The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-01-17


You are - speaking - seriously ?"
gasped the poor woman.
con my soul and conscience" said
Arthur solemnly.
"Oh Joy oh joy !" shrieked the girl,
clasping the stranger round the neck
"the savior has come at last"
Be calm, my dear young lady, and
Twill tell you my story in few words.
You will then understand my motives in
coming here. scarcely expected to
find you here at Solenthrl, but at last
determined to try. I came yesterday
night, and I soon heard of your heroic
resignation and courage. Be seated,
dear girl, and listen to tidings that will
be joyful indeed to your flial heart"
Madeleine blushing, her color going
and coming, obeyed, and seated herself
on log near the young stranger.
"I am young Frenchman, and about
seven years ago immigrated to Peru in
search of fortune. I started as lawyer
and found business plentiful enough.
knew many Frenchmen in the place,
but merchant of the name of Gaillard
was my most intimate friend He was
twice nay age, grave, even sullen and
saturnine but he had quaint ways, was
very charitable, and I liked him. Be-
sides, the others were married, had fami-
lies, and he was alone. We used to meet
of an evening at a cafe, play piquet,
and then walk home together, He was
rich and lived in great style, but not in
any way up to his income. People won
dered he never married but he said he
had been married, and was not inclined
to try the experiment again. He looked
with alarm at the prospect of my set
ting in life, and did all he could to
reserve unto himself one bachelor friend.
About a year ago he fell i'll, and the
doctor at once intimated to him that he
would not recover. Apart from the dis
ease it was general breakup Of nature.
"When he found there was no hope
he sent for me.
"' Versan, said he, listen to dying
man, and interrupt me not. You see on
this bed an assassin, a thief, Il murderer.
Fourteen years ago, sitting in hotel, 1
saw two men dining, one of whom had
just received sixteen or seventeen thou
sand francs. A dreadful thought came
into my head ! was not poor, but /
was wicked. ] followed these two men.
They walked on their way to Solenthel
together. I dared not attack both, and
once or twice thought of giving up my
fearful design. But at the house OF one
De Pierrepont they parted, and my vic.
tim, Dubois, advanced alone
"' was monster enough to think that
heaven gave him up to me. I bounded
after him gave myself no time for
thought / stabbed him in the neck !;
killed him; took his money and fed. I
spare you my thoughts and my fifteen
years Of suffering. 1 fled my country
J. became nt-rich--respected |;
but I have never had one happy moment.
Not only had 1 murdered him, but
Pierrepont was suspected, and sentenced
for my crime, only not to death, because
the jury hesitated. I thus ruined an
honest man, and sent his family to beg
their bread =
"He paused. I spoke not !; too alb
sorbed in my horror.
"'De Versan, listen to me, my friend.
Do not turn against me. 1 have left
you my sole heir.
" Never will T.,
90 Hark you must and you will.
Ia Ike my property, and think when you
enjoy it with pity on it's guilty present
sion, pay the heirs of Dubois their
10000 francs, and, by proving my own
guilt, obtain the pardon of the innocent
DE Pierrepont. Refuse and [ will die
impenitent, for my only friend will have
deserted me.
GO accepted"
"And may heaven bless you !" said
the weeping and sobbing mother, while
Madeleine laid her head in her mothers
lap.
can hour later, in presence of the
French and English consuls-four Eng
lishmen and four Frenchmen, two priests
and the alcade-Gaillard or rather Mes
nard, made his solemn confession, which
was signed by all present, sealed, and
one of two copies gived to me. That
copy is now in the hand of the minister
of justice, and here" drawing forth a
letter. " is copy of your fathers free
pardon"
A wild shrek from both wsmen was
his reply.
And now, Madeline" said he, TAX
ing the girls hand, "before / have the
chance of rivals may I Irenew my request
for your hand and heart ?"
Monsieur, no man on earth can ever
do for me what you have done. In an
hour have lived years of Joy that joy
L owe to you. Give me my father, and
the love of my whole life, if you value
it, shall be your reward
This sudden resolution of the young
girl, so natural under the circumstan-
ces, was approved of heartily by the
mether. Next morning there sat in
small inn in Solenthel, waiting for
breakfast, man, not old, but bowed by
years of woe. gray-haired and pale. On
each side of him sat woman--one his
wife, the other his daughter. They had
been talking for hours, and were not
yet wearied. A young man sat opposite,
his face beaming with delight. Several
times the waiter had announced break
fast, but the young man had always
bade him be quiet and wait still awhile.
At length hurried step was heard,
and the young Edward Dubois entered.
He started as if bit by snake, and
would have left the room.
"Stop !" said Arthur, sternly, as he
caught him by the wrist. Rather
kneel and ask for pardon than fly. Read
this, man," and he put in his hand the
printed bill proclaiming the injustice of
Pierrepont's sentence, his free pardon,
and containing the certified confession
of Mesnard
Edward Dubois read it in silence.
When he had finished he turned and
grasped the convict's hand.
"No apology can make up for my
he said, "but what can do 1
&C W