The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-06-21

rlcn CltlZen In GarlS named AyTdulL, |
and their nuptials were merely await
ing the termination of the campaign. |
Napoleon the Third expected to
make short war with Germany. And
so he did. But it did not end in the
manner arranged on his program.
This marriage was one of conve-
nience, as it is called, and had been
arranged by the heads of the families
Gauthier and Ayrault. The young
people had no voice whatever in the
matter. Their acquiescence was a
matter of course. They were both
eligible parties, and the settlements on
either side were to be ample. If they
could not love each other when they
came together as man and wife that
would be their fault. But life is not
devoid of consolation. Failing to love
each other, they could, in true French
fashion, love somebody else. Lucien
Gauthier grew to manhood with this
prospective marriage hanging over him
The contract had been signed when
both were in their homage. Lucien
had never seen Julie Ayrault since the
signing of the contract, and he had
conceived an intense dislike against his
promised wife. and had inwardly resolv-
ed that he never would marry her.
This feeling had induced him to adopt
the career Of a soldier. He thought it
would require less courage to face the
enemy than wife he could not love-
nay whose very name he had learned to
loathe. Henever uttered it even with
out making a grimace. But this re-
solve placed our gallant captain in
rather an awkward situation, for his
contract bound him to Julie Ayrault,
and if he would not marry her, he
could not honorably offer his hand to
any other woman. The thought of
this, however, never troubled him until
he encountered the sprlghtly little
woman who rejoiced in the name Of
Anne, and then it occurred to HIM that
1t would be pleasant thing if he was
a free man. But he knew he was not,
and so he manfully resolved to tell
Annie the truth and prevent her falling
in love with him, as she seemed very
well inclined to do, and to check his
own growing passion-nip it in the
bud, as it were, before it could attain a
proportion troublesome to his peace of
mind.
To his surprise, and disappointment
mingled somewhat with it, Annie
appeared to consider that it was his
duty to marry Julie Ayrault.
, "Whatl whether | love her or notP'
he demanded.
/ "Oh, you will learn to love her. sh,
q answered.
: "Never' he cried emphatically; and
1 he was about to add that it was i'm
possible now that he had met her, bu
r prudence restrained him.
3. "Oh, yes, you willp' insisted Annie
!, "She is very amiable, not bad.look
ing, and she will make you gooC
q wife,"
: This assertion amazed the captain.
: "Do you know her, then2" lie repli
/, ed.
II "Oh, yes; l have met her frequently
9 in Paris. She was educated at tn
o same pensionnat."
Il "Did she ever speak of meE"
soften. Her heart is set upon thi
u marriage. She loves you, if you do no
IL love her, 1 know"
% Captain Gauthier smiled dismally.
l. SHOW can l love herP" he responded
70 Especially after"
le He paused confusedly.
o "WhatP" she asked penslvely.
j. "Nothing-no matterl Oh, VIII
n don't the governor order a sorte, c
70 something, so l could get chance t
be killed off"
ot "Oh, don't!' cried Anne in alarm.
4 The order for sortie came, as if el
pressively to accommodate the captain
10 He finished his breakfast hastily, an
y then began to equip himself for IL
III field.
Madame Won Stralendorff had r.
= turned to her own room, but Anne r
~ msined to assist him in equipping hin
u self.
~ ~ She stopped under his right arm
= buckling on his belt, while he held IL
y sword in his left hand; and as she clasl
ed the buckle, he noticed that h,
= fingers trembled, and her face wore a
- anxious look. The face was fully e.
81 posed to his view, as her fl 2ssy, ligl
- = hair was drawn back from her forehead
:, :, and fastened by high quaint coml
~ evidently of Spanish manufacture
Never had Anne's face looked so charm
ing to him as it did that moment. H
"a right arm descended. with an involul
~ ~ tary action, encircled Anne's wals
and drew her to his breast. Her hea
~ rested confiding against his chest, an
:. " her upturned eyes were raised to hi!
I'd betraying too plainly the secret of he
n' heart. She loved him. There was n
p mistaking the story told by those violC
10 10 orbs. "Oh, if you should be killed
~ ~ she murmured, plaintively.
10 He bent his head and kissed the re,
, pouting lips consolingly.
ID She accepted the kiss as matter {
course.
m "Don't worry" he said; II shall re
av turn in safety to you, that is If you
m promise to marry me when | com
To back"
IN "Oh, how can IP'
o. 'tEasy enough"
N "But Julie AyraultP"
IN "I shall never marry her"
he "Oh, you must"
"Then III put myself in the way {