The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-22
CHAPTER Nv.
THE OENDARMES.

There was but little sleep in the cot
tage that night. The whole party, ex-
cept Nine. Beaumont, were each trying
to outwake the other. Robert wanted
an opportunity to dig up the hidden
money, SO also Beaumont, and each with
an entirely different motive, while poor
Marie, with increasing dread, wanted to
be rid of the money at any cost, for she
feared that Robert might at any mo-
ment find 1t in her pocket, from which
she had not dared to remove it lest he
should discover her in the act. Added
to all this pain was the anguish of COM
ing motherhood and the fear that the
very strain which she was now undergo
ing might imperil the life of her unborn
child.
Seeing that she was not sleeping, Rob-
ert in his impatience flung himself moi
silly about. and by the sound he thus
made in his impatient anger deferred the
old man from venturing forth to seek the
safety of his money.
When the little household assembled
for breakfast, Nine. Beaumont could not
understand why the two men were so
cross and tired or why Marie, with
flushed cheeks and eyes dim with wake
fulness, was yet Of such exceeding gayety.
The poor girl was trying, as many poor
woman has done before her time, to ocon-
real the anguish of her heart under
mask Of cheerfulness. At such time the
eyes of men and women are often hap
PLY blind, and the poor hunted soul had
little rest under the shelter of their ig-
norance. Only the eyes of God and his
angels never fail TO look through the
mask and see the fluttering soul beneath.
All that day the same state of things
continued. Net ene of those interested
would relax from their endeavor. To-
ward the evening the farmer, getting
desperate, took his spade and casually
announced his intention Of doing little
work in the field stretching up the hill
side. This was beyond the copse where
the money had been hidden. so Robert,
Jumping to his feet with alacrity, pro-
posed in a hearty tone to aid him in the
work.
Again poor Nine. Beaumont was mys-
tilted at the sudden wrath displayed by
her husband as he told his son-in-law
that he wanted no assistance. She mild
ly interfered and said:
"But. my dear, would il not be we'll
to let Robert assist you in the work?
You have had hard week of it, and You
are not so young as you Were"
To which no made reply: "a hard
week of it, and hard year Of il too.
Robert is not too ready TO aid in the
work, and / am not younger than ever
was. Robert can stay where he is or go
to the wine shop as usual. That seems
TO be more his home now than my house
is"
But If tho old man thought TO down
face Robert Macairo when his mind was
bent on thing he was much mistaken.
One of the lessons which man learns at
the galleys Is to be callous, and especial
ly when he has u purpose TO serve. So
Robert, In the most genial way, tried to
turn the whole matter into a joke and
said:
"well, daddy, IL you will not lot me
help you, suppose you must let me
look on, and Marie will come with me
and sit by u.s." He said this, knowing
that II Marie were present he would not
attempt to disturb the money which
would thus remain in peace until his
own turn came TO deal with IL. BY this
time he knew perfectly well that the
old man intended 10 change the hiding
place.
IN roor Marie had TO 60 with the two