The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-21

joiced in their hearts and on theft coun.
tenances.
Presently he saids
"1he night comes on, and ! must stay
somewhere. You mentioned the name,
/ think, il my memory served me right,
of one Beaumont, at whose house you
thought it we'll that I should rest. Is he
here, or shall some Of you conduct me to
him?'
This speech settled the matter. Not
only had he deftly quartered himself in
the most desirable spot In the village and
by the public desire, but he had in an in
direct way by renewing the matter Of his
accommodation himself given gentle
reproof for their hardness. How could
any one after this venture to ask him
any questions, although all were burn
ting with curiosity to know something Of
him? AS yet they did not know even his
hame.
So it was that the stranger became in
stalled in the best house in the village as
an honored guest. Farmer Beaumont
made much of him, producing for his
benefit the best wine he had, while his
wife and their daughter-an only child
now, for the boy and girl who had pre-
ceded her had both died dyoung-prepared
tasty supper and spread for his bed their
finest sheets.
The supper and the wine, especially
the latter, seemed to thaw the strangers
reserve, for without being asked he told
them his name, doing it in such man.
ner that he seemed TO be comforting a ia
vor.
"You will doubtless, my good friends,
like to know my name. Well, man, no
matter who he may be, must not be q
churl to those who have taken him to
their hearts,"
Here Marie blushed and turned away
her head.
"You may call me-remember that I
say it freely-you may call me Robert!"
Robert what or Robert whoY asked
the farmer.
easy, my good friend! Such knowl-
edge might be of inestimable value. But
why, say again, should l scruple to tell
even such thing to one who for aught
any of us can tell may some day be close
to my heart, through some one he loves,
even as i feel / am close to his and to the
hearts of those dear to himY
Here the farmer scratched his head.
His wife settled her cap strings, and
Marie again turned away her head.
The stranger went on:
1.-The name You long so eagerly to hear
is none other than the proud name Of
Macairer
As he spoke il hc threw himself. back
in his chair with an ineffable air of toll
Grafton at their surprise on hearing such
name; quito regardless Of the fact
that not one Of those present, from tho
farmer himself down to the half silly
cousin who sat hugging himself in the
chimney corner, manifested the slightest
or fsintest measure Of surprise, interest
or any kindred emotion. Nevertheless
| the effect was just what he had calcu-
lated on, for seeing him expecting to see
surprise they all tried to exhibit some
and blamed themselves for their own ig-
norance in not knowing the name, which
thus gained vastly in importance.
1t was only natural that when the
next day the Beaumont family impaired
TIE secret Of the strangers name, with
various degrees Of confidence, they
should expect to find in their listeners
an equal degree Of surprise, and it was
only natural also that they, being a SIM
pier people, should have expressed in
words their sense Of disappointment.
Thus it came to pass that in the village
of Charmont-sur-Pont the name of Rob-
ert Macaire came to be regarded as one
fraught with an honor all its own, and
that the importance Of the owner of it
grew with an ever increasing rapidity.
Macaire remained at the house of
Beaumont, and by borrowing q reason
able sum of money from his host as a
personal favor to him snd by various
purchases of clothing effected in the
neighboring hamlets on his account-for
he would not leave the place even for q
few hours-he began to make better ap-
pearance.
Hitherto tho rustic youths had regard
ed Marie with distant love. They had
not venturcd to lay their stricken hearts
at her feet, but had contcnted or rather
discontented themselves by admiring
afar off tho beauty which they dared not
approach. Now, however, with the
sight of rival--for as such they Of
course regarded him-lovers regard ev-
cry one as rival, and rightly 50, when
they have not the courage to speak out
for themseives-before them installed in
the house, and their possible chances
fading into nothing, they began to grow
more courageous and to como closer to
the object Of their alteration, although
they did not dare to speak.
There was one important exception to
this rule, bright eyed, keen witted
young fellow called Pierre Lamar, the son
of we'll to do farmer. He was some-
what younger than the rest Of Marie's ST.
lent suitors, and he had hitherto refrain
I'd from speaking to her Of his love from
the natural diffidencc Of youth, but for
some time it had been half understood
between tho old folk that IL the young
pnonlo should caro- fo make n n match