The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-11-16

matin aos.g, the soft nurnuf Of insect
lie filed the air, and oil the music Of
nature was awake rejoicing over the
newborn day,
AL r-xa quiet within the walls Of Les
Bona A:aia. Clernontinc. with smile
on her rosy lips. drca.ncd Of Charles. who
was then fast marrying toward her un-
der the leafy s.rchcs Of the forest.
M. Du:no-s-- WAS still fast asleep, little
dreaming what u gre wso1ne deed had been
perpetrated beneath his roof the authors
Of which slept peacefully too. There
was, however. o,ic person awake; guilt
and innocence slept. but not despair and
misery.
Marie had been long up and dressed
and ready for the ROAD, for her one de-
sire WAS to get away unperceived-to
fvoid the interview with NJ Germen:l,
the questions she knew he would ask
her-and which she could not, would not
answer. The pain. the humiliation of
appearing guilty in his eyes-as she felt
she inevitably must.
Of course she knew very well that in
going >;Away tius-stealing secretly out
of he. bs:ieeac Sors house like thief in
the niyht--she left herself open to the
imp1taticn OF guilt. but at least she
would escape the pisi., of seems, her
sentence in their faces and hearing
it IL their notes.-the faces which
had looked on her so kindly and the
voices which had spoken to her so
gently few hours before. Poor soul!
For many long year she had known
but little Kindness. Truly her way of
/ life had lain by thorny paths, and now
when a refuge presented itself the grim,
specter of the past babe her sternly to
be gone.
She had thought it all over with sore
heart and had made up her mind that
she must go. Her absence would be un-
noticed in the hustle of the wedding
morning, and when it was discovered
she would be far on her way. NJ. Ger
menil's kindness had given her the means
OF living till she procured some work,
and when she was far away she would
write and thank her benefactors and
beg of them not to judge of her too
harshly.
It was little past o'clock when, TAX
ing her shoes in her hand. she stole softly
down stairs to the front door. She
reached the door safely. and putting on
her shoes she then proceeded to try to
open it.
She had almost accomplished her OBJ
ject when she was startled by feeling
hand laid on her shoulder. She turned
round, speeches. with dismay and terror.
and saw Pierre standing beside her.
They were early folk at Les Bons Amis,
it is true, but this morning more so than
usual. There was still good deal to be
done SO that all should be in order by
the time the wedding party arrived, and
Charles, who might arrive at any mo-
ment, as he was not likely to loiter I'M
necessarily by the way. would be sure
to be hungry after drive of some hours
in the cold night air. st. Maurice was
full five leagues away, and he had prob
ably left there about 3 o'clock All this
passed vaguely through Pierre's head as
he lay half asleep. half awake. But the
Ginning of the quarter after aroused
him thoroughly to the exigencies of the
position, and getting out of bed he hus-
tied on his clothes anyhow" as he said
to himself, and hurried down just in
time to stop poor Marie's intended fight.
WELL" he said, looking at her with a
suspicious expression, ''Td like to know
what is the meaning of this manege
thought you had promised M. Germenil
not to leave till he had spoken with you
again?"
Poor Marie, quite abashed at his lock
and manner, stapmered a confused re-
ply:
'i-I-was not going away" she said.
Il was-only--going to get little fresh
air.
Pierre grunted incredulously.
Fresh air, indeed! People don't steal
out Of honest folks houses at this hour
of the morning before any ones up for
nothing. The patron will get finely
taken in one of these days, giving shelter
to a pack Of lazy beggars who won't
work for their living as long as they can
contrive to get it for nothing"
These rough words were the last straw
to poor Marie's overweight feelings,
and she burst into tears. Taking her
handkerchief out of her pocket in order
to wipe her eyes, she pulled out with it
the purse which M. Germenil bad given
her the previous evening It fell on the
floor with an unmistakable chink, and
Pierre stopped and picked it up, looking
from it to her and from her to it more
suspiciously than ever.
"Tiens" he said, "a purse full of gold
It seems you are not quite so poor then
as you would have us believe. I'd like
to know how you came by this!'
sit is mine, indeed" sobbed the poor
creature, land honestly come by. NJ.
Germenil gave it to me last night"
IN. Germenil gave it to your said
Pierre, amazed and incredulous. "Well,
you can easily prove your honesty and
the truth of what you say by waiting
till he comes down." /
Silently Marie followed him into the
sale and, seated herself beside a table
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