The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1885-07-31

fGrct tlht 50 luIhiuOus' "
hut by a man who had been
"a YOUR friendship. There seems but
10 INT a stop to the scandal. Mile
(de looked up quickly at me-"and once Tor
mi refute it, and that Is for some friend to call
he Comte out. May l venture to claim that
title for myself and have the honor OF defend
ny your name, which is very dear to me Z"
| spoke warmly, and was repaid BY Miss An
ne's flush OF Joy. -,
allow noble and good you are!" she cried,
staring up impalsively, with outstretched hand'
ped her. She was very much moved.
"Monsieur B, don't know how to thank
: OH for your generous desire to serve my inter.
ests but this must not be. feel sure yen will
respect my earnest wishes in this matter. will
have no ones life sacrificed to my poor repua-
ton If it cannot take care OF itself 1t is hardly
worth fighting r." There was an indescriba-
Bile pride and q wy IN her manner. You are
voice softehs6 n your first duty is to her, and
YOU would risk leaving her without q natural
protector and deprive her Of her only joy in
iiie."
had all young mans and frehchman's hor-
ct T. l IUM as il we're afraid" objected
CIV dear FRIEND" rejoined she eagerly, "the
cowardice lies all the other way. The desire to
helm me- looks honorable enough, bat it is none
the less a teuahtion to which Won't have you
yield. Nd RsT ~, WORD she ;.s said Inn m.
p;eriou ics ssv,TS. nT 1oo about Ito to
dissent from tr en- ict. am utterly sick
VI the subject. Do ~
saw + wss homeless to attempt to reason
with he, and AMIDST wished had worked out
nv plan ~ithmt her knowledge; but my con-
H. =,
science told ne she was rip'ht ana resigned my
hopes of silentny De Lateurelle, WIN sign,
and yeta sort OF relief. i,c Gea aud rsnaut
the conversatIdn upon lightsr topics anu ispeht
p!easanter afernoon than Ncould have thought
possible nnderthe circumstah ces.
p''''''' uiN ",
For more than week Z came and went to
MIL ~ rIaade s-house as tholigh nothing had hap
.'aned INF could see tha,C she was stin unlike
ZERO per old cheerful self.
M de Laourelle still s3ayed on in tie place,
though his intimacy with the two ladies was OF
be mere nine days wonder and then be for
gotten; but, for once gossip refused to let thu
scandakdie out Sc, {epal people ceased to visi
Ns1fe CLAUDE, and her position became daily q
more doubtful and unpleasant one. She was 8
great deal too proud to leave s.. She hac
As good right to be there as any one, she
maintained; tie place suited her and Miss Har-
land, and no ole should say that M de Latou'
rellc HAD driven her away. She could give nc
reason FIR his sudden change from friend to enc.
nv, bnt had shrewd suspicion that she had
repnlsed bis offer of something warmer than
friendship, and that his wounded vanity had re-
yenged itself In the first way his mean nature
suggested. One day, nearly month after my
PROPOSAL to fight the Comte, called and FOUND
Miss Anne alone at home. She was evidently
pleased to see me, and her manner nad III III
sort of suppressed excitement. ....
~ have found some one at last VINO lnSis' !,
on calling out the Comte," she said hurriedly,,
"aud want you to be his second. YOU VIII,
won't you asd you will promise faithfully HOT
te tell Claude !"
"Who is i'll Unjust know that first" =,
"No! first promise me faithfully not 70 ie,
eli SIriu y6u d ihs E f ns "a" as
usual, made her look quite pretty, and, under
this new charm OF her manner, promised be-
fore knew what was doing.
"That's right" she sighed with an air of re-
lief. "Now will tell you who it is" Her
voice shook a little and her color deepened. "It
is my twin brother"
"Your twin brother didn't even know you
had brother Mile Anne!' exclaimed.
She looked a little annoyed, and replied rath-
er coldy, as if she thought my surprise savored
of lmpertinence, 81 never talk about my PEG
pie, or any one care for very much"
This was perfectly true and quite in keeping
with her reticence and shyness, and l was sor-
ry l had appeared astonished.
ss"But is your brother in France :" ventured
to ask,
"He came over on business to Paris last week,
and wrote at once to me, saying he had so lit.
tie time to spare that he was afraid he
should not see me. l did not tell Claude he
had come, but wrote back and told him all
about this wicked scandal, and he is just mas
be adores Claude-she has been so good to US
all-and he has sent me challenge to forward
to the Comte, and he says he will fight hin the
day after tomorrow at all costs, in any out Of
he way place he likes to fix on. / told him
COW good you had been in offering to fight and
ne says he must have you for his second and
get you to arrange it all for him. Is it asking
100 much p
"No, no, indeed will do what can. and
frankly tell you, dear Mademoiselle, that l am
rlad some one is taking the matter up. Only
I'm sorry your brother is so young man; the
Jomte is a dead shot,"
The color left her face; she looked almost as
f she were going to faint.
Never mind" she said presently, with lit
lie effort at smile, and courageous tone of
,oice, "my brother has the right on his side,
md that goes long way"
shook my head, but agreed to further Mr.
Iarland's plans.
Miss Anne drew piece OF paper from her
,ocket.
"Hers 4 the 1ssdnls s sns(aid nervously.
II was writt1n in fine, neat hand, and was
urt and to the point, all formalities and adorn
nents of sty1e having been dispensed with by
he writer. III ut the paper into my note book.
"Ieaye me and will arrange it. When
hall | see yo(l a brother"
81 am afrair re won't see yOu till just before
be DUEL" She said, land know he would like
0 fight toward evening, possible"
We were then in the month OF May and the
venings were beautiful and cool.
every well,'rH replied, 81 will try and ar
ange for the cySling, but must let your broth.
+ know the RESULT"
"If Won sent a mote to me I will make sure of
i'm. l don't wahlt Claude to know, aud would
,ther keep the arrangements between just yon
nd me; she might otherwise suspect"
Gas you will ssF- Mademoiselle; am
rely at your Commands M
len," said Miss Annie, as she held out vher-
promised TO 10 SO and then made my adieux. |
s [ walked home turned the matter over in |
" mind. till ended with sharing much of |
iss Af1ne's enthusiasm with regard to the pro- |
,sed duel. As Frenchman and man OF |
,nor, saw nothing wrong in it, though no |
,ubt you, madame, as an English woman,
lux differently hated De Latourelle as
loroughly as Miss Harland did, and it had
'st me a real pang to forego the pleasure of
lencinc his malicious tongue and ruffing his |
,quisite nonchalance. / don't think either of |
wished 10 have his life, but we did want him
punished and bumiliated. Thought
ISIS Harland's brother very good fellow, and
to help him 20 the best Of my ability.
Jailed on the Comte next day and presented
T Harland's challenge, at the same time an
,uncing myself as his second. The Comte was
smiles and superiority :. the effect was i'm
ensely aristocratic. He would be happy to
eet Mr. Harland at any time, and suggested a
nall fir wood, couple of miles from the
n hn Ill a. Az 10 xuna L