Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1876-01-22
CHAPTER XXI.
THE visGorNr >Sn Ills FATHER.

On Ike same day e: thn discovery Of the
erin, al iie village Of !a ,Ionrhcre; nay,
/ al the veiy hour whe. Ola Dorl>screw was
proving his case so clearly in the cottage
OF the murdered woman. N;-"ouat Albert
de ValcouTt entered liz carriage, 10 meet
| his father at the railwa y-+i;ttun.
'i'he viscount was very pail; every fea-
turo drawn as by sle"rloss Gays, and anx-
ious nights.
All The servants had remarked the
change in the young MASTER
"He ain't hisselr, said the cook .lIe's
off his feed, and when man's of his feed.
You may be sure there's something up
The houSemnti suggested it was love.
The valet said il "as billiards.
The domestic :! les were still lost in con-
lecture, when the carriage containing the
masjn. and the son ratllasi mo the co,lrt-
yard.
The Count lcaco,iei first, anl
l"aning on the ann Of uni aon, asc.n,irl
! the flight Of steps. In TIE immense vasti-
| hule the men-ServG.lts &;ca Ike Il nt. i.r.,-
row OF corn-llo"eYs and po, ,i"S.
Their master cast al thea, Il scrutniziug
| glance, Just as an officer might on hi,
eoldiers before parade. lie seemed s;,t:-
ted with their appearance, and passed on
% his apartments to change his draa; Gor
dinner.
The first half-hour Ct TIE dinner passed
i'll solemn silence.
The Count WAS q great feeder, on T.'ili-
cirle. He was fond Of hi. c!tn>noH" ap-
/ petite, which, tG poor man, would la"e
! been an absolute calamity lie vas fpnl
CT reminding hi,, friends OF the grrAt inna
Who we're famous for their digestive pow
c:a. Charles the Fifth ate mnintal, #
meat. Louis the Fourteenth absorb Il tt
each repast what would have satisfied ;iv
ordiIlar! men; and lie maintninHl t!Iat
men might almost be judged according -
their digestive capacities. comparing hr.n
IL lamps. whose brilliant light wa; Y!Ii;-
owing to the amount of oi. they cons,;nl"l
| Ga the present occasion he eyed his soy
askance, pretending not 10 prrcaiv. :hH;
he was simply playing with his llnifr ;t)ll
| fork, and had hardly tasted ii n:o:acl upon
his plate.
Al last he broke the s;lonc. b. i,roa,.!-
ing u disagrecahle suhjert He al ,.,ys
adopted these tactics when ll;s wished %
| goad Albert into speaking.
We'll. l hope you've Thought h,tt"r
about that love affair CT yours. and ha,"
given up all thoughts Of marrying L &;ri
who's as poor rs u church mo'IseE'
" Are YOU speaking Of Mis-, de Courry}'
Ccilliii'iltch Albtl l.
"Of course Of am! There ought to bc
Io deception between us. lou know
have set my face against your marrying a
| woman without money. man Of yo@r
birth should think en!y Of hi4 name. and
| how further to cyt.t it,
The conversation upon this subject
might have become iutcrminablr had not
| Albert, in despite of visible restraint,
/ kept himself "outside the ring Of the
discussion, answering som" direct .l!lrs-
ton from time to time in simple m )np-
/ syllahlas. At last the old Coui. lost Lis,
temper.
''By the blood of my ancestors" he
cried at last bringing down his hand up
Oil the table till the glasses runw again, II
sometimes think yoprr not worthy 70 b"-
long to so great Il family as The De Val
courl5!'
There are certain conditions OF the mini
when the least conversation becomes ex-
tremely painful. For the Last io;lr, Albert
had been suffering an intolerabla agony.
The patience with which he had armed
himself deserted him ut iuet
"And if | do not belong 10 your ii,ls-
trious race, sir. perhaps no on can give
better reasons for my misfortune than You
can"
The look with which the young Tiscolnt
acceutuatcd this sentence WAS 50 full of
meaning, that his ftther started back in
his chair
Il don't understand you."
Albert would haze gwen anything to
recall thc words; bat it ,5 too late.
''Sir,' he continued. vi i evident Hnb1r-
rassment, :" | have to speak to yo,. upoa
matters of the most scrion- kind-matior5
so serious that my tongue hesitatos hov to
utter them. lour honor, ln!nr, and the
honor Of the family, are alike inplicataA."
Facts. sir, facts,,' Interrupted the
Count. harshiy. Il want none Of your
set speeches.
There was pause of some moments;
then Albert spoke, this time with Il strange
decision.
"m your absence sir, I have been mad,
acquainted with some Of the circumstances
of your past life. | have read the Who'll.
OF your correspondence with Madame
Valerie de Gerdy-'
The Count didn't leave Abort the tima
10 finish his sentence. lie sprang to his
feet as though strng by serpent, over
turning his chair as he did SO.
mot another word' he cried in lnen-
acing voice-''not another word on your
peril!'
But, ashamed seemingly of his sudden
passion, he recovered himself almost I'M
mediately. and, lifting up his chair with
an aifectation of extreme calm, replaced
it at the table
There was Il long pause.
The father avoided his sons eyes, and
spoke, this time in firm though low
voice. "Now, Albert, explain. Tell me
by what means you have had knowledge
cf this correspondence
"Sir. l have no intention 10 hide any
thing from you. As far as l know il, yon
L II 4 L,