The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-11-12
NUMBER as.

! u
case enough, monsieur"
Etienne was silent, there was chok-
ing sensation in his throat and mist
him curiously
You we're good friends, you and she,
in the old times. She will be glad to
see you again, paurre petite She has
been i'll the last few DAYS with sort of
low fever, and has not been down
stairs.
But she was at Versailles this after
noon ?"
His companion stared at him. Not
| likely She was in bed this morning,
and my wife said she seemed worse"
She was in Versailles this afternoon,
for | saw her." Etienne persisted.
NJ. Podevin pushed his cap aside, and
rubbed his head with a puzzled look
That is odd. l have not stirred from
this loge, and l can swear l never saw
her pass. However, if she did 30 she
has certainly returned by this time, for
she was never out after dark, and if YOU
would like to see her"
Yes, | will go up stairs at once, "
Etienne interrupted, and he turned
away.
A host of tender recollections rushed
upon him as he mounted the familiar
stairs TO Georgettes door. 1t was half
open, and he paused moment on the
threshold, looking in.
The room was in shadow except near
the window, where the rays of the rising
moon ''made dim silver twilight" and
showed him-Georgette, seated with her
back toward him at the work table
She still wore her hat and jacket, and
was leaning with her forehead ON her
folded hands in an attitude of WEAKNESS
or detection.
His heart beat painfully as he crossed
the room to her side, and laid his hand
lightly on her shoulder. She did not
stir or speak.
"Georgette!" he whispered, then
gently raised her head, and drawing it
back against his breast bent and kissed
her
Marble was not colder than the lips
which met his.
A shudder ran through him from
head to foot His heart thrilled with
sudden awful fear.
''Georgette !" he cried aloud
There was no answer.
''She has tainted he gasped; "she
-only-fainted She will be better
presently"
He lifted the nerveless figure in his
arms and laid it on the bed ; he then
went to the stairhead and called loudly
for assistance.
When the concierge and those of the
dodgers who had heard the summons,
came hurrving in, he was on his knees
at the bedside, chatting one of the little
cold hands and trying to warm it in his
breast.
Bring the light here, " he said abrupt
ly, to NJ. Podevin, who carried small
hand-lamp, The latter complied, hold
ing it so that the light fell upon the fig
ure on the bed. The face was waXen
white, and awfully still; the eyes were
closed, the lips parted in smile of I'M
earthly serenity.
ooh, God my darling -
The cry broke hoarsely from his white
lips as he sank on his knees at the bed |
side, "Georgette, my love, my little |
dove! Have ! found you only to lose you |
forever? Speak to me-look at me !"
But the "shy blue eyes" would never |
meet his again; the sweet lips were seal
ed forever.
"All was ended now, the hope and the fear and
All the aching of heart, the restless, unsat-
isfied longing"
For her all was ended, hut for him |
there were the desolate years to come;
the loneliness, the WEAKNESS, the aching /
sense of loss which would never pass
away.
Ten minutes later a doctor had been |
summoned, and the little room was full !
ofhorror-struck and compassionate faces,
"Syncope- manition; defective ac-
ton of the heart-humph!" muttered the
surgeon, as he raised himselfafter brief
examination. "When did this happen? |
Who saw her last?"
81 saw her this afternoon, Monsieur"
a womans voice replied, dnd the speaker |
came forward. 81 lodge in the next
room, and when / passed her door about
two o'clock she was getting ready to go
out. was surprised, as she seemed so
i'll, but she told me that she had promis- |
ed to meet a friend at Versailles. How |
ever, she did not go, for when | return
ed she was sitting at the table there, as
# she had fallen asleep"
cit was the sleep that knows no wax
ing" spoke the doctor gravely.
Etienne, who had not yet moved or
spoken, rose slowly to his feet. "What
time-was that" he asked, in voice
not his own.
''Three o'clock, Monsieur, as near as l
can guess,
The young mans figure swayed as ifE
he were falling. He put his his hand to
his eyes. Awe the wonder too deep for
words overPowered him.
The angel of death bad summoned |
Georgette before the hour appointed for
their meeting.
Who was it, then-aebat was it, he had
seen at the trysting-place?
We are told that Glove Is stronger |
than death" Is it irreverent to believe |
that its magnetic power might be per-
mitted for moment to draw back a |
spirit from the shadowy borders of the |
Silent land