Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-08-10

I PLAN those WORDS.
| She had risen to her feet in the excite
ment of speaking and now sank down
| again in an attitude of utter despair,
aging in a dull, hopeless tone:
II cannot! | cannot!"
you cannot" he said in a tone Of
urpriso. IF you are innocent, why
should you fear 10 speak? You can at
east tell me the circumstances under
which you were accused and leave me
20 Judge You will not find me harsh
Judge, Marie"
BY this time she had recovered her
composure and self control, and rising
| to her feet again she turned her pale,
| sad face toward him and said in low,
| rcsolute tone:
II am grateful for yonr goodness, sir.
but can give no explanation"
There was short pause, and then NJ,
Germenil said in q severe tone:
"In that case there is nothing more to
| be said. But you had better go at once
| We are honest people here and have no
place for such as you. However," he
| added, II cannot leave you to die of
| hunger and exposure, whatever. may
| have been your crimes. Take this purse
1t. contains sufficient to keep you from
present want"
She had listened to his words in 81
lence with downcast eyes, but when he
offered her the purse red flush passed
over her wan cheeks as she replied with
an air Of dignity;
"No, sir, | thank you, but cannot
take your money. God who knows the
truth, will provide for me-"
She turned away and moved slowly
toward the gate, but something in the
weary droop of her figure and her slow,
sad walk touched NJ. Germenils heart
as he looked after her. His conscience
| pricled him, and he began to reproach
himself with having been too harsh with
poor creature who was entirely at his
| mercy. And, after all, what harm could
it do to any one to keep the poor thing
one night; In the morning he might
perhaps persuade her to tell him what
she now persisted in concealing. So he
hurried after her and insisted on her re-
naming, saying he mad been too harsh
| and sudden.
She was at first unwilling to remain,
but he insisted, and she finally consented,
much to his relief He then forced the
purse on her, which she had refused, say
ing she must take it as a sign of his in
terest in her fate, adding that perhaps
she would think better of it by morning
and give him some further explanation
LA mutt porte conseil,' you know"
But she shook her head at this, with the
same expression Of sad resolve, and
while thanking him for his great good
ness to her and the proof of confidence
he had given her still persisted in her
refusal.
"Well, WELL" he said, feeling strange.
| " interested in her. Vat least, YOU will
not1eave tomorrow until have spoken
with you AGAIN." which she promised
him.
So Marie remained at Les Bons Amis.
Thus Lachesis and Clothes spun these
varied threads of life to common cen
ter, while Atropos with her shears looked
grimly on. She knew whose thread
would next be severed.
In the meanwhile the strangers had
been improving their acquaintance with
Pierre and watching an opportunity of
getting access to the bunch of keys on
which the successful issue of their vii
famous project depended. In the midst
of all his jests and songs Remond never
| lost sight Of his purpose, and his schem-
ing brain never rested for a moment.
Pierre had shown them where they
were to sleep, and their practiced eyes
| +o1- Of r,1o ha
positions of the rooms, Remond ascer-
tanning by couple of apparently
careless questions that they were likely
to have clear field for their operations,
since those of the servants who slept in
the house had their rooms in the man.
sarde, while NJ. Dumont slept In room
which opened off the large salon. They
would have no neighbors, said the gar
rulous Pierre, because Msieu Charles,
who occupied room next theirs, was,
as they knew, gone to st. Maurice and
would not be back till morning. Upon
which Remond observed, with an indie
scribable leer at his confederate, that he
wished the young man had not gone as
he was of a sociable disposition and liked
company.
Having deposited their bundles in their
room, they followed Pierre down stairs
again.
NJ. Germenil had rejoined Clemen-
tine and NJ. Dumont, whom he found
finishing their last game of trictrac He
said nothing about his interview with
the poor woman to whom they had given
shelter, beyond that he had arranged to
see her before she left in the morning,
still believing that in the morning she
would explain all and not wishing to
prejudice any one against hen.
Presently Margot herself brought in
the mulled wine which NJ. Dunont had
ordered. When they had partaken of it,
they went to their respective rooms aft
er exchanging affectionate good nights.
Meanwhile, Pierre, having seen that
the poor woman was safe in her room
and the front door locked, took basket,
saying he must get some wine out for
the morning rand lock the cave.