Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-02-15

door, which Roger opened with the key he
had obtained from tue agent from whom lie
had rented his own house, as he had not dared
claim its possession in the name of Suzanne.
who was its ostensible owner.
They went up the stairs, Pivolot cautionlnf
them against making noise, and when they
reached the parlor they found that Tristot
had already borne the body Of Henriette to
her own room, with memory for places
that would have been remarkable i'll any one
but himself. AS soon as he received the light
he made q sign for NJ. Lacroix to follow him,
and he only was permitted to enter the room.
Instantly he recognized the pale face lying
upon the pillows apparently without life or
motion, as that of Mme Laroque, whom he
had SO numerically tortured, and whose pres
ence was mystery beyond bis power to solve.
NJ. Lacroix went back again, and as he
tried to speak he burst into such q passion OF
penitent tears that every one was moved.
Then he said, recovering himself:
"Pivolot you are something Of a doctor.
For Gods sake do something for that poo1i
creature; and, Tristot, 60 for the doctor, and
if you see a woman anywhere bring her here.
If not, 20 for Mother Dondaine, and don't let
the grass grow till you bring some one.
"M De Lgnerolles, you and I may have
reason to be thankful for this nights work,
which may enable us to repair the greatest
wrong We havo ever done. Roger Laroque,
brace yourself for the greatest shock you
probably ever experienced. The person who
lies insensiblc in your wifes bed ls-courage-
none other than she herself, alive, and hope
soon to be restored to you. Stay, do not 60
in there yet. She has tainted, and it might
be dangerous for her to see you too suddenly.
Try to wait in patience until the arrival of
the DOCTOR Come; you have been resigned
and patient under her supposed loss. Nov
that she is alive and found. have courage just
little while longer"
Roger could not, dared not, believe them
when they told him this, and he sat like one
who has received stunning blow upon the
head which had benumbed all his faculties.
He remembered afterward that he had
thought that sometimes he had heard of such
things-things fully as unexpected and re-
marllable as this-and be tried to bring bim-
self to hope that no chance resemblance had
deceived these usually astute men. Then he
thought: Il will not allow myself to even
hope until am sure. 1t is impossible"
II beg of you, NJ. Laroque, do not look SO
frightened or unhappy. assure you, on my
honor as man, and as one who has uncon-
sciously wronged both you and that poor
young lady lying within, that am not mis-
taken; that is your wife, beyond doubt We
found a body in the river, it is true, which
was supposed to be hers, but the river, you
know, is quite far from here, and it is very
certain now that it was that Of some unfor-
tunate person not your wife. Where she has
been all these years, how she has returned
and entered here, is more than can tell, and
then, besides, her presence on that balcony
that strange cry we heard calling your name.
Why, can you not see2 Do you not feelF"
"Alasm said Roger, in husky whisper, II
have suffered so much that dare not hope.
Let me be until there is no possibility of
mistake. Oh, let ME see her!"
"Wait-wait just one little minute till tho
doctor comes But how is it that everything
is so clean and in such perfect order herea
This house has been uninhabited ever since
your uncle took the little one away. She
may have been living here unknown to any
body all this while"
"No, for when returned to this country
one of my first visits was to this place, and
the neglected air was too painful to me, SO l
went as William Forney and leased both
these places, and had Mother Dondaine' put
both houses in order, and if what you think
could possibly be true, I shall be doubly glad
did so"
During this conversation Pivolot was doing
all he could to restore the poor young woman
to consciousness, but without avail. She
breathed, however, regularly though family,
and knowing nothing better to do he retired
from sight Of her and stood waiting for Iris
tot to return
Tristot had found and sent the doctor post
haste, without saying who he was to find at
the supposed deserted house. When he
reached there and found the two magistrates
and the American he was surprised, but when
he saw his patient his astonishment turned to
absolute fear, so that it was with difficulty
he could administer the needful remedies.
When he came out Of the room he saw that
the strange man appeared horribly agitated.
and that he clasped his hands as he said in
an entreating voice: doctor, 1 pray you
tell me if you know her?'
"Who ore you, and have you a right to askl"
"He has, DOCTOR" said NJ. Lacroix, "and it
is our request that you tell him if you know. "
"Very well, then. 1t is the lady whom we
have all believed dead these ten years, whose
supposed body I saw and whose funeral
attended-in word, Mme Henriette La
rogue"
HAre you positive-certain, without tue
possibility Of doubt? Tell me true, doctorp
aOf course I am. Haven't known her
ever since her childhood2 Have I not at-
tended her and her little girl in every illness
they had? only wonder how I could have
been such laundering donkey before"
Still Roger dared not hope. He could be-
lieve no one but himself, and he had not seen
her. Besides, he thought, there is but one
lamp, and by its feeble light they cannot see
clearly, and so the poor man tried to shut his
heart against hope, fearing disappointment.
Just now Tristot was heard without, and
some one with him, and he came up stairs
with a triumphant air and handful of
candles which lie had hastily purchased.
The person who was with him was not
Mother Dondaine, but tho good and gentle
old Nine ubois. He had seen her hurrying
along the street, peeping anxiously in every
direction, as if hunting for some one or some
thing.
ooh, sir!" said she to Tristot, 'have you
seen q young woman dressed in black pass by
here2 She slipped out and I Cannot find her.
She is Just like a little child in her mind, sir;
one Of Gods own,' you know, natural,
and I am so frightened don't know what
will become of her here. She never wanted
to leave us at all in the valley"
aCome with me. I think I know some
thing. Is she your daughter"
"No; she just appeared at our house like
the saints and miracles, and for ten years she
mas lived with us, and we loved her and
treated her as if she was our own. She was
all dressed in black, with her beautiful hair
all hanging in loose curls, and she had on one
slipper only.
She never told us who she was or where she
came from, and if we asked her anything she
always said: Il know nothing about it, and
never saw anything,' and that was ALL"
Tristot was satisfied now, and in few mo-
ments the old lacy was by the poor young
wife,s side, but her efforts, like the doctors,
did not seem to arouse her. Still, the doctor
said. she was in no immediate danger, and
seemed moro in lethargc slumber than q
faint and he questioned tho old woman, who
repeated her simple story, which convinced
all who heard it of Henriette's identity.
When Roger heard this story he was Sc
overcome with joy and with the reaction of
all the emotions through which he had passed
during the last few weeks, that he was ALSO
lutely unable to sustain himself. The
doctor said:
"Well, Roger, though it seems like reading
the widest romance to discover that you are
alive and here and to know oil that has