South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1879-08-01
A Terrible Revenge.

"one" 'u FRANCE, ana the Count her
husband. was of the very flower OF the
old noblesse.
before her marriage she had the mis-
fortune to become acqu ainted with a
young officer. named Pierre Duhem. who
at once conceived for her the most pas
sionate attachment.
Ills attentions were, OF course. discour.
aged by the lady; but nevertheless he
insisted upon making her a tender OF his
hand. which she declined with frmuess
put NJ the same time, grea. kindness
sno consideration, assuring him that she
'eit deeply grateful for his earnestly ex
pressed admiration, and hoping he would
yet hnd one more worthy than herself
to become his bride.
Duhem listened with apparent calm.
ness TO her words, but a keen observer
would have been prepared by the deadly
pallor that overspread his brow and Tho
nervous twitching of the thin bloodless
up, tor the fearful outbreak that followed.
is thrs your final, irrevocable deter
minationE he asked in low, Kissing
tone, at the same time seizng her white
arm roughly.
IL Is, she answered. and would have
proceeded still further in her attempt 10
concliiste him, but lie interrupted her
iiercely.
Listen TO me- he cried, and she
shrank back trembling from the cold.
nashlng gray eyes Listen to me-vou
triumph now but mark me, my dav will
come yet. | curse you from the bottom
OF my heart, and my own hand and
brain shall work out the fulGllmcnt OF
that curse. III you ever we'd | will cloat
over the Dying aSonics of your husband
Leave me, leave me- was ala she had
strength to- say.
lie only held her white arm tighter in
his iron grasp, and Missed closer in her
ear: You think these are idle threats.
hut so sure as the sun is in heaven will
make them terrible truth. Woman.
you have made demon OF me. Trem-
BILE mt the iiend you have Yourself raised
up. So saying, he dashed her from him
and rushed from the house.
Time passed on, and, as the happy
wife OF the Count de la Floret, the ter
ribie scene that so shortly preceded her
marriage was almost erased from her
memory, and nothing occurred TO mar
the serenity OF her everyday life until
the outbreak Of the Revolution-that
fearful saturnaia of blood that spread
terror and desolaiion over all Europe.
in common with others, the younr
Count amt his lovely wife were forced TO
fly before the fury OF the exaspevated
populace. Assisted by devoted friend
who. though warm Republican, remain.
eel trne to them. they succeeded in ma
King their escape from Paris. and aided
by the passes he had secured, reached.
unframed, the little village of Colleure.
Alter passing a night in this place. they
once more set out on their journey to-
ward the coast, when suddenly. a: the
outskirts OF the town, the carriage was
stopped by platoon OF soldiers drawn
up before the horses heads.
Count de Ia Floret spoke n word OF en-
couragement to his terrified wife and
was about TO spring ont to inquire why
they were stopped when they carried
passes from the National Assembly.
when suddenly the coach door was
thrown open-a harsh voice commanded
them both to alight.
pcrCeiving that resistance was worse
than useless, the Count stepped out and
assisted lis wife 20 follow. Almost in
stantly he was rudely scizcd by two
soldiers, while he who conducted the out
rage, approaching close 20 the unhappy
Countess, threw aside his plumed hat
brushed the tangled masses Of hair back
from his brow, and standing full in
the light Of the rising sun, deman cd Of
her If she had any recollection OF ever
meeting him before. She looked IN
earnestly in his face for an instant, and
then, with cry of anguish, fell on her
knees before him.
'Ycs-yes we have met before
Spare us oh, spare usr
The wretch answered, with n brutal
laugh:
80 tho beautiful and proud Countess
de Ia FlOret kneels -knecls to mo 1t
was who knelt when we last met.
She only replied through her tears.
do be generous. Forget the past,
and save us
My name il Pierre Duhem, once poor
Captain in the Kings army--now Gem
erai under the glorious Republic.
swore an oath that, It ever You married
a man except me. / would reyel in his
dying agonies. The time for the fu!GIl.
I mcnt has arrived.
oh, unssy those terrible words.
Have mercy In heavens name. have
mercy ! shrieked the Countess. clasping
his knees and turning her STREAMING
eyes up to him.
Rise, love do not debase yourself
by sueing TO such n wretch the Count
said, struggling in vain as he smoke TO
fee himself we a-o protected by irt-
ters from tic National Assembly Lot
BIN violate them at bis peril
Duhem looked around at the speaker
width Gerco sneer. That for your
pass ne cried, swapping his fingers
'SOldiets, away with the aristocrat .-
Obey orders gave You an hour ago
AT the word, the wretcbc5, who painted
for the blood of noble, dragged tho
Count n short distance toward q frame
barr, and, having torn his clothing from