Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1876-02-26


you about. At last, he got SO impatient,
that he proposed climbing the wall. l
implored him not to attempt IT, The
wall, as you know. is n very high one, and
the copir q IL covered with broken glass,
and the branches of the acacias make
quite hedge upon it. But he ONLY laugh
ed at my fears, and said, that unless
gave him express orders to the contrary,
he'd be over in minute. Before / could
make up my mind, he had accomplished
the feat. and descended, without scratch
or II bruise, into the garden. The news
he had to break to me was the dreadful
catastrophe that had fallen upon him.
We sat on the bench in front of the
shrubbery; but when the rain commence
ed, we went for shelter into the summer
house. Midnight had struck when Albert
went away, calmer in mind, and almost
happy in spirits. He left by the same
way he had entered-only with less diff
Guilty. because persuaded him to use the
gardeners ladder, which l lowered after
he had gone"
This story, told in the simplest and most
natural way possible, astoinded Mon
sieur Daburon. He did not know what to
think.
"One question more, Mademoiselle d'Ar-
lange," he said. "Had the rain commence
ed when the Viscount climbed the w:ll?"
"No; the first drops fell, as told you,
when we were seated near the shrubbcry
l remember it we'll, because he opened
his umbrella. and remarked to him that
we looked like Paul and Virginia"
"Grant me few minutes longer" said
the magistrate; and, as he spoke, he sat
down at his desk, and rapidly wrote two
letters.
The first contained an order that Albert
should be brought, without delay, to the
Palace of Justice.
The second was more minute. 1t con-
tanned instructions TO the superintendent
to proceed Immediately to the Fauhourg
st. Germain, and examine the wall, at the
end Of the garden, belonging to the man
sion of the Dutchcss d'Arlange. 1t ex-
planned that the wall had been twice
scaled. and the traces of coming and go-
ing would naturally he different, especial
ly as to the footprints.
Whilst writing, TIE magistrate had
struck upon a bell for his servant
"Here are two letters. Take them to
the superintendent, and ask him to attend
to them at once. There, be of! Take
cab, and don't lose an instant. Stop! if
you can't find the superintendent. inquire
where he is--he can't be far oli-and tell
him to see about this business, without
delay"
Then, turning to Clare, he asked, "Have
you kept the letter in which the Viscount
asked you 10 meet HING?
"Yes; l think l have it in my pocket.
Here it is" And she handed him a very
rumpled piece of paper
/ A suspicion flashed across his mind
This compromising letter was very convc-
I Il. l..
thought, don't usually carry about mis-
sives of this sort" At a glance, he read
the few lines the letter contained. NO
date" he Murmured; "no address; not
even an env"lope"'
Clare was too pre-occupied to hear him.
She was trying if she could find some
means to prove that the interview be-
tween her lover and herself had really
t;kon place.
"Monsieur Daburon," she said, abrupt
ly breaking a long silence, "an idea has
just struck me. Very often, when we
think ourselves most alone, is the very
time that we are being watched. Now, l
took every precaution that my meeting
with Albar: should be known only to our
selves; but somebody might have seen us.
you know. Suppose you summon all the
servants"
"What1" blurted out the magistrate;
'compromise yourself to your servants7
You must be raving!'
"What9" she said, opening ncr lovely
eyes in wonder; you talk TO me OF my
reputationl | don't care one bit about it,
as long as he is free"
In spite of himself, the magistrate could
not help adniring her noble self-devo-
ton.
"And, then, the key" she went on; "you
remember about the key threw over the
wall to Albert! He didn't return it to me.
Perhaps he put it into his pocket; and, if
you find il in his possession, won't that
prove that he was in the garden on Tues
day nighti'
II will make note of it."
"I've another idea," said Clare "Scnd
some Of your people to examine the wall"
She was quite excited now, and was
walking up and down the room, puckcr-
ing her fair, broaG brow into unaccustom-
ed wrinkles i'll search of "ways and
means"
at has been already done." answered
Monsieur Daouron. "One Of those letters
just sent contained orders for an inquisi-
tion to be made at your house-a private
inquisition of course"
"Oh, thanks.--a thousand thanksw And
IOT tHc second llilc sie cAtenleu MIN nef
hand. II see that at last you intend to
help us! Another idea occurs 10 me. l
also wrote to Albert on Tuesday. Ask
him for my letter-that will be evidence,
won't itl'
ale has burnt it."
Glare lowered her eyes, and the bright
flush faded out of her face.
She thought she detected n certain
irony in the magistrates voice. In this
she was mistaken. He was thinking of
the letter Albert had thrown into the fire.
II must have been concerning this very
letter that he had used the words, ".She
cannot resist me-"
"Don't You think it would have been
better, madcmosele,' he said, after Il
pause, "if he NIscount had told me all
this at first, and so have avoided painful
scandal and useless iuqury!'
The girl raised her head proudly.
at seems to me that IL man who really
loved and respected Il woman, would hard
ly own-unlcss he had received her con-
sent--that she had granted him II private
interview. A man ought rather to die
than betray the honor Of woman!"
To use slang phrase, the magistrate
was "shut up"
~ have still one more favor to ask you,"
he said. meekly. "It's Il mere folmality,
but painful one-th"t is, that you will
repeat all that you have told me before a
witness, and then sign your deposition"
She didn't feel ii in the least painful
she was only too delighted.
knI\l-' fnar