The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-05-31

promised the mixer to take the CARCASS
and sell it for him at the shambles in Sc
dam"
They all understood. Carcasses of ami
mails had, from time to time, played an
important part in case of frauds" aud
never, as yet. had they attracted suspl-
cion. / was warmly congratulated on my
luck in having secured such rare thing
ar dead horse, and much envled also.
The next day we packed the precious
freight carefully and neatly into its strange
receptacle; then we placed 1t on top OF
load of old iron which my father had to
send into Sedan. There was positively no
outward trace of the valuable cargo which
WAS slowed away under the quaint sides OF
the great unwieldly carcass; on that point
/ was quiet satisfied, even without the
opinion of Regnault and Servais, and 9TH
ers who were accustomed to the une1-
pected ways of excisemen. Nevertheless,
the satisfaction felt was by no means
complete. | bad no doubts as to the sue
cess of my bold plan, still l was restless
and anxious, and when all was in readi-
ness for my start the following morning
wandered of into the forest to try and get
rid OF my uncomfortable feeling. The
TACT was, the tacit promise had gwen
Pauline about smuggling kept on tortur-
ing me continually. Was 1t really q
promise, or was it not? At the moment
l put my sample of tobacco back into my
pocket, / had meant her to understand
that | was going to turn over new Leaf.
Well, such was my intention still. What
! was about to do was not really breach
OF faith. When | had suggested Maitre
Letellier as an advocate for her father, l
b I'D fancied he would plead without fee.
When | found out nv mistake | had not
the heart to let her suffer through il. If L
had sent my tobacco TO Liege, l should
have realized barely two-thirds of what
Lambert as going to pay me, and even
with Lamberts price and all nv savings
should still have to borrow 20 francs
to make up the sum for which had rem
dered myself responsible.
In nv second interview with the social
ist lawyer he had explained to me that
though he sometimes made free gift of
his eloquence, there must be something
in the case to justify his liberalitY
whereas, he should seriously compromise
his reputation if he identified himself so
completely with such an ignoble cause as
that OF an overreaching smuggler. The
sentence, he told me, would be probably
ten years penal servitude, which for a
man of POCKETS age and habits would be
sidered his fee too high, little would be
lost by my refusing to pay it. But had
stuck to my first decision and surely
Pauline would overlook the means when
she thought of the end. Still my promise
worried me- and all the salve / could lay
on my conscience did not bring me COM
fort. Now, under the circumstances, it
would seem more likely that | should
have avoided Pauline than that ] should
have sought her; a kind of impulse, how
ever, led me straight to the Cafe POchet.
The longing to see her honest eyes raised
gratefully to me as her only friend. over
came the fear of the questions she might
ask me. On the bench outside the door
in the twilight, sat Pauline; at the sound
OF my step she sprang up.
"Ah, Jules, she said, "it is YOU at last
WHY have you not been here betOre?"
faltsred out excuses had been busy.
l had not known she would be expecting
me. She looked at me half-reproach-
fully.
And had you nothing to tell me OF all
that passed between YOU and the LAWYER"
So had to repeat to her my interview
with Maltre Letellier, and to try TO word
my account so as not to tell her what was
absolutely untrue Yet ! did deceive her.
and my heart smote me for it, most of all
when at the end she took my hand in
both of hers and raised it to her lips,
without speaking, and heard a sort of
cob. Then, | scarce know how 1t was, but
l found myself trying to speak to her of
the great love | had borne her so long
and when words Wou. d not come freely
enough, folded my arms around her and
drew her, without any resistance on her
part, close to me. She murmured some
thing which | did not hear, but still we
understood one another. and our Joy
seemed purer and more sacred in that
sweet silence, which seems like an eternity
when look back upon it.
Suddenly a step sounded on the road,
and jeering laugh made me start to nv
feet. There, close in front OF me, with
pale face and angry eyes, stood Leon
Regnault.
him in fancy. and pited him accordingly,
but at his first words my pity melted
away.
"Confound your impudencew he cried.
1--WE tracked YOU, you see. and now
want to know what you mean"
"My meaning is plain enough" l re-
torted. Moreover you have no right to
ask it in that tone"
II shall ask it in any tone | choose" be
said. 81 ask you again what right you
have to come sneaking here to make love
to the Girl who is to be my wife,"
"Sneaking" | cried. losing my temper.
you, who follow aud spy on me, are the
sneak you, who tell lies about your rela-
tions TO the girl | mean to marry. are the
sneak. 1t is | who demand On explana-
ton from vou."
He raised his clenched fist, and / stood
ready for him. ] longed for his blow TO
fail that might begin to punish him as
he deserved. But Pauline was too quick
for US. She placed herself between us,
and looking from one to the other, said:
''Jules-Monsieur Leon. please let me
speak. l am not worth a quarrel. 1t
would be dreadful if you fought for my
sake. Besides, there is no promise be-
tween me and you, Monsieur Leon; told
you long ago that | could not be bound
by what my father had said. He was
afraid of offending you, and he tried to
persuade me. He was sadly afraid of you,
but L should never have given way, and
now that he has no longer anything 10
fear feel quite free. But do not be an-
CRY; there are many better girls than | am.
am not worth a quarrel
She spoke so straigh tforwardly that he
ought to have felt the Justice OF her
words, but perhaps it was hard on him.
His face grew paler still.
II have been made tool OF, F" he Missed.
and | suppose you think you've got the
better OF me, but let those laugh who win
WNar har L hall 4 Il.