The morning call., 1891-12-13

Zoe rose above the vile temptation. She
Lowell this man. l was sure; and she would
lose him. and her young life would lose all
JOY without moments warning or word
of farewell.
Before l knew what [ was doing had
swung the boat round down stream. 81
will spare her that" / said aloud, as IL
were speaking to another man. But it was
not easy to manage such Il clumsy craft, and
while ! was doing my best to little purpose,
saw Vasseur rise again twenty yards be-
low and then sink. II | meant to help him
| must help him without the boat l was
swimmer enough not to fear for myself. so
| threw off my blouse, and, with Zoe's name
in my heart, L sprang after him into the lev
water. | have often wondered since how !
found him so quickly in that terrible
perplexity of swirling currents. Find
him. nevertheless. l did. He was
quite unconscious. and hung like a
leg in my grasp. 1t seemed an eternity be-
fore could get him on to my shoulder and
when | looked for the boat | could see her
no longer. There was nothing for it hut to
swim ashore. How | managed that is
marvel to every one, especially to myself.
There came one awful moment when l felt
that all was over with me, for as / gasped
for breath my mouth and nostrils filled with
water and for few seconds | was at the
mercy of the current Then L pull my
self together for one last effort, Ii we are
both drowned" l thought, perhaps she will
be sorry for me. too" The next minute /
felt the bottom under my feet, and as
stepped to land with my unconscious bur
den L knew that life was worth struggling
for, even if l had to live without Zoe
The very next day, in the thick of all the
talk about the accident of the night before.
told Nicolas that had made up my mind
to go to Antwerp and ind work at the new
DOCKS they were building. and that he had
best make his terms with NaSseur.
You are going far enough, my lad" he
said SaIlV ''hnt if If ha IL
talk to Nasseur when he's got over his duck
ing"
The same evening went to my uncle's. I
thought | should be better able to make a
new start when | said guod-by to Zoe 1t
would be Ike drawing line under all that
had happened that summer and autumn, |
found her alone in the garden. 1t was a
gnpd opportunity Of speaking to her, but
The old shyness seized me, and | couldn't
make a beginning. Nor did she wait for
one.
Michel" she cried, holding out her
hands to me, you were brave, good man
last night An, cousin, you NAV talk of the
OLD quarrel as much as YOU like. out you
forgot all about it al the right moment"
~ didn't forget Zoe" | said " didn't
save him for his own sake-but for yours"
For NINE Michel" she exclaimed. with
n look Of wondering joy; really for my
sakc?"
Yes, Zoe; but I'd rather not talk of that
1t = over anu ulht Win. We come 10 talk
If something else-Pve come to say good
"Why, Michel? NJ. Andre will never
urn you out of yenr place now, even ii he
does buy the yard
That's nothing to do with it." said
Il have made up my mind to go. and
mean to GO"
For a moment she looked into my face. |
cnuld see there were tears in her eyes. -
mean tn co. L went ONT was the look in
her face that made me say thls-''because |
love YOU so dearly, Zoe"
At this she smiled.
That's queer reason 10 give, Michel"
she whispered.
- lt's true one. Zoe"
III tits true" she said, more softly still.
81 should have thought ii was good rea-
; for staying here"
II e." l cried in amazement, you don't
want me to stay? You surely don't care
for me?"
You know best, Michel, of course"
she said, just as she had said it the even
ing before, but, remember, you've never
asked me-
We'll" said my uncle when we told him,
''tEe girls been brought up 10 choose for
herself, and she has sense enough TO choose
for herself. For my part, | had rather she
took the other lad. but its more her bust
ness than mine. so I'll make the best of it.
Only mind, young man, no more talk of
going away. Fm liked al Hastiere, aud the
girl STAYS with me"
That question was soon settled to his sat
isfaction. My wish 10 go away had van
ished: and when, a lew weeks later, Tael-
man really sold his yard, it was Blaise
Barraud who bought it, and /, his son-in-
law, became the manager OF his new spec
ulatiOn.
But The quarrel between the two Hastieres
still survives, and my children have moth
ing TO do with the children of Andre Vas
senr on the other side of the water.-From
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