The Globe-republican., 1892-11-04
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
Nine. de Vigny, Lucie and Lawrence
sat on the veranda till moonrise. 1t
would have pleased the young man bet
ter if the mother had been away, for he
had made up his mind to declare his
love to Lucie at the first opportunity;
still the privilege of sitting near the
beautiful girl was, under all the circum-
stances, much more than he could have
expected, utter stranger to Nine. de
Vigny as he was. The reader must re-
member, however, in this connection,
that wayfaring strangers who ask Tor
hospitality in thinly populated coun-
try generally receive all the attention
due an honored guest. This was the
rule in the South during the earlier
days of slavery, when the plantations
were far apart and the means Of travel
mostly private and slow.
Il must set out for New Orleans in
the morning." said Lawrence, even if
l have to 90 on foot"
The thought had come into his mind
abruptly and he spoke it without re-
Election.
But no, monsieur" exclaimed Nine.
de Vigny, 1T would never do. You
could not do it. You would starve on
the way; and then there is that dread
full panther, that terror of the Teche.
Il have not the slightest fear, ma
dame" the young man responded. 4
panther is a cowardly brute. I have
killed more than one. This one is no
worse than any other. Who has he ever
eaten?"
a great many people, they say" re-
piled Nine. de Vigny. The negroes tell
the stories"
But do you know of any particular
person."
a traveller, I have heard, was found
mangled and dead a few miles from here
some years ago.
Nine. de Vigny," said Lawrence,
your husband told me last evening
that this wild beast had killed his son,
| one of his brothers and his cousin Fe-
| Iix d. Antin, besides two other relatives.
Mon Dieu, Monsieur Lawrence!"
1t was Nine de Vigny who spoke,
but both the ladies were greatly excit-
ed. Lucie, especially, was painfully
| agitateG.
We all know that it is trait of human
nature as deep-seated as the roots of
! life for us to take strong delight in prob
! ing the secret wounds of those we love.
Lawrence did not pause or falter when
once he saw the way to wrench from
Lucie the mystery after which he was
reaching.
In the first place, Col. de Vigny never
had Il cousin living in Louisiana, much
| less one by the name of Felix d Antin.
AS for the brother and the son, both
We're myths. The De Ningy family had
been a slender one in the male line; the
Colonel was the only one that had come
from France to America. The brother
in New Orleans, of whom Lucie had
spoken, was of the half blood, the Col
oneFs mother having married the Sec
ond time. Lawrence felt some obscure
twinges of conscience while thus draw
ing out the skeleton from the closet o.
this isolated home. The main fact was
however, that Colonel de Vigny's mind
had been recently showing signs OF
breaking, or rather what had once been
a light hobby for it had become a mono
mania Some years ago the panther
had chased him one night and ever since
that terrible experience the impression
had been growing upon him that sooner
or later The beast would destroy him.
Gradually his talks on the subject had
assumed the proportions of romance and
his stories touching the panther's ex.
PLOTS took the form of family history as
has already appeared. On every Other
subject he was perfectly sane, and even
on this one his Obliquity was more like
the play of a vivid Imagination than like
the effect of disease.
Now, as Lawrence sat there in the
dusk with the drowsy influence of the
emi-tropic air coming over him, and
saw Lucies beautiful face simmer like
star, it is no wonder that, with all
the strange Impressions of his recent
experiences weighing upon him, ne
should feel like one in a dream, or like
one suddenly drawn away from real
every day life to the region of Old-time
story.
The three sat there chatting in a
desultory way, while the moon climbed
up the sky and dimmed the flare of the
southern stars. Once, twice, three
times Lawrence thought he heard, faI
away in the woods, the long vail OF
the old panther. If the ladies noticed
it they gave no sign. Perhaps they
were so accustomed to the sound that
it no longer attracted their attention.
Presently a heavy, booming sound
rolled around the western horizon arc,
and they all saw for the first time q
black cloud tumbing up the sky.
1T is q hurricane!" exclaimed a scared
servant.
Lncie sprang to her feet.
And father!' she cried, father will
be out in it,"
Nine. de Vigny vas greatly excited.
too. and Lawrence saw in a moment OF
two that there was in fact a great wind
coming. bearing before it torrent OF
rain. accompanied with q wild network
Of keen. slender lightning flashes,
whose reverberations grew in force
with startling rapidity.
Lawrence arose and stood bewildered.
Then the panther screamed near by in
the woods.
! Down came the first wave Of the wind
| and churned the bayou into wreaths and
| flakes, at the same time jarIing the
mansion from roof to foundation.
Nine. de Vigny screamed and ran into
the hall.
A heavier throb followed, almost lift
: ing Lawrence off his feet as he caught
i Lucie up in his arms in the midst OF a
/ level rain stream. He had enough pres
ence of mind to leave the house at once,
and bear his precious burden away from