanned box. ss
Madame knelt down and wonderingly
turned the key I'then lifted the lid
aud removed the false bottom. - i'
An astonished exclamation parted
Mademoiselie De Gray's lips, but
madame leaned over tue box like one in
dream, and could not lie convinced
until the notes were in her hand and
counted, that it was no dream at all, but
n 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 its being in tho old box, Antoinette -
Yes, !" smiled n,ademoiselle, with a
puzzled expression, "but-" s@
"But, interrupted madame, even moro
vivaciously, "but who put it into tho
box? Yes, that is the point monsieur
who put it into the box %
And she fixed her eyes in eager ex-
pectancy on mine.
The-the apparition," I faltered,
entered the room between two and
three o'clock, and went straight to the
cabinet. In few moments the notes
were purloined and deposited where you
just now found them" 80,
"But the secret compartment, mon
| sieur," interrupted madame, excitedly.
Was it opened without difficulty p,
Yes, madame" VA at
"Strange! most strange !" she ejacu-
lated, in perplexing tonesa adding the
next instant, I" Go on, monsienr." ga
"'Thatis all, madame"
can /! But what did you do, mon
siepr ~ she asked, sharply sd'
Nothing, madame, but stagger aside
and gaze like an imbecile after the
rotreating form I had extended'my hand
to seize"
ooh = exclaimed madame, in low,
awed voice. Was it-you called it an
npparitior recolleot, monsieur. What
what did it resemble?"
"It was a woman. A small, pallid
woman clad in q trailing crimson
robe" ss
ga crimson robe Il" echoed madame
and mademoiselle. both evidently aghast.
eyes. an with silvery white hair"
NWhifa hnir ~ annirn 9nnl,nnd ho4L