The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-03-21

answered Roger, a little bitterly.
II had no such thought" said the good old
man. ~ only wished to know your plans. l
know that you would be lost IL you remain In
France
II shall leave France tonight, and only
ask of you that you lend me few clothes
and little money. The money is not for
myself, but for Suzanne, who could not en-
dure deprivation. Be sure that will repay
it."
"But Suzannef'
~ have come to take her."
"You are going to take her from usa"
"Why are you surprised Is it not my
rightl cannot live without hsr."
"Listen, Roger" said the old man slowly.
"Here Suzanne will live in peace and COM
fort, Here she will have an honored name,
which unfortunately you cannot give her
now. Think twice before you drag her into
life such as yours must be Penceforth, in
exile and fur from her mothers grave.
Roger, leave her with us. We love her well;
as well as you, and it seems to me that it is
your duty" s@rrw
4Uncle, hear mel am, as you say, dis
graced and hunted man, condemned inno-
Gently to exile from my country. have
nothing but this child. She is everything to
me. need her, otherwise my heart will
break. Listen to me and hear the true story
of this crime for which am unjustly pun
ished. have never told it before, and would
not now, only that you may feel that I am
not entirely unworthy the consolation of my
child"
And then he told them all, reserving moth
ing except the name Of Julia; and they heard
and believed him truly, and said no more
against his right to take Suzanne, though
their poor cd hearts bled.
"But the guilty one. Have you ever
thought 1t was that woman?"
eyes, but cannot believe she did it. Had
she lover who gave her the moneys Was
it for vengeance2 am lost in conjecture.
But shall never give up my intention to
clear up this crime"
Long they talked Of the past, of poor Henri
cite, whose body they found in the river,
though unrecognizable, and whom they
buried piously in the little churchyard at
Vile d'Avray of the machine works which
the good old Bernardo still managed for Su-
cannes sake. Then he gave Roger what
money he had, which was some 1000 francs,
which was the profits of the past year and q
half, and q suit of his own clothes When
all this was done it was nearly / o'clock.
Roger said:
81 must go from here at ON the train, and
it will he necessary to rouse Suzanne and get
her dressed"
With heavy hearts the old couple reused
and dressed the child and wrapped her in a
warm fur cloak and hood and pulled thick
wooden stockings over her shoes that she
might not be cold A small bundle of neces-
saries for Suzanne was made up, and then
the time had come for them to go. The old
aunt wept those hard wrung tears of the
aged as she wrapped the little child she loved
so tenderly, and then they opened the door.
The weather had changed and the snow was
falling in great flakes, obscuring the road
and rendering it almost impossible to see
yard in advance.
"Roger," said the old man, II forgot to
say that Suzanne, after the fever she had,
has never seemed to remember that dreadful
experience She thinks that you and her
mother are travelling. I would not try to
awaken her memory. She will be happier
so. 1 think God had pity upon her youth and
tenderness and so yelled her memory"
"God grant it," said Laroque. II wish
also might forget"
Suzanne had not aroused enough to know
anything that was taking place, OF that she
was being dressed for voyage. But at last
she opened her eyes,
as it morning~ said she drowsily.
"No, precious one," said the old lady. at
is in the middle of the night, but we had to
take you up to tell some good news"
as it Christmas?"
mo, darling, but your dear papa, who has
been away so long, has come home"
A nervous tremor passed through the deli
cate frame of the child, and she took on sud-
denly that same look she had worn during
I,.k
tho three anxious persons around her did not
notice By and by she said slowly:
Father has comet Where is he, then?"
Then Roger stepped forward and took her
in his arms and covered her with kisses, and
he did not notice that she did not kiss him.
Then he asked:
"Are you glad to see me, my childp
ayes, father"
ave will not be parted again. We are go
ing away together"
"Going aways Going to leave Val Dieu and
good uncle and aunta Father, why cannot
you stay here"
"For reasons which you cannot understand,
my darling"
II am very sorry to leave here, father, but
we will CO."
"She has entirely forgotten" said he, thank
fully, to himself
At last Suzanne, muflled up to the eyes, was
ready, and the old aunt, with tears streaming
down her wthered cheeks, said:
"Go, my child, my darling. am too old to
hope to ever see you again. Take, then, my
last kiss, and may God guard you and guide
you'll"
Then the uncle kissed the pale little face,
and his heart swelled with grief, but he tried
to bear up.
"My precious baby said he. "your father
needs you, and you must CO. He will do all
he can to make you happy. Do the same for
him. If you ever come BACK to France, come
home here, where you are our own child.
God bless you. Roger, write to us, and let us
know how she is, and send her photograph il
you can, and as often as you want money
send for it."
"Good aunt and uncle, will never forget
you, and will love you forever" said the
child. fs.a
Then Roger took her in his arms and went
out into the tempest of snow and icy wind,
and in twenty minutes more they were speed
ing away toward the frontier, while the two
desolate old people wept in their deserted
home.