The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-28

IL was 6Ofne Gays before Sno was III .
state to be moved. She was then taken
to Grenoble to DO tried for stealing her
fathers money.
There fresh horror awaited her.
Her husband, on making his escape.
had directed his steps back to Charmont-
sur -pont, In pursuance Of plan no had
matured while following tho wagon.
he knew thnt tho old man had q largo
sum OF money in the house besides that
which Mario had been accused Of steal
ing. OF this he determined to get pos
session.
He mad no fear about returning to the
farm-in fact. no thought he would DO
safer thero than anywhere else, as 1t
would be the last place where they would
think Of seeking him. and as tho money
was all in gold there would DO no dan
ger of its leading TO his detection.
Under cover of the darkness Ee made
his way safely back TO the farm and had
lurked round until all was quiet. His
knowledge of tho house had enabled
him to effect an entrance without any
difficulty.
Hc had found the old man busy count
ing his money and putting it into bags
ready for some hiding place, had come
behind, stunned him, or, as IL turned out.
killed him with blow on the head from
q heavy iron bound sabot, and then made
of with his booty. The outrage was not
discovered till the morning, and then its
perpetrator was not to be found.
There were traces found, however,
which proved his guilt beyond a doubt
among others the garments he had taken
from Marie in order to disguise himself,
and which he had left in one Of the out
houses.
These facts did not tend to improve
the position Of the unhappy girl, who
was believed to be in collusion with and
screening her husband, with whose pre-
vious history she was accused Of being
acquainted, tho upshot of tho business
being that she was sentenced to 10 years
penal servitude. This dreadful punish
ment the innocent woman had endured,
and since its termination had been a
wanderer ON the face of the earth. home
less and wretched, flying from place to
place to avoid the danger OF meeting her
villainous husband. He had pursued his
evil career for a long time with i,npu-
nifty, but some time previously he had
been captured and proved guilty Of the
crime of which he was accused. He had
been confined in the prison at Lyons, and
there she believed him to be until his
evil face had appeared before her that
morning.
Such was the story which Marie told
M. Dumont, telling him also what had
passed between herself and M. Germenil
when he gave her the money, and how it
was to avoid telling the sad story which
she had just related that she had wished
to leave that morning before he could
see her to renew his questions.
M. Dumont was deeply moved by the
story she told him and assured her Of
his belief in her innocence, saying that
he felt convinced now that Macaire and
his confederate had murdered M. Ger
menil, and that they must leave no stone
unturned to prove her innocence. He
agreed that there was no need that
Charles should know who his father was.
And he went on:
II am sure that in keeping this knowl-
edge from him and letting his marriage
with Clementine go on / will be best
carrying out the wishes Of my poor
friend. Before it takes place, however,
your innocence must be proved. 1t would
not matter so much did no one but our
selves know, but it is now indispensable
that you should be cleared. Clementine
knows nothing as yet, and we will keep
the knowledge from her as long as pos
sible, in the hope that she may hear tho
charge and its refutation at the same
time. fear, however, we will be unable
to conceal what has transpired and your
relationship to Charles more than a few
hours"
AS he finished speaking Charles came
into the room looking very sad, but he
quickly checred up when M. Dumont
assured him he was quite satisfied of his
mothers innocence and repeated to him
what ho had just said about his mar
riage to Clementinc.
"As to me-" he went on, "you will
always be my son, my boy. You will
Oil4y W ~ biic otlttA Oik bSSaooo
You will have mother too"
But tho proofs of Marie's innocence
snd Of the guilt of the real culprits were
soon TO be made apparent.
Pierre'sconscience had been reproach-
irg him for his overzeal ever since Ma,
rie,s arrest and the discovery that she
was really the mother of nj. Charles.
He felt that it was principally his fault
that suspicion had attached to her, and
he felt he would like. if possible, to help
to clear her of the charge
He was angry with himself for having
been so easily imposed on by the two
strangers who turned out to be such
villains, and whom he now began to sus-
pect OF being tho real inurderers.
Why, yes, ho remembered now that
They had had access for few min
utes to the bunch Of duplicate keys
quite long enough--and he, fool that he
was, had never suspected anything.
Twas surely they who had taken the