The National tribune., 1882-04-15

DC'pfGFS"
She is young person, sir, and she says
size will not detain you above an hour said
the servcnt
An hour; that is at least frank; they
generally say not above five minutee' re-
marked Fitali with weary smile. "In-
quire whether the business is so urgent that
the lady cannot dx an appointment"
"she seemed very anxious to see you, sir .
rejoined the man, and he opened the door to
go OUT but at this moment a lady dressed
in deep mourning suddenly glided past him,
and entered the room.
The shade over the tabIe-lamp kept the
light down and rendered it difficult to dis
cern the visitors features But it was evil
dent that she was young, slight of stature,
and Judging by The quality of her apparel
and her gracefully dignifed carriage, per-
son accustomed to good society. She walked
straight up to yatils table without speak
ing. He rose astonshed, but bowing and
Offering her seat, and it was only when the
servant had retired that she addressed him
in a musical voice of great vivacity and
rendered slightly tremulOus by excitement.
Excuse me for intruding upon you, NJ.
Vitali, but I wish you to appear for me in a
lawsuit. Ireceived notice this morning of an
unworthy action that is to be brought against
me- and nobody was ever so shamefully
abused as ] am in that paper. Here it is ia
my pocket, and | will leave it with you.
When / got it at ten o'clock l cried for an
J but 7 b.l het+a
come to you who are so famous, 80 l went to
the courts, but you We're speaking in that
newspaper-case and when it was over could
not get near you because of the throng of per-
sons who were applauding you. | IapplauGed
like the rest, for | assure yOn you were very
eloquent, and it appeared to me that if you
could find so many things to say for n
journalist, you could speak still better in
defense of lonely prosecuted woman"
"The suit is about a will" interrupted
Vital politely, for he was proof against COM
pliments. ALLOW me to glance at the paper.
| HIM! mercenary acts, wiles. 1t appears the
plaintiffs wish to have the testator's will
annulled on the ground of -"
Yes, On the ground that | used undue
influence" exclaimed Madame Desplans
did you ever hear of such thing? Why
the money in question was bequeathed me
by n man who at least twenty times offered
to marry me, and who might have been alive
now if had given him my hand! But
won't waste your time in exclamations; here
are the bare facts ! was left an orphan at
twelve, and at eighteen was married to a
retired naval officer, who had been great
friend of my father Captain Desplans,
though much older than /, was most aflec-
tionate husband, and we lived happily
! together for four years-until the captain,
| having embarked all his fortune in specu-
lation, was ruined. The blow preyed greatly
on his mind because of me. During few
months he tried hard to find employment,
! but his age for active work was past, so that
! he fell i'll of despair and very soon died,
leaving me unprOvided F"""
"You were absolut .
Vital, who continued
of process.
81 had just ten tn
jewels"
home?"
:No relative at ALL" said Madame Des-
plans, shaking her head; but I had one
friend, Captain Lacroix, who had formerly
been lieutenant on board my husbands
ship, and who is the person mentioned in
that document 1t is ne who left me the
property in dispute, and whose mourning
am wearing. And oh, when / think that
those selfish relatives Of his, who never once
came near him in his illness, and who had
done all they could to make his life wretched
when / think that they dare accuse me of
having been mercenary, false, deprayed, and
everything that's wicked, it's too much to
bear: oh, OH" and the young widow burst
into tears.
Console yourself, madam" said Vital
gently, these law papers are often drawn
up in brutal terms; bnt if the charges
brought against you be false, there will be
so much the more dishOnOr for your ac-
cusers"
"False, why of course they are false;
can you doubt it?" calculated Madame
Desplans, looking up as if the merest hesi-
tation were an outrage en- her. "Why, l
devoted myself to Captain Lecroix, and
spent six months nursing him when, as |
have told you, might have become his wife
if l had pleased, and have inherited the
whole of his property instead Of the half
which he left me. He was about forty years
old when l first became acquainted with
him, that is some six years younger than my
husband. lie frequently visited at our house,
and was not long in perceiying that he
cherished deep attachment towards me.
He ended by declaring himself, and / ordered
him not to let me see his face again, threat
ening if he returned to our house / would
inform my husband of his conduct. He did
90 away, and remained absent for two years
but so soon as my husband was dead he has
tened back from Italy, where he was, and
made me an offer of his hand. | felt no
doubt that he sincerely loved me, but
was angry with him for his past behavior;
besides which he was q man of passionate
and morose temper, with whom l knew it
would have been impossible for me to live
happy"
This paper says that he was almost i'm
beetle from confirmed intemperance."
"He became that after had rejected him."