San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-08


stone. Curiosity moAgers would be
sure to discover and carry off the stone
piecemeal. Years after. when interest
in the sensation had completely died
out, Frank Lebourgeois placed sim
pie stone at his grave. Frank said that
so much was due the man who had
played bad part with such conshm-
mate skill and boldness, though he
were a murderer and impostor.
when a man plays for such stakes
a. he played for, even if his dice
were loaded" said Frank, 81
should never rest easy in my own
grave if did not do for him the small
service of a common humanity. All
life is gamble, and who of us always
plays fair? His name cut on a head
stone won't hurt any of his sleeping
neighbors. won't disturb their dreams.
And after all, he was at one time pretty
intimate with our family"
And so the Count owed his grave and
headstone to one of the men whom he
had most deeply wronged. Let him
pass here from our history to that final
adjudication, where we all, smaller or
bigger, must at last let the daylight in
on our deeds and receive the sentence
of judge, whom no sham or pretence
can hoodwink.
This work attended to, and the money
and Securities considerable sum.
which the Count left, beside the
property he had left over in France
the chateau he had seized and i'm.
proved-being turned over to trustee
appointed for young Robert Graham,
the rightful heir, by the court, the
Lebourgeois family was ready 10 ar
range plans for the summer. Even
friends at sach a time were hardly to
be thought of. There would be so
much to ignore or explain that the
daily meetings and associations would
be far from pleasant, however much
tact and delicacy there might be on
both sides At this juncture Frank be-
thought him of a scheme. When in
New Haven, just before coming on to
st. Louis, Frank had heard some
friends, who were going to Europe for
the summer, express the wish that they
could rent their island while they
were away. This island was one of
the Thimble Islands, off Stony
Creek, a town some fifteen miles from
New Haven, New London way. Many
of these islands are very retired. being
owned by families, who keep every
thing perfectly quiet. Frank immedi-
ately decided to secure this island if it
were posi- BILE. He took the next train
East, visited his New Haven friends,
and struck a bargain. They were glad
enough to secure such excellent ten
ants. The house was comforta BILE,
rambling structure, with plenty of
room, each room having a fireplace,
and the whole completely embowered
in trees. Frank telegraphed on for
the family to come to him Immediately,
and they made no delay in taking their
departure.
The parting between Paul and Miss
Lebourgeois was in the presence of
Mrs. Lebourgeois, and was constrained
II not really awkward. Both realized
:he change which had passed over their
relations since they had been so COM
radely in the Counts day. Paul had
been but little to the Lebourgeoises
since that fatal night of the ball. His
strong sense of personal dignity and of
delicacy led him TO fear even the APP
pearance of crowding himself in under
so peculiar. When he |
learned through a message from Miss !
Lebourgeois that he family was about |
to go East and would like to say good. |
bye, he felt almost as If it were too
much of an ordeal for him to go
through, whatever it might be for
Miss Lebourgeois. He found the
mother alone when he sent in his card,
and they passed some minutes in gener-
al chat a bout the Thinble Islands, which
Paul knew well in his college days. as
he bad often sailed down heretofore
the daughter appeared. When she did
appear, she made great effort to be
her usual genial, sunny self, but it was
the thinnest of DISCUSSES. After an
aimless, desultory talk, Paul rose to go,
and hoped that Mrs. and Miss Lebour-
geoiS would find the island all that he
and Frank had described it. As he sx-
tended his hand Miss Lebourgeois
broke down completely.
"Oh, mother" she said, trying to
control herself, do ask Mr.. Terry to
come and see us if he is East can't"
And with that she fled the room.
. Mrs. Lebourgeois was also much
but she did not give way.
r"Nou have seen rs unda= yavT IRVINE