The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-02-15
CHAPTER XIX.
A RIFT IN THE CLOUD.

RIFT IN THE CLOUD.
The duchess having left her. Valentine
tried in vain to explain, on put away from
her, the all-absorbing subject, which
threatened, with its torturing suggestions,
to drive her into insanity. Convinced,
now, of her fathers guilt, she at the same
time felt her utter inability to act with
decision against him. Again, was it her
duty to do itf
The. opportunity to vindicate Jean Re-
maud had been given her. and she had
shrunk from doing it at the expense OF
her own fathers life. She had been &c
terrified at the mere contemplation Of the
deed, that she had completely put herself
in her fathers power. s
Valentine did not know where parents
authority ended. Her father had heI
completely at his mercy. Knowing her
suspicious, aware that she held what she
considered a sufficient proof of his guilt,
he had not hesitnted to explain her condi.
ton as the result Of an attack of deliri.
um, and attribute it TO her anxiety fol-
Adrienne. If she could not induce him tC
leave France, what would become Of heri
Once having proved to him her weakness.
had she not lost all hope of attaining her
endf
She was fast in the tolls. She could
fancy the wretched future stretching be.
fore her. a period of dread and remorse.
Thoughts Of Adrienne assailed her weak
ened senses; Of Jean Renaud as she had
last beheld him, tenderlyl unclasping Ad.
rienne's hands from around his neck, and
going away to his weary, endless toll.
The recollection was maddening. The
mans sad, earnest face rose before her,
pleading for justice, for mercy. She
thought Of her fathers facets express
sion as he had caught at her throat few
hours before, and she shuddered at her
own sudden conviction. al do not love
him. It is not affection that is controlling
me it is a dread of the awful consequences;
of the obloquy that such an action would
cast on the sacred name Of daughter. Oh,
why did find this necklacef Why has
this terrible question been given to me to
deal withf I who have nothing to guide
me but my conscience, and that l cannot
obey. If only loved him, then l could
willingly sacrifice all for his sake! Sacri-
fee Adrienne2 Leave her father to his
fate7 Is there love strong enough to
make snch an evil thing possiblef Could
/ do itf Never! He must do as have
said, or will, must speak,
Unable TO be quiet, Valentine rose, dis
missed Marie, and again slowly looked
over the necklace. 1t held . magician's
power; for, as she gazed at it, every Incl
dent of the strange story connected with
il seemed to be re-enacted before her
eyes. iiW G
The twelve years that, with their stir
ring events and crowding incidents, had
forced poor Renaud and the story of his
sad fate into dark oblivion, seemed to fade
away. and the soldiers cottage rose before
Valentines excited imagination.
She saw, as in a vivid dream, the Incl
dents narrated by the soldier, and added
70 them the one terrible deed enacted by
n figure which resembled her father, and
which pursued and struggled with an
other that took the form Of Adrienne.
Wild with. grief, rent by conflicting
emotions, Valentine placed the necklace
in a safe corner Of cabinet, and went in
70 another room. h
No sooner had she relinquished the tell
tale trinket, than she began to tremble
lest IL should again disappear. She went
back. took il from the corner, and re-
placed it in her pocket.
1T must be my charge everywhere and