The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-01-04
ut is true. though. have heard all"

less to-day3 When you were put into my
arms a weak. dying child, / accepted you,
to replace the little one whom ! had lost.
You were i'll; and for weeks no one
thought you could recover. i nursed
you, Adrienne, and when you came out OF
the fever, your first words were spoken to
me. You called me Mother Oh, Adri-
enne, that word seemed TO bind US to-
gether. You were 30 helpless, 30 winning,
30 lovely! and was pining for childs
affection. Since then, have you ever hsd
p grief or pleasure unsharsd by meI
Have not cried when You were in pain.
and laughed 10 zee you bappyi Surely,
Adrienne, have been a mother to yon.
Have you not always loved and trusted
met Arc yon not my ,eoDpanion and
friendi II were in disgrace, would you
forsake met"
"No, no; would never leave you"
iii were sick and poor"
Then wonld work for you, nurse
you"
'.And il / should die"
al think would die too"
"Then. Adrienne, you are my child"
The duchess clasped the sobbing girl in
her arms, and kissed her. soothing her
with gentle caresses aud kind words.
Then you will still call me motherT
"oh. yes, yes' You are mother to
mev :.
She lay passive for some minutes in the
arms Of the duchess, who IN vain asked
herself the secret Of all this emotion.
Suddenly Adrienns roee. and fixing her
sad eyes ON tbs duchess, spoke slowly
and with frmness:
.Ali this Int proves to Inc my duty"
What 40 yon mean, AdrienDer b.
~ inust leave you"
leave me! Never. my child, never!
The knowledge Of this secret 10 no way.
eakens the bond between us. Every
year the nobility of your character has
made you dearer to US; We have watched
you developing like come lovely, arrange
hlossom, sent to us as gift from Heaven.
You cannot break the ties that hold rs to-
gether."
And IL yon can thus love me, u
stranger, y dependant ON your charity; il
you can wish 10 have Ine near you, how
must he feel. alone, abandoned. separated
from all-even from the child who de-
stroyed himi Oh, my place ia with him! ]
must 10 TO hinw
"Adrienne. you frighten ME. Of whom
are typu .talkingi"
"Of my own dear father"
"Your father! Why, Adrienne, you
must be losing your senses."
oh, no; am only coming to them.
To-day saw him; my poor, poor father.
Oh. L want to 20 70 him! want to hear
him speak to me AGAIN.
The dnke, coming in, stood mOtionless
Adrienns vas standing in the middle Of
the room, her arms outsiretched ne if to
clasp come one. her eyes fixed on vacancy.
The duchess, frightened and agitated.
seemed paralyzed at the sigh,.
What 10 all thisi What has happensdp
The duke put his arms around the
trembling giyl. whose sobs now shook her
more violently than ever. She looked in
his face, but could not speak. The duke
glanced from her 70 his wife.
"Oh, 10 is al n mystery 10 me! AdSi-
enne il possessed vith the idea that she
has seen her own father, and mnst 10 TO
him.
The duke sbivered. "llnpoesible.
There must I've some mistake! Where is
.O'Rourkei" t.9.. Ia. .1as;g
s'He-- had nothing -no,h hing 70 10 With
h," murmuie.l Adyisnne, ss the sink q rang
The bell. W VII $50
'ssend URonrke here - onee.' Was bic
order when The servant appeared. He
must explain this. my child"
u Soh, he would have prevented il, l
think, butt al happened before be
came. We RECOGNIZED eschather. II WAS
fight-it was best, Heaven must have
willed it, for my poor fathers sake. Now,
there is hope; his innocence may I've
proved, and If noi-he will have his
child!" "a -... #f
~ @ORourke, what does this meant" asked
tbeduke,, when The rnansnade his appear
ance, looking unusually quiet and de-
pressed. when you brought our child
here You said that she was an orphan;
that no one would ever claim her.
"No one does claim her, SIR
Then what is all this2 See, the child
is miserable; talks of leaving ms. AMI Of
having seen her father"
~ "And so she did see him; and a better
man and Drawer soldier never bent
shoe-leather. Yon know that as well as
/ do" - | f &l
~ know it OF whom are you talking"
"Of her father, John Renaud."
"Jean Renaud!" exclaimed the duke.
"The man who murdered poor Made
leine, my foster sister"
"A passionate cry interrupted her Adj
rienne started from her-arms.
1T is false, all false! My father never
killed my mother! You. you do not be-
believe it; she was murdered. but not by
him, not by himr
Adrienne appealed TO the duke, who
would have taken her in his arms, even
while resisting her agonized prayer for
justice to her father. Reading his face,
Adrienne turned 70 the duchess, her eyes
asking the question.