Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-10-12
pIsJol or revoIverr
young man. don't play with fire.

dTIilS.
Are you afraid? You are trembling"
Trembling! I? It's with cold"
"Then fight or at once renouncc the
hand of Nicette."
''Renounce the hand of Mile. Nicettc.
BY Jovc, admire your bravery! And
brave men arc made to understand one
another. Shall l make confession to
your
''Speakr'
"For somo timo past l have myself
had thoughts Of breaking off this mar
riage, but l did not know how to do it.
consent therefore with pleasure to do
what you wish, but at the same time
you must sec that cannot appear to
give way to threats, and you have threat
oned me-"
Il ret1.act them"
"ln that case all is understood"
"You will give me in writing your re-
nunciation?"
Young man, you have so completely
won my sympathy that 1 can refuse you
nothing"
Furnished with tho precious docu-
ment, Anatole flew back to the dwelling
place of M. Bouvard. He had consid-
cradle distance to walk, and by the time
he reached the professors door it was
nearly 8 o'clock in the morning.
"Who is there?''
''Anatole"
$50 home and go to bedr' cried the
professor, savagely.
81 have got Capdenac's renunciation
of Nicette's hand! Open the door or l
will break it down."
M. Bouvard admitted him, and Ana
tole placed in his hand the momentous
paper. That done, he rushed to the
door of Nicette's room and cried
Cousin. get up-dress yourself
quickly and come here"
st appears, monsieur, that l am no
longer master in my own home!" ex-
claimed M. Bouvard; 'syou come and
go and order as you please! To make
you understand that l will have nothing
more to say to you, II will go back to
my morning newspaper, in the reading
of which you have interrupted me!r
A few minutes later Nicette, looking
fresh as dawn, arrived in the drawing
room. tts
'sWhat is the matter?'
1.-THE matter" said M. Bouvard, sis
that your cousin is madr'
"Mad? So be itI' replied Anatole.
"Last night, my dear little cousin, OBJ
tanned two things-the remuneration of
your hand by M. Capdenac, and the
promise of your worthy guardian to be-
stow it on the man of your choice-the
man you love-
sDo you really wish me to marry An
atole, guardianT'
''Eh?" cried Anatole, his breath nearly
taken away.
s.Since I love you, cousin!"
At that moment Anatole felt his heart
beat violently. Was it at pleasure from
the unexpected avowal made by Nicette,
or was it the agony, the death symptom
predicted by the doctor?
unfortunate that | amp he cried.
''Sho loves mel am within reach of
happiness, and am to die without attain
ing it?''
Then, taking the hands of Nicette
feverishly within his own, he told her
all about the letter, the venomous flower
he had scented, the prognostication of
his old friend, the will he had written
and the steps he had successfully taken
to release her from the claim Of Cap
denac.
''And now," he said in conclusion, 81
have only to go home and diel'
"But this is impossible, cried Nicette.
'sThis doctor must have mistaken; who
is he:'
-''A man who is never in error, Nicette
DR. Bardais."
'.Bardais! Bardaisr cried Bouvard,
bursting into laughter. Listen to- what
my newspaper here says: The learned
DR.. Bardais has been suddenly seized
with mental alienation. The madness
with which he has been stricken is Of a
scientific character 1t is we'll known
that he was absorbingly engaged in an
Inquiry into the nature of venomous
substances, and latterly he had fallen
into the delusion that everybody he met |
was under the influence of poison, and
endeavored to persuade them that such
was their condition. He was last night |
/. transported to the Maison de Sante Of
Dr.. Blank"
''Nicetter'
'Anatolev
The two young persons fell into each
others arms.-Strand Magazine.