The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-04-18
ROGER LAROQUR.
Adapted aad Translated from the French
Of jules Mary.
CHAPTER XVII.


glow, her eyes ablaze and her beauty so daz-
cling that the poor young man stood as If
rooted TO the spot, incapable of speech or
movement
81 see you! you cannot hide from me!'
And then suddenly, from some indefinable
presentiment of trouble, her cheeks grew
pale, her smile faded and her lovely violet
eyes saddened He had to show himself, to
try to smile, but she remained serious.
Raymond" said she, something has hap
pened. What is itN
81 assure you, you are mistaken" said he,
taking her hands and pressing them to his
lips.
Raymond" she continued gravely, ~
have something to tell you, which will,
hope, lie the means of consolidating our hap
piness.n
Their happinessl Raymond sighed
ssYou see,n she continued, ''my father has
also been searching for the real criminal, and
he thinks, with much reason, that he has dis
covered the wretch. If that proves true,
Raymond, we are free to avow our love.
Come with me to see father before you 60
home. He will be SO glad to see you Come,
let us hurry. Then afterward we will go and
tell the good news to your mother, who will
be so happy, too, Raymond-your mother,
whom love so well already"
His motherl He withdrew his arm from
the light constraint of her hand, and then
Suzanne saw what she had not noticed before,
that he was deathly pale and wan, and that
be could not look her i'm the eyes.
SIN heavens name what has happened to
render you like thisr' said she, breathless with
fear
''Nothing."
"IIush do not say that 1t is not true.
am afraid some new misery awaits u.s.
pray you tell me-"
II cannot go to your house now, Suzanne.
must go home first"
~ will 60 with you and we can talk on the
way, and can tell you all that has happened
and all that we hope"
e'No, Suzanne, shall be with my mother
all day, and at night must 60 back to Paris.
Believe me, my dear Suzanne, dearer than
life, that aui not deceiving YOU"
''rell me the truth and 1 will. even if it
costs my life "
"s;uzanne. pray you do not question me
I can only say our happiness is destroyed
Our marriage can never take place. 1t would
DO the greatest misery that ever fell upon two
people"
"a great misery! 1t is but little while
that you pretended to think it great happi-
ness have been told that men are tickle.
know it now"
"But oh! best beloved of women, am not
changed. 4 shall never change, but new
sorrow has overshadowed us, and it is one
which can never lift. l pray you do not ask
me to say more; my heart is broken"
IL believe you. So, then, it is a secret be-
tween us which you will not tell me, or cam
notg'
He lowered his head.
'And this secret she continued, "is not
yours, as mine was not mine. There must be,
then, something Of that sort that forces you
10 keep up before me a like silence, and that
stains the honor of some one of your family.
see you cannot answer. and that from pale
you now blush red Have divinedy'
He joined his hands in agony and held
them out to her in mute supplication.
VERY well, Raymond. Now it is my time
to say, whatever the shame, whatever the
aishonor, love you, and shall still be proud
to hear your name. You did not cast me off
when you learned the full measure of my
woes. Tell me, then, Raymond, tell me
your secret. You are too noble and too
proud, SO that this dishonor cannot be your
swn, but must hear, Raymond, just as you
heard me, so that / may consent or refuse.
Do.you think would refused"
''Do not ask. Do not wish to know, and IL
you did | should be the most unhappy of
men. 1t is, alas! useless"
Raymond, are you tired of me, and is this
subterfugea Please say so, If it is, though
am willing, God knows, to suffer anything
Cor you and with you. do not wish you to
feel that l am OF the kind that urges their
bve upon another"
"Ths is more than cruel My life, my
love and my souls idolatry are given to you,
and you only do OF shall ever love-"
Then since you love me, do not plunge my
whole life in one perpetual mourning Leave
me a little hopo If you do not wish me to
die"
@Adieu, Suzanne, my precious love-"
Raymond, pray you reconsider. Keep
your secret locked in your heart; I will
never ask it, never, swear. will never
think OF it. Our happiness will be possible
again. Oh, Raymond, do not refuse. If
you knew how many tears have wept in
my lonely life since my childhood, and how
much want to know what peace and happi-
ness are"
The poor child had Raymond's hand and
she lifted it to her lips and kissed the fingers
one by one. Hcr sweet words came to his
ears like distant music, and his whole being
thrilled at that tender cares; but the sweet
her and fly. And his happiness and hers
could be secured so very easily. He had but
to keep his awful secret and open his arms
to become the husband of the woman he
lpved. He had but to say one word, and he
made no sound or gesture, for at that mo-
ment he seemed to see in one flash Of light
that whole terrible drama And his soul re-
VOTED at the thought Of his wife, If he con-
sented, being the daughter of his mothers
victim. He questioned his conscience no
moro, for he knew he could not permit such
an abomination. v
Raymond drew back and with groan of
agony, the like of which she never heard, he
started and ran away from her and tempta-
ton as though pursued by demons; and she,
poor girl, held out her hands after his re-
treating figure, but he was gone. And when
she could see him no more she fell swooning
upon the moss as il he had taken her life
with him. She lay thus like one dead
for an hour, and when she regained her
senses she crept feebly home and to her bed,
where morning found her sick and suffering.
When Laroque returned at night he found
her very i'll, with every symptom of brain
fever Tho physician ordered quiet, and said
that he feared she had suffered some mental
shock.