Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-11-05

4
/ hoping TO find the seIyant-men, and
then out 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.
at is paroxysm, Barbe explained,
| making her lie upon the couch and,
despite the old woInan's entreaties,
Sophie found handkerchief dung over
her face, and then CONSCIOUSNESS Was
| gone.
Happily for poor Sophie, the Baron,
| Tor 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 tins 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 no doctor came-she had Barbe day
and night instead, with aauseous
drugs.
81 shall die here L. she cried out one
night, sitting up suddenly, with the
strength of fever. MY poor father
he will never knowr'
Her cries brought the servants from
the basement, and even the Baron him
self up the turret stairs; but Barbe
sent them down by calling out
1T Is paroyysm-that Is all. She
Is raving :" 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 little walk on he
Shore" she pleaded, with 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 letter
MY child" said the old woman sad
ly, your uncle would be angry If l 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,
YOU need not see much of the Marquis
de ROugemont but you could live
nice quiet life, and feel more free than
here. He has a beautiful chateau,
with large garden aud woods, and"
"Oh, never, never, never J" was So
phie's answer. with all her strength.
THAT wilful gIrl Is obstinate still ~
rOared voice from the terrace outside
the window and the iron-gray head
of the Baron appeared.
In answer to Sophie's passionate ap-
peal at this first sight Of him since her
illness, he only said
''lf that ridiculous tune about Sophie
Larique begins again, of you go 10
Pontignon the moment you are we'll
to Doctor Moritz and the mad people" ="
At that moment Sophie saw way to
deliNeIance. She kept up Tie ''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. Tie moment Doctor Moritz
saw her, he exclaimed
There is a mistakel | never had
this young lady under my care.''
And her appeal TO him was not Ill
vain. He sent 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 aud
excitement of the return, her father
eald, 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 was married."
Sophie broke the silence at last.
"Why do you not tell me about Pierre
Brun ?'
HE went to lonely grave at Pere
Lachaise."
Sophie, with a startled cry of grief,
looked up into his face; but III Il mo-
ment she saw that her father was in one
of his old iesting moods
HE went several timeS-l did not
say it was his grave-it was, in fact,
the grave Of stranger, who We thought
was Sophie J"
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 soldier and die
for his country some day-and he
went"
Sophie's tears began TO trickle down
on 10 the old mans hand that held both
hers.
''Ah, father, loved hIm-I would
have been his wife Hoor brave Pierre!
1 know the worth of love and work now
tho worth of home"
Little Sophie" :" said the old man ten
derly, II think that wllful girl that l
knew at Pontignon went down into the
sea, and sweeter Sophie has come from
an enchanted castle. | said he went
not to be a soldier, child he must not
90 now. The telegram came one hour
before he was 10 leave US; and, when
my child was coming, 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 dearl But why does that
door creak Is it the wind ?'
go and close it, child"
But when will Pierre cOme-my
dear brave Pierre P''
'Now, Sophie |"
1t was the voice of Pierre Brun and
the creaking door opened wide. So
there was happy wedding, after all !
Winter Palace.