The herald., 1893-10-28


was looking at her mother, who wept 81
lently. She wept--in silence also.
Julia" said the young man soberly
Ego, in my name, to ask for Mile. Bour
geois' hand"
SAT lasti" triumphantly exclaimed An
toinette's mother after Julia had formu
lated her request. Then calling hel
daughter she added in the same ioyfu
tone: "Come--he has come to it! An
swer, darling. Tell-tell how backward
we found him."
A lovely smile, so chaste in its frank
ness, lit up the young girls face and
4 without speaking she advanced toward
Nine. Duchemin with extended hands
Then, kissing her:
81 am so happy" she exclaimed
bravelv.
The very next day Frederick began
his "wooing," as it is called.
Yet what strange thingl He, SO out
spoken till then-so open and so gay
! was formal now, circumspect, stilted,
almost unpleasant. Goodby to intimate
chatter" to all freedom! He chose his
words carefully. No more jokes nowl
At first Antoinette was disconnected
by it, but surmounting her painful i'm
preston she appeared happy enough for
two. She was the first to speak of their
plans, saying, as if inadvertently, "these
dear plans"
He still called her ''mademoiselle," :"
while she called him Frederick" She
consulted him about the details of their
future home. What shade did he pre-
fer for the curtains? And when they
were passing the glass works, STOPPING
to kiss Martha, she prompted:
Say Good morning, Aunt Fred"
The attorneys had taken the matter in
hand. Everything was ready. for the
lieutenant had told his sister:
Act for me. Have the settlements
drawn to'suit yourself"
As for him, to all questions he an
swered:
''Yes. All right. AS you please"
So mTyh so that ct last Julia took hin.
aside and said to him:
Take care, Fred. Take care lest Won
griese this child"
"Grieve her!" he repeated, startled.
~ would causeme the most bitter re-
Inorse."
Yet one would think you do not love
her"
mot love her" exclaimed the young
man. Il would be the most ungrateful
fellow. Oh, on the contrary, l love her
with all the power of my soul, of my
conscience and of my probity. Devoid
of feeling as | may appear, my heart is
all her own. l admire, and adore her.
Ah, why is she not poor? You would
see-you would see then, Julia" he add
ed. relapsing into his darker mood.
The eventful day was fixed. The bans
Were to be published.
After dinner the lieutenant accom-
panied the ladies home, walking by their
side along the road. AT the door they
bade one another goodby. After that
word had been spoken Antoinette re-
mained at Frederick's side very close to
him. She appeared to await something.
He understood And once more low
ering his eyes he saw the red ribbon lit
by the last rays of the setting sun. And
as in an hallucination in the rustling of
the leaves he thought he heard again,
Itwould not be acting like gentle
man."
Then, dazzled, he stepped back, and in
a choking voice said; Listen! My heart
is bursting. Even if I unsettle every
thing, Imust speak must tell YOU
What? Everything. He stated every
thing indeed-the situations, his scru-
pies, his great sorrow.
Antoinette and her mother sought to
interrupt him. repeating, 'But-but'--
He did not listen. He went on to the
end. And then only We're they able to
finish their sentence:
'But-we know itI''
"What! You know that my sister and
her husband are threatened with
Certainly. we know it," said the
widow. And this is why we hurried the
conclusion, which will at last give us the
right to ward off the misfortune they do
not deserve"
''And you, Antoinette:'
Somewhat confused, she replied:
81? Oh, mad but one fear-not to
please you!'-New York Commercial Ad-
VertiSer