Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-05-22
"BY THE MEREsT ACCIDENTS
UMr Wiinev ,"

"Mr. Whitney p
''SirY" replied the individual addressed.
II want you to cross to France this even.
ing"
''Yery we'll, sir, said Mr.. Whitney quietly.
cor to morrow morning will do. Here are
your instructions. Read these papers care.
fully make the best arrangements you can.
| may want the house-you will see all about
1t In these documents"
''Am to purchase the premises, sir 2"
mo, no they have come to me-to the
firm in consequence Of an advance made
by my old partner, who, you know, died the
other dav. Take possession zee what the
place is like whether il will do for sum
mer residence. You know the kind OF thing
| want to take the children TO, and eau de-
pend on you"
Mr. Whitney bowed, and said he thought
Mr.. Barnstone might depend on him. He
took the deeds, made his arrangements at the
office, tidied and tied up his papers on his
desk, and then strolled homewsrds at three
O'Clock to pack his portmantesu. He was q
man of about forty-good natured, tTustful,
and trustworthy--R man of whom little chill
dren always stopped to inquire ''the time, "
and we're satisfied even if he did not drag out
his watch-a man who piloted old ladies' and
blind men over dangerous London crossings
"A man beloved by animals and children,
which followed him faithfully as q dog in
and about his house at Brixton.
Such was Peter Witney-a somewhat i'm
pulsive man like his great namesake-a per.
son deserving Of every confidence in the le.
gal employment which he pursued but not
likely to make very large fortune in any
thing-he was too easy going as we'll az too
good natured.
Mr.. Peter Whitney strolled hOmewards first
to Ludgate Hill station to take a train to
BrIton, where in bachelor apartments be
passed his quiet EVENING" He was crossing
Chancery lane, by the post-ofice, when a
young and decidedly pretty girl, French
girl, stopped him aud said in broken Eng
lish-
''Sare, would you be so kind ?-you look
very kind-COuld you tell me where can
find the Lincolns Inn Fields? 2"
"Lincolns Inn mademolselle mAis Ger.
tainement; je-"
"Ah! monsieur parle franc Iis," she eK.
claimed, interrupting him with q pleased ex-
preston.
Then Whitney, who was a French scholar,
addressed her IN her native tongue, and walk
ed with her few PAGES in order to put her
in the right direction. SO they went through
Lincoln's Inn, chatting, and he found her
destination was none other than Mr. Barn
stones office.
Having parted with his young companion
at the office, he hurried away TO LudRate
again. He had learnt from q slip of paper
she gave him that the fair foreigners name
was Pulcherie MAlias, but he did not inquire
her business in Lincoln's Inn Fields after
he had announced her arrival to the clerk 10
charge.
"A very pretty girl indeed" murmured
this middle-aged bachelor; "a charming
Tan aW,A kaNa D..l. X
quite fitting too, for wonder. Malais il
not so nice, but it may one day be changed
All mel"
Thinking Of Pulcberie, Peter Whitney en-.
tered the train still thinking of her, he went
home, aud packed ''Pulckerie" In his port
manteau. But somehow that young person
escaped, for she was with him all the even
ing IN The train to Newhaven she crossed
the channel with him in the Normandy" :"
and reached Dieppe with him in the warm
autumn daylight as bright and fresh a men,
ory as ever oh, Peter, Peter ! truly thou
art in love
The premises which Peter Whitney had TO
investigate aud arrange for were situated
some little distance up the coast, at or near
village which boasted a small river and q ish.
ing population of amphibous habits. The
place shall not be more particularly describ.
ed, but the river flowed through the valley
of the Ange, and the stream and the iucreas-
ing village bear the name.
Fishermen, dealers in cattle-for the val
| ley is pastoral-lacemakers, these are the in
habitants and they follow their peaceful oc-
| cupations contentedly. II was q very fiue
morning when Mr. Whitney reached the viii
lRge he had walked over from Diepps the
day after his arrival in that town, and found
the people en- .tete in the village.
1t was hohday-a holy-day, apparently.
for the inhabitants, had Just come from the
church, and the girls we're dressed in holiday
garb, walking in picturesque groups laugh
ing, chattering, and while avoiding, yet glanc-
ing saucily at the young men, who, standing
or seated, also in pairs or threes, would dis
euss the weather and the fishing and the cat
tie, while always keeping the young ladies' in
sight. happy, pleasant picture aud Pc
ter Whitney looked on at the scene with great
delight.
He determined to give himself a holiday
too. He could not do business amid such
scene. So he made friends directly, and in
| quiIies indirectly concerning the premises he
| had come to take over and have transferred.
He learned that the house lay away from the
village it was a mere farm house amid trees
enclosed by wall and paling. It had been
untenanted some time. The family had sold
everything, and quilted the village some
| weeks before.
They were poor ?" suggested the English
man.
The man addressed shrugged his shoulders
az he replied
"Well, not entirely. The good man and
his wife had died. His sister and their
| daughter lived in the house till the last har-
vest. The son was away in the army Of AT.
rica Young M. Desmoulins, the miller's
son, had paid much attention to the young
lady, and had been repulsed by her. So, be-
ing the owner Of the property, he had taken
his revenge, and managed to frightea them
away. Poor girl He was mauDais sujet p
"But he had no right to do so, said Wit
| ney. The house was mortgaged 10 an En-
glishman; he is dead now. IL was handed
over a. security for advances to the young
soldiers father"
"That is as may be. The house is closed
up the dbictes of the sale are on the doors
II is desOlate-empty."
sis it far from here 2"
"Well, no. A walk of perhaps half an
hour or so will bring you there-amongst the
trees yondeT. You see those tall poplars,
those to the eastward ?"
Peter Whitney nodded assent.
"Up there you will find the place II
stands above the road on your right hand a
little path leads up to the house. You can
not mistake it"
Thank you, monsieur" replied Whitney.
~ think l will go aud zee it,"
Peter Whitney made his way toward the
poplars aud passed them. He then plunged
into more wooded country, and the road
tended southeast. Then he came to gate
and path on the right, as indicated. He en-
tered and asoended the path, passing In the
direction whence he had come. But 10 mo
ment he recoiled in Astonishment.
Seated on a ruined portion of a wall was a
young soldier, apparently on a fuTlough. A
small bundle lay beside him in the rank
grass q short stick was still hooked within
il. The mans attitude exhibited the deepest
objection. His head rested, hatless, on his
arm his attitude, the limp and hanging