The Penn's Grove record., 1884-11-01

again and ran through the corridors,
hoping to find the servant-men, and
then ont into the court yard to make a
~despairing search for some outlet from
the garden, the hard faced strong wo-
man Barbe followed her, with jingling
keys at her side, and forced her back
and up the turret-stairs again.
sit is a parOxysm," Barbe explained,
making her lie upon the couch and,
despite the old wOman's %entreaties,
Sophie found a handkerchief flung over
her face, and then CONSCIOUSNESS was
gone.
Happily for poor Sophie, the Baron,
for his own interests, would not allow
De Rougemont to see her again till she
had become, as he called it, less obsti-
nate. He pleaded to the Marquis that
his niece was not well enough to see any
one so the most dreaded figure at least
did not reappear in this nightmare of
reality.
But Sophie's health gave way. In
her first aching and burning nights of
fever she saw no hope. A doctor would
be called, and she would appeal to him
but 40 doctor came-she had Barbe day
and night instead, with Aauseous
drugs.
II shall die here - she cried out one
night, sitting up suddenly, with the
strength of fever. my poor father
be will never know |"
Her cries brought the servants from
the basement, and ever the Baron him
self up the turret stairs; but Barbe
sent them down by calling out
ut is a paroxysm-that is all. She
IS raviny !" and Sophie fell back on the
pillows. faint and ~despairing.
But Sophie did not die. She at last
grew better. and she sat all day in a
large airy room, looking out at the
bright line of the distant sea and pray
ing for deliverance.
do let me have a little walk ON he
Shore" she pleaded, with a coaxing
smile, raising her pale face TO the old
nurse, who sat knitting beside her. She
hoped to find some fisherman or some
countrywoman into whose hand she
could slip a letter.
My child, " said the old woman sad
ly, your uncle would be angry If | took
You out, and then your life would be
harder but it is sad to refuse. My
poor Valerie. you were always fond of
the sea. Listen Do not oppose this
marriage any more. After the marriage,
vOu need not see much of the Marquis
de Rougemont but you could live a
nice quiet life, and feel more free than
here. He has a beautiful chateau,
with a large garden and woods, and"
"Oh, never, never, never !" was So
phie's answer. with all her strength.
That wilful girl is obstinate still -
roared a voice FROM the terrace outside
the window !; and the iron-gray head
of the Baron appeared.
In answer to Sophie's passionate APP
peal at this first sight of him since her
illness, he only said
'If that ridiculous tune about Sophie
Larique begins again, off you 60 to
Pontignon the moment you are we'll
to Doctor MoritZ and the mad people,"
AT that moment Sophie saw a way to
deligerance. She kept up the ''ridicu-
lous tune" and at last was sent off to
Pontignon-to the lonely house which
she had often seen from the old school
windows. The moment Doctor Moritz
saw her, he exclaimed
There is q mistakel l had
this young lady under my carel'
And her appeal to him was not IN
vain. He sent a telegram to her father,
to break the too great shock of joy, and
then he took her to Paris.
Late that evening, after the bliss and
excitement of the return, her father
and, when the auburn head was resting
happily against his shoulder, close to
his white locks
Three months ago Ludwig Holz
heard of Sophie's death two months
ago he went home to Munich one
month ago he wa married"
Sophie broke the silence at last.
why do you not tell me about Pierre
Brun P"
He went to a lonely grave at Pere
Lachaise."
Sophie, with a startled cry of grief,
looked up into his face but In a mo-
ment she saw that her father was in n
of his old testing moods,
HE went several times-I did not
say it was his grave-it was, in fact,
the grave of a stranger, who we thought
was Sophie !"
And then ?'' she asked.
"Well, then he said he should work
no more, as he had worked only for So
phie but he would be a soldier and die
for his country some day-and he
went"
Sophie's tears began to trickle down
on to the old mans hand that held both
hers.
"Ah, father, 1 loved hlm-I would
have been his wife ! Hoor brave Pierrel
l know the worth of love and work now
the worth of home"
Little Sophie, F." said the old mar ten
derby, II think that wilful girl that l
knew at Pontignon went down into the
sea, and a sweeter Sophie has come from
an enchanted castle. L said he went
not to be a soldier, child (; he must not
go now. The telegram anne one hour
before he was TO leave US and, when
my child vas coming, l said, Keep out
of the way, Pierre Brun, till l try her
heart > and he went. though his own
heart was breaking to see her."
Father dear But why does that
door creak +? Is it the wind 2n
go and close it, child"
But when will Pierre come-my
dear brave Pierre ?"
"Now, Sophie -
1t was the voice of Pierre Brun and
the creaking door opened wide. So
there was a happy wedding, after 81
Winter Palace.