The Redwood gazette., 1893-11-02
r O 3 RsT M AC AIR E
From first page

(
her master with ''VoilaI' full Of mean.
ing. which seemed to say. Beat that il
you can" while her cOmplacent smile
showed she was sure of her position ~
the best cook in all the country round
The good wine circulated freely -healths
were drunk and old stories retold, and
FULL of high good humor and content they
adjournel to the red damask salon tc
witness the signing Of the contract.
Here. however, an unexpected hitch
occurred. At the last moment it was
discovered that the notaire. who had
come from the neighboring town of st.
Maurice. some leagues away, and was
the guest Of his cousin, the cure at the
presbytere. had forgotten an essential
paper, without which the necessary for
malities could not be completed. There
was great disnay at this hitch in the
proceedings, and much wrath was poured
out on the head of the notary's clerk. to
whom the forgetfulness was attributed
"a SQUIRE douleur is Indispensable on
such occasions. Charles was in despair.
poor little Ciementine almost in tears
-for she had overheard the whispers of
couple OF old commeres. who, with
many shakes OF the head and sighs, de-
cided that such delays were very up
ucky, and they wouldn't be surprised
at anything that might happen. Per-
haps there would he no wedding at all.
ETC.
However, there was nothing for it but
to make the best of it. So it was decided
that the notary's clerk should start at
once. and taking the carriole should
make all speed to St. Maurice, procure
the missing paper and return after a
short rest, so as TO arrive at Les Bons
Amis by breakfast time. The contract
rould then be signed at once and the
wedding go on as already arranged.
The only person dissatisfied with this
arrangement was the poor clerk, who
was not remarkable for courage and did
not particularly relish the long, lonely
drive in the dark which lay between
him and ST. Maurice. Specially, as when
the stories were going round after din
ner, he had overheard the maire of the
village. M. Riffaut, tell his neighbor
at table that there was a report that
the notorious Robert Macaire had es-
capped from prison at Lyons. Of course
Lyons was long way off, but all the
same the little clerk did not feel at all
comfortable However it was settled
without his opinion being asked, and
Pierre was dispatched to see that the
carrlole was harnessed without delay.
After little more conversation on the
all important subject, the company took
their departure. promising to come in the
morning in good time, and bidding
Charles and Clementine keep up their
spirits, for after all there would not be
any real delay in the marriage, and the
contract could just as we'll be signed in
the mornnlg, and the only i'll foreboding
ones being the two old commeres before
mentioned. who, calculating, oh! la pau
vrette, as they bid her goodby, exchanged
at the same time looks more significant
than words.
Leaving Charles and Clementine to-
gether, M. Dumont and M. Germenil
went down to the gate of the courtyard
with the departing guests.
Having seen them all off, they turned
and walked slowly back across the court
yard toward the house.
We left Remond and his companion
seated at one side of the tables, not be-
ing very anxious to attract attention. AS
they saw the two men approach they
slipped quietly into the shadow behind
the raised stand on which the musicians
had been seated.
The air was still, and Remond's sharp
ears, accustomed to listening, caught a
fragment of their conversation as they
slowly passed at no great distance from
where he was concealed.
@ 90 %Y
10 Z&|I|
H. %B
Remond's sharp ears caught fragment
of their conversation.
II wish," said Germenil, 'sthat this de-
lay had not occurred. was anxious to
get the business finished tonight"
"Well," said Dumont, 1.-The delay
won't be long. Once asleep, the time will
pass quickly enough, and as Picard will
be back before o'clock in the morning
4 L. = II -