The Morning herald., 1876-07-22
Louise, and thus prevented her from say

Louise, and thus prevented her from say
ing anything further.
"Give this to your mother, and pray for
me" said the countess, as she handed. the
poor girl a gold piece, and entered her
seden chair, and in a few moments was
out of sight.
Until the chair in which the countess
was seated was out of sight, Mother Fro
chard watched il narrowly, and stood in a
motherly sort of attitude near Louise F; but
as soon as the last one of the servants
wearing the De Linieres' livery had turn
ed the corner, she grasred the money
eagerly, and with no gentle force. q
"Ah! alous, another gold piece 1t has
been good day, after ALL"
And carefully placing the money in her
capacious pocket the old woman looked
anxiously around to see which one Of the
many streets that met at the square offered
the best facilities for her business.
At length she decided upon her route,
and going up to Louise, she seized her
roughly by the hand, then gave her arm a
pinch, by way Of reminder, and said, in
her hard, stern voice:
"Come on now, and sing out. Sing, l
tell your
Thus commanded, the poor girl began
in a low voice that trembled with suppress
sed emotion. and the two walked slowly
away, while the old hag continued her
shrill, monotonous cry Of
"Charity, good people; charity for a
poor blind girl"
jacques and Pierre had been silent wit
nesses ofthe scene between the countess
and Louise, and nothing but the number
of people that were passing prevented
jacques from adding the lous given by the
countess to some liquor dealers hoard.
when La Frochard and Louise went
"a their way, Pierre started to follow
them, in order that he might have the
satisfaction of gazing upon the slight form
Of the blind girl, fonly from the distance,
but he was stopped by Jacques brutal
voice.
"stopv' he cried in an angry tone, II
have word to say to you"
For an instant the cripple did not heed
the voice; but the thought of what his
brother might do caused him to stop, turn
half around, and ask:
"What is it?"
~ forbid you to follow Louise" ex-
claimed Jacques, in an angry voice.
"What! you forbid" asked Pierre, as if
he doubted that he had heard Alright.
eyes, and l forbid you to even think Of
herw
This time Jacques voice was hoarse
with rage, and looked as if he was about
to spring upon his deformed brother, and
kill him then and there, because he even
dared to cast his eyes in the direction the
blind girl had taken.
1t was evident that this brute of man,
who knew no other pleasure than drinking
or making others suffer, had, in his own
brutal way, fallen in love with the poor
girl whom he delighted to torment.
Jacques, ] cannot help it," said Pierre,
in an almost imploring tone. "You would
not be so cruel. No, no Jacques. Why
are YOU so cruel %
"Neyer mind why, I forbid you, that is
enough; if you dare to disobey me, I'll
break those mishapen legs over again.
Cupid"
As he said this he dealt the poor cripple
a cruel blow which knocked him down, as
mild way of enforcing his commands.
"Ah! kill me, kill me if you will" said
Pierre, as he slowly arose from the ground
and in low voice, he added: "But |
love her, and you cannot forbid that"
Jacques cast look of scorn and con-
tempt attle cripple, who stood shivering
like one in an ague fit, and then lighting
his inseparable companion-a short clay
pipe-moved away in the direction Of The
nearest cabaret.
For few moments the potr boy, who
had been deformed by the brother who
should have protected instead of beating
him, stood in a detected attitude. He
knew full we'll why Jacques had forbidden
him to think Of Louise, and he shuddered
as he thought of the additional cruelty
which the poor girl would have to suffer,
because of the love which Jacqnes-cruel,
hard-hearted Jacques-l,ad conceived ior
her.
CHAPTER XVIII.
AN HONEsT LOVE.