The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-19

lHS Ills tutufc bOl-ffl-fdW tONdIu Uilc kdi-
den, he called to Mile. Resale, who was
watering bed of roses: "Hi, Lii, here's
Pascal come to lunch with us, and he
agrees to do what you wish"
Rosalie dropped her watering-pot, and
ran forward, smiling. She was really
pretty girl, with fair hair and blue eyes,
who greeted the barrister without embar-
rassment, quite cordially. as il they were
old friends:
"Good morning, NJ. Ledoux. It's so
kind to interest yourself insmy protege;
but I'll show you his photograph, and
you'll see what nice young man he
must have been. He has the most lovley
dark curly hair and black eyes; and it
seems he used to write verses, paint, sing,
play, and dance all to perfection"
That's his mothers description of
him." interrupted the notary, dryly.
ooh, but papa, it's everybody's ac-
count of him. Everyone will tell you
that M. Marius Bougeard would have
become the pride Of the town if it had
not been for the malice of his enemies,
who got him transported"
"WelI, MadamoiseIle, I promise to do
my best to procure the release of this
fascinating creature" said Paul Ledoux,
amused.
Thanks; I'll tell you all about him
at luncheon!" exclaimed the notary's
daughter. you'll see how unjustly
treated he has BEEN"
Pascal Ledoux was so desirous of be-
ing convinced that he listened with but
half his usual common sense TO the ex-
plantations which Rosalie presently
vouchsafed. 1t did certainly strike him
as odd that Marius Bougeard should
have joined the Commune at all, and
still more that his detractors should have
Deen able to prove before court-martial
that he had plundered certain houses,
burned others, and caused hostages to
be shot; but then the Commune was a
mystery altogether, and nobody had yet
been able to make out the rights or
wrongs of it. So far as he was concerned,
Pascal Ledoux was willing to take up
Bougeard's cause, in the first place be
cause Rosalie wanted him to do so; and
in the next because the advocacy of a
political convict's wrongs was likely to
put him in excellent odor with the Lib
eral electors Of Ville-Aubry. The "Am-
nesty Question" was just then beginning
to agitate political circles in Paris; by
making himself one of its champions in
the Provinces, Pascal would make the
oest bid possible for Radical support at
the next Parliamentary election.
Accordingly, within twenty-four hours
of his luncheon with M. Marsault, our
friend had drawn up the cease" of Mar
ius Bougeard IN feeling language, and
had sent it in the form Of a letter to the
editor of the Trompette, the local Liber-
al print, just by way of firing the first
shot. The letter was much read and dis
cussed in the town; but in the course of
a day or two Pascal received the visits of
one M. Lesage, the oldest and wisest
practitioner at the Bar, who shook his
head at him and said:
"My friend, you have nothing to do
with getting pardon for Msrius Bou-
geard. The fellow was scamp, who al
most broke his mothers heart by his fol-
lies before lie joined the Commune, and
deserved shooting for his crimes. l am
afraid you are being made the tool of
some designing knaves"
"You are quite mistaken" answered
Pascal, coldly. "It is my future father
in-law, M. Marsault, who has chiefly
urged me to take this STEP"
"Well, then. Just you listen to me, and
beware OF M. Marsault," said NJ Lesage,
laying hand on Pascal's shoulder. "Oh,
yes, you may start and feel furious
against me for speaking against your fu-
ture father-in-law, but il is we'll that
you should know the full truth before
your marriage rather than to have to
discover it afterward. M. Marsault is
to a very wealthy old man in
this city, named Benot, and it is pretty
notorious that he has been holding all
his clients script in his hands for years.
Now, Benot has two nephews; one the
notary, Grugy, who is your uncle's rival
and greatest enemy; the other this Mar
ius Bougeard, who is in exile. Now, sup
posing, asI do, that NJ. Marsault has
been making rather free use Of Benot's
"Sir, how dare you suppose such a
thingp' interrupted Pascal.
"Well, do suppose it on the faith of
facts that have come to my knowledge"
old Lesage, coolly; 'and / add
this, that it is to M. Marsault's best in
terest to get NJ. Benot to leave all his
to Marius Bougeard sooner
than to. Grugy. The latter, when he
came into old Benot's fortune, might ask |
M. Marsault for accounts which it would |
be disagreerble to furnish, whereas Mar |
ius Bougeard, if he owed his pardon to |
NJ. Marsault's intercessien and fortune
into the bargain, would not be dis
posed to look too closely into things
Now, do you understandp'
''No, don't" replied Pascal, hotly.
swell, pity you," said NJ. Lesage,
"for ! look upon you as |
rising young man, and don't want to see
you shove your head into net"
II consider that you have shamefully
traduced M. Marsanlt, who is an honor
alle man." cried Pascal Ledoux.
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