The Morning herald., 1877-09-05

all as clear and palpable as the day. A
/ fool might have guessed itv'
! AS he spoke he struck bell that stood
upon the table, and Marie reappeared.
''Ihe joint" he said; "bring in the joint,
and then leave me; want to be alone.
"sYes" he went on, digging his knife with
furious energy into small leg of mutton,
-"yes, there's child mixed up in it-rm
positive of it; and these are the circum.
stances. The Widow Lerouge was SER
want in the service Of a very rich lady. The
husband, probably in the navy, leaves on d
long journey. 'FrailtN thy name is wo.
nlanv as the English poet has said. So the
wife, during his absence, is false to her
marriage VOW. 10 hide the very natural
consequences Of her guilt she confdes her
secret to the Widow. Lerouge, and, with her
assistance, hides the existence of her child
iron the knowledge Of the world"
Here Old Corkscrew rang the bell vio-
lently.
"Marie! the dessert - and leave the
room"
Certainly our old friend hardly deserved
the skill in cookery that Marie displayed on
his behalf He would have found It diff
cult, if called upon, to mention what he had
eaten for dinner. Nay, he would have
found It equally difficult SO much was be
lrneoccuped, to say what he was eating
now.
"I1nt the child" he mulmured, slowly.
lnasticating a spoonful of stewea i,etrs.
"1 he child! what. has become of it? lid
they kill it. No. Because then the Widow
Ierouee would have ueen an accomplca to
me mfanticide, and therefore not to be
feared as to betrayal. The father Of the
child must have wished it to live, and en-
trusted it to the care Of tho widow who
nursel and brought it up. It was easy
enough 70 take the child from her; Int not
quite so easy to destroy the proofs of its
lirth and existence. There was the diff
cultS. The father was the man who came
in the handsome carriage, and the Moiher
was no other than the rc.son who called
once or twice with the aristocratic youth
menioneA by the village gossps. No won-
deg that the dear old lady wanted for moth
mg. There are some secrets that are worth
as much as good piece # landed property
"lo get hush-money from two people at
once was a lucky stroke 81 business for her;
but she lcant too heavily upon the prop of
her declining years, and it broke. Poor,
ehort-si-htel woman! She must have
threatened them, and in their fear they do.
termined to Get 1iu IF her. But which o?
them undertook the business? The papa
No; he is too ola I've got tit w;is tLr
son. He wished TO save the honor of his
mother--ao commenced by numbering the
! widow, and finished off by burning TIE
5,,D,r, of hic ij|e~itir1oryO
Marie, during the whole of this time was
airing her eye at the key-hole, alternating il
every now and then l'y placing her ear Ia
the same oritice. 1t was intensely agravat-
ing and trying to her temper, however, tc
find rhe could not succeed in catching any
thing but few incohcrent words, inter.
spersed, every now and then, with a mild
oath or two, accompanied by sudden jumps
in the air, and fist shaking at invisible per-
sons.
"It's very probable" she thought, "that
some esigning women have got hold OF
nv moor master, and are endeavoring I'd
persuade him he's the father OF many OF
their children. Well, it serves him right,
running after such disreputable people-at
his time Of life, toor'
She rot into such state of irritated GU
riosity ut last. that she haZarded q soft tap
ut the door. No answer being forthcoming,
she turned the handle and peeped in.
'Did you ring for coffee, sir!" she said
timidly.
"No; didn't" said Old Corkscrew
shortly, "but you can bring it in, all the
same"
Ills usual cnp of coffee being handed ID
him, Daddy Tabaret swallowed 1t otf al
one dranght, and scalded himself so horrl'
bly, in the process, that he was forced tC
dance maniac dance of pain before the
frightened Marie, who again fled preclpl'
lately.
"Ihundcr and lightningw he gasped, al
last; "but it was hot, and no mistake
Eother the Widow Loronge-she'll drive me
crazy! Besides, shall become a laughing.
stock, if l 60 on in this way, to my detec'
tive friends! But which of them, after all
could have done what l have done, and by
the sheer force of habit have built up the
" hole story, bit by bit9 Not Gevrol--poo1
cleature!-he's too obstinate" And at the
thought of Gevro], Daddy Tabaret rubbed
his hands with delight. "Won't he be evoked
Won't he be humilated7 Won't he be sold
Shal, I 90 off at once and communlca1e,
wi,h Monsieur Daburon? No; on second
thoughts, III sleep on it. l can manage
my ideas better in the quiet Of the night
end pick up the various little threads OF
the web l have been weaving. On the
o;her hand, if remain here alone, l shall
get too excited, and may have rush OF
blood to the head. They say intense
thought, directly after eating, is bad t.; toi
The health. So III 90 out Stop! What
If Ipay my old friend, Madame Gerdy,. i"
visit? She has been i'll, lately, and VIII
think it rnkind if don't call. III have
chat vi h Noel; it will help me to pass the