Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-08-21
MARIE LAFARGE.

breakfast one day toward the end Of July,
1SS-.
Haywood and | had been friends mt col
lege, and had lived together in chambers in
the Temple ever since we left Oxford
We shared each others tastes and amuse-
ments and were, in fact, inseparable.
I'VE seem to have done everything" re-
marked ], in reply to Raywood's question.
Can you suggest anything newS"
Let us do some mountaineering"
We have already been to Switzerland
twice"
Eyes, in the ordinary tourist fashion.
What mean is, let us 90 off the beaten
track and find out new places for our
selves"
agreed" said !, so in few weeks time
we were off to the Alps.
After few weeks in Lucerne, where we
had friends, we went south 20 NiterIaken.
and then set out to wander among the less
frequented portion Of the Bernese Ober-
land, and it was on this excursion that we
heard of Marie Lafarge.
well, we're certainly having a good
time" remarked Haywood one day as we
tramped along, but so far we haven't had
single adventure"
" y ~ Sli ell1 tNt VI Out HOW, perhaps,
for the barometer is going down rapidly.
and to be caught in a violent storm on the
edge Of this precipice would be no Joke"
why, look at the Finsteraarhornl There
Is a storm brewing sure enough. Is there
village anywhere about, wonder,n said
Haywood, whose ardor for an adventure
had cooled when he found it might be near
at hand.
~ pgs accord no n hn %,
few huts about mile further ON
Let's hurry along, then" and we did.
We reached the village just rs the storm
burst. The hamlet consisted of some half
dozen dwellings built on a narrow ledge Of
rock.
We looked around for "A hosiery, but
saw none. We went up to a peasant won.
an standing at the door Of a cottage, or.
rather, hut, and asked for the inn.
There is not one" replied she, looking
astonishment at the question
What do tourists do, them"
They never come here"
rs there no one who will give us a
nights iodgingY' asked Haywood in dis
may.
ANY Of us would do so willingly" re-
piled the woman kindly, "but we have no
suitable accommodation. Nine Lafarge
might put you up. sir. She has the largest
house in the village and madame never
loses the chance Of earning anything. Ma
dame is not one Of US. She comes from
Geneva" added the woman disparagingly.
But madame is in such distress" inter
posed the woman's husband "She has
just lost her poor stepdaughter in a dread
full manner There is reason TO fear the
poor girl has been murdered "
Then it would be useless 70 disturb the
poor woman" said l.
81 don't know" replied the peasant wo-
man, who appeared shrewder than her
husband. Mime. Lafarge is not one 10 miss
chance of earning money, aud never did
think her heart was so set on that girl
Marie as she pretended. II you offer her
good terms she'll smother her grief for q
time. Grief can always bide"
we will try, at all events; thank YOU"
said !, and taking one Of the wornaa's chill
dren as guide we went toward the dwell
ing Of Mime. Lafarge.
What has happened TO this girl that
your father speaks of'' asked Haywood Of
the lad.
With some circumlocution ne told a
story, which was briefly as follows:
Nine. Lafarge, who was a widow, had
daughter and a stepdaughter. The lat
ter, Marie by name had Inherited a little
fortune from her mother, and, being also a
charming girl she had been sought in mar
rage by most Of the eligible young men Of
her own and the neigbboring villages.
She was a coquette, however, in an limo
cent, girlish fashion, and while not posi-
lively discouraging any, she gave accept
ance TO none.
A handsome, daring young fellow from
the next village, Max Reikmann by name,
seemed likely, however, to be the happy
man, and he and the coquettsh Marie
were on the point Of being betrothed when
Marie set out one fine afternoon 20 meet her
lover and-never returned.
This was about three weeks before the
day on which we arrived at E..
Whom do they suspectW asked Ray
wood
The boy would not say at first, but lit
tie cross-examination elected the fact that
suspicion was divided between the miserly
stepmother, who had inherited the poor
girls property, and the lover, who was
known to be Of passionate disposition
and desperately jealous.
Most people suspected the lover, how
ever, more than the stepm0ther, inasmuch
as some friends who were spending the
day with Mime. Lafarge and her daughter
witnessed the departure Of Marie TO meet
Max. Nine. Lafarge, however, had left
her guests for a short time after Marie set
out, though, as far as they knew, she had
not quilted the house. Max himself en-
tered the house Of the Lafarges an hour
later, appearing much excited, and asked
why Marie had not met him as she had
promised
Have the remains Of the poor girl been
found yetW asked Haywood.
mo. II she fell over the precipice at the
point people think likely she never will be
found A man fell over last year and they
have never seen trace Of him since"
Presently we reached the house Of the
Lafarges.
II was the last in the hamlet, and stood
somewhat apart from the others. IL looked
comfortable enough in its way. Yet b
chill sense of eeriness, for which | could
not account, fell upon me as we entered
the dwelling.
In another moment forgot everything
else In surprise and admiration.
The boy who conducted US had called out
when we entered the house, and young
girl answered the summons.
She was the most beautiful creature
had ever seen.
She had masses Of rich yellow hair-not
red, but the real hue Of the precious metal.
Her complexion was Of dazzling fairness,
and her eyes were of the deepest, strangest
blue that have ever seen. At one moment
they seemed black, nc another gray, at