The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-04-26

dIO1& "AbA Iaob bhO ooAhS gin oo |
usual on his broad face; he can't get rid
of it, even if at a funeral, the blockhead.
Does he look like a bridegroom that any
sensible girl would give IN old tin kettle
forP"
swell, it's strangest of all that they
should bury her in this way, if, rs you
leftin the chateau still, " said the younger
of the two old women.
"Ah! Mdlle. Fifine and M. Maurice
knew more about that matter, I suspect,
than any one else," rejoined Babette,
meaning than the last. .'They are mas
ter and mistress at the chateau, now
that the Count is in prison and the
Countess is dead; and they are making
the most of their time, as the birds do
in the vineyards before the vintage be-
gins"
After that the group round the foun-
tain broke up n the women dispersed
in different directions. As she went,
Babette had her own special train of
thought, into which she probably would
not exactly have liked any of her friends
to look.
"As sure as the Countess diamonds
oAO AOdty Nv III RldcS was OhO
way in which her reflections ended
don't see why Babette and Pierre should
not be the fortunate pair, as well as
Fifine and Maurice"
Meanwhile, the young man and the
girl, of whom their neighbors' mouths
and minds had just, all unconsciously
to their two selves, been so full, had
Tr0 4k4 AkA l-,, &C., @h4 a@rarlafson
of their sad errand. No religious cere-
monies of any kind were permitted at
this time in France. But still the SER
wants of the young Comtesse de Flor
ion. perhaps recollecting that in her life
she had secretly chung to the rites of
her church, were going to lay her re-
mains in hallowed ground, and a por-
ton of the pavement beneath the south
ern wall of the church and inside the
building had been raised to allow of the
body being placed underneath it. The
family vault of the De Florions was far
away in a distant large town; but as the
troubfous times forbade the Countess
remains being transported thither, her
servant and foster-sister and companion,
Fifine de Fouvriere, had chosen the in
terror of Verreville Church as their rest
ing place. As long as no religious rites
were used the civil authorities of the
little town had made no objection to this
arrangement.
Maurice will do all the rest" said
Fifine, when the coffin had been lowered
into the place prepared for it, turning to
the two men who had been helping them
in their mournful work. Al should like
my poor mistress own faithful servant
to perform the very last offices for her."
at is strange that Fifine de Fouvri-
ere's grief at her mistress loss is not
more evident in outward signs" said
the elder of the men to his companion
as they withdrew from the church in
obedience to the girls words. 81 had
expected to see her drowned in tears"
''There must have been some GOODNESS
between them before the lady died. 1t
is always so, one or later, when we
son and daughters of the people form
close bonds. of intimacy and affection
with an aristocrat," said the younger
man, who was none other than Babette's
lover, Pierre, and who, as induty bound,
held the same Red Republican opinions
as his future most emphatically better
half; though, if truth must be told, he
was often in a very hazy state about
them, ven when he expressed them the
loudest.
"Well, I don't know" rejoined the
old man, thoughtfully. 81 can't say
what may be the cause of it, but that
girls face and manne puzzle me mor
than the change of the wind"
And the face of Fifine de Louvriere
certainly was a face that any man might
have found it difficult to read the mean
ing of as she stood there by the grave.
She was a remarkably pretty brunette,
whose features were, generally, all
sparkling with animated thought and
feeling, which went flashing in swift,
brilliant play from the dark eyes to the
rosebud mouth. But to-day the whole
face was stamped with one fixed, settled
expression, which might be interpreted
in its gravity and intensity to mean
sorrow or anxiety or deep troubled
thought. Looking at thatfair face was,
to-day, like listening to a story told en-
phatically and eloquently in some
musical foreign language that W. do
not understand.
Maurice" said the girl, sharply, to
her companion, as soon as they were
left alone, ''where are your brains gone?
Who ever saw any one at afuneral with
a face like yoursp You'll have set the
whole town talking. I don'tknow that
I shall aver forgive you"
"But, ma chdrmGnte, began Maurice,
whose countenance still certainly did not
seemto correspond to his solemn task.
Maurice" Interrupted Fiine, shave
done with your pretty words and
speeches; there's a time for them, I dare
say, but it's certainly not now. You
just mind what youar r about, and don't
make such a fool of yourself again.
twas the night after the young Count
ess' funeral; a full round silver moon
was looking down upon the old Florion
chateau, which stood on a rising ground
at about a mile from Verrevi1le. The
house was sunk in deep repose; it had
few inmates now; only the servants,
among whom were Fiine and Maurice,
the old stewards son, who had lately
come home to help his aged father in
his Office.
In the shadow of the wall two figures
stood whispering together. "This is the
door which the key will open," said a
woman's voice. II have kept it evel
since Iwasin service here-they thought
it was lost; 1 have always fancied il
might come useful some day, and, now
the time has come. Go in at once,
Pierre, and be quick about it. 1 have
told you all the receptacles where money
and jewels and plate are kept. You
can't make a mistake.
"Must I go alone? Won't you come
with me? We should do it all the
quicker, two of us together, and it's al
ways SO much pleasanter at night tt
have company in an old house like this,
They say it's haunted, and there was
death here so lately. o! sweet Babette
do, please, come with me-"
"MayI be stewedin a pot au.j eu first, ,
answered that young lady, very forcibly
and laeonically. You 60 along, Pierre
and look sharp, and don't be such s
mixture of a mule and a milksop.
shall stay here and watch" So say
ing, she pushed her r knight withou