The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-11-29
CHAPTER XIV.
IN THE TOLLS.

j
risen above the horizon, and the long,
cool, gray shadows of early morning fell
across the green, dewy grass A soft
breeze rustled through the ears of corn
and lightly stirred the leaves of the tall
poplars. The birds had begun their
matin song, the soft murmur Of insect
life filled the air, and all the music of
nature was awake rejoicing over the
newborn day.
All was quiet within the walls of Les
Bons Amis. Clementine, with smile
ON her rosy lips, dreamed of Charles, who
was then fast hurrying toward her I'M
der the leafy arches Of the forest.
M. Dumont was still fast asleep, little
dreaming whata grewsome deed had been
perpetrated beneath his roof-the authors
of which slept peacefully too. There
was, however, one person awake; guilt
and innocence slept. but not despair and
misery.
Marie had been l0ng up and dressed
and ready for tie road, for her one de-
sire was to get away unperceived-to
avoid the interview with M. Germenil,
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 we'll that in
going away thus-stealing secretly out
of her benefactors house like a thief in
the night-she left herself open to the
imputation Of guilt, but at least she
would escape the pain Of seeing her
sentence in their faces and hearing
it in 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 a 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 he1' 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 I'M
noticed in the hustle of the wedding
morning, and when it was discovered
she would be far on her way M. 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
leg 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 a
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 a 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 a 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