Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-02-26
Am Original Storg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
THE THREAD OF FATE.
BY VICTOR VERNON.
CHAPTER XIII.

II do not want to 60 in," she said, timldly
s'Would Monsieur be angry if l left him to &c
on without me ?''
'sNo, certainly not. You need not 60 with
me if you dislike to do so. shall understand
how to introduce the subject to your father
mysef.''
He went on alone, and knocked at the door
of the little cottage. A surly voice bade him
enter. He did so, and found the peasant, Jean
Fayel, smoking his pipe, with sullen face, in
a corner of the apartment which constituted
bedroom and parlOr in one, while his wife, a
comely woman, whose red eyes bore witness to
recent tears, was busying herself putting away
some clean dishes, in little cupboard that
stood in a recess, near the fireplace. Favel
rose at Eugene's entrance, taking his pipe,
with sort of apology, from his mouth.
t'I didn't know it was Monsieur knocking,
or should have risen to admit him. Please
to be seated.''
Eugene accepted the wooden chair, which the
wife fastened to place for him, making, as he
did so, some pleasant remark about the fne
weather, and the brilliancy of the evening. 49,
'sAye, it's we'll enough, "assented Favel. 81
haven't troubled myself to look out. I've 9TH
er things to think about"
ssIheard you were in trouble said Eugene,
rushing boldly into the subject, at once, and 4
to be frank, have come in tonight to see II L
can't be of service to YOU"
''Monsieur has heard of it, has he Aye, it's
all over the place by this time, no doubt, said
the man, bitterly. Disgrace doesn't hide it
self long"
IT don't see that there is any disagree in the
matter, Favel. You feel sore on the subject,
no doubt but if you look at it in the right
light, think you will find that your daughter
is more to he pitied than blamed"
'Don't name her to me-" exclaimed the
- Gck 1,oN- s1xy Il
the table with muttered oath. eff she had
been dutiful and obedient at first, this black
stain wouldn't be upon her now. Disgrace !!
how can there be anything but disgrace In
such behaviour? I am an honest man, and
have carried an honest name, like my father
and grandfather, aye, and my great-grand-
father and his father before him. Until now
have never felt ashamed to look any one in the
face {; no, not even when she-the glrl-ran
away, though that was hard enough to bear.
But nowit's different She has brought shame
upon US, and can never hold up my head
again."
"Oh, Jean % sobbed his wife, who now held
her apron to her eyes.
'Hold your tongue, you foolish woman
said Favel sharply. IF 1 were to listen to all
you women-folk, should be nothing but a
woman, or an idiot, myself. If Monsieur
could but hear them talk - he added, disdain-
fully, to Eugene. 'They would argue me out
of my senses if they could"
His wife, weeping aloud, left the room.
Eugene drew his chair closer to that OF the
peasant, and in the kindest manner gradually
led him on to speak of all that was weighing
on his heart. Favel was not really hard or
cruel man but he had been wrought up almost
to frenzy by the unhappy circumstances of his
daughters condition, and in his first transport
of grief and shame had uttered certain threats
and declarations which he was now unwilling
to retract. He had always been kind father.
and had been especially fond Of his daughter
Marie. For this reason her misfortune weighed
upon him with double force, and filled him
with a bitterness that seemed to destroy every
soft and kindly sentiment of his nature
Never before had Eugene employed his az.
gumentative powers to such an exhaustive eX-
tent, or against such apparently invincible
obstinacy, as in the present case. But by
degrees, the old peasant seemed to yield, or at
least to listen with more favor to his represen-
tations. And when, at length, Eugene as
sured him that he would place the case imme-
diately in the hands of a competent lawyer,
and see that no expense was spared i'll the
prosecution of the unprinciped man who had
so ruthleSsly wrecked his daughters happiness,
and in forcing him to acknowledge her rights,
his stoicism fairly gave way.
"MonSieur is goodness ITSELF" he said,
drawing his rough sleeve across his eyes.
1.-The good God knows l should be thankful to
have my poor girl righted but could not see
how it could ever be accomplished without my
shedding the blood of this Scelerat, and for the
sake of my family I should not wish to be
branded as an assaSsin-and would be, as
Monsieur knows for where the rich and the
poor come in conflict with one another, the
sympathy of the world, and what is called its
Justice, is always on the side of the former,
and we of low degree stand poor chance
might have swung for it, and then the poor
wife and children would have had the finger
pointed at them as the family of gallows-
bird, and the sons prospects would have been
ruined forever So, as Monsieur sees, l be-
lieved should have no redress. But if Mon
sieur is. so generous, SO princely as to take the
matter into his hands, my life shall be spent
in trying to repay him :; for it has never been
said that Favel was ungrateful or forgot a
Kindness"
II want no payment, mon ami, except your
promise to be kind to your daughter, and re-
woke at once all your harsh resolves which
have cost her 50 much pain. Consider how
much you might soothe and console her, by
treating her with affection, and assuring her
of your forgiveness for her fault"
''Monsieur is right. I have acted like a
BRUTE" said Favel. s'But it was my misery
which soured me. Hooked at the matter with
prejudiced eyes, and forgot her mhappiness
with my own. will take her under my roof
at once, and then, at least, our domestic har-
mony will be restored"
After little more conversation, during
which Eugene made one or two business ar
rangements, in regard to appointments with a
lawyer, whom he promised to see on the fol-
lowing day, he took leave of the grateful peas
ant and retraced ms steps homeward. 1t was
now quite late, and as he reached the door
of the Chateau he heard the parlOr clock strike
ten.
To his surprise, he found Mr.. Eustace sitting
in the library with the rest of the household
He told him that he had felt 50 much better
that he had taken a sudden resolve to leave his
chamber and join the family down stairs AS
was natural, Eugene told them all how he had
spent the evening, in order to account for the
lateneSs of his return. Mrs Stanley'S Sympa-
thies, and indeed those of all his listeners were
warmly enlisted in favor of the poor girl who
had been so deeply wronged.
sit is like you, my dear Eugene, to take the
cause of the unfortunate in hand, said Mrs.
Stanley. ''But do you think you will be able
to obtain redreSS?'
''If the scoundrel can be caught, he shall
certainly be made to suffer; though to what ex-
tent can't tell without knowing the exact
nature of his crime. If he deceived the girl
by false marriage, he is certainly answerable
for such deception and if the marriage was
a true One as she claims it to be, then OF course
she is his wife and can force him to acknowl.
edge it. LeBrun is a sharp practitioner, and
has great deal of experience. 1fthere is justice
to be obtained can trust him to get it done. .
''There's a saying that law and justice
don't go hand in hand" said Mrs. Stanley
"and if this man is able, as presume he must