The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-11-08


During the latter part of their CONVEX
sation they had gone round to the other
side of the house to look for Pierre,
whose voice they heard in that direction
giving some orders for the morning.
'Bravop' he cried as Remond came up
singing. "Monsieur can sing at any
rate. IT'S pleasure to hear such voice
as hist used to sing myself once on a
time, but I'm too old now"
"Let me see," he went on, "m'sieu
wants the note, l suppose Two cheeses,
10 sous; 2 breads, 4 sous; pommes de
terre Thule, 10 sous; l bottle Of vim
ordinaire, 6 sous; c'est, msieu, 90 sous.
However, Remond explained to him
that they had not come in search of their
bill, but wished to engage room for
the night, which Pierre told them they
could have if they did not object to a
small room on the entire sol, explaining
at the same time that ''M'sieu Charles"
had given directions to that effect, in
order thai no risk might be run OF dis
turbing M. Germenil or "M'amselle
Clementine." He little thought, poor
man, that the strangers knew all that as
we'll as he did. However, they assured
him quite gravely that that they would
be quite contented with the room he pro-
posed to give them, Remond adding, with
a significant wink at his companion be-
hind the back of the unsuspicious Pierre,
that they would take every precaution
in order not to disturb the gentleman
slumbers.
Seeing that Pierre was quite ready for
gossip, they profted by the opportunity
and were soon the best of friends.
In the hustle and excitement of
Charles departure for St. Maurice and
the circumstances which led to it the
poor wayfarer in the courtyard had been
for the moment forgotten. At first she
felt restless and i'll at ease, impelled by
the instinct Of the hunted, suffering crea-
ture to be up and on her way, but by
degrees the peacefulness and homelike
security of the place soothed her rest
lessness, and she sank into deep rev.
erie, which carried her back for many a
long year-to the days when she was
still young and happy-to that peaceful
southern village where her childhood
and girlhood had been passed, years full
of innocent pleasures and harmless en-
joyments-years spent under the roof of
loving parents, whose pride and joy she
was.
All was happiness till he came-the
handsome, false hearted stranger, who
had changed the clear, peaceful current
Of her life into troublous and muddy
waters. She saw herself wife-at first
a happy wife-then neglected, i'll used,
her mother dead of broken heart at
seeing her childs misery. Oh, horror!
her fathers gray hairs bedabbled with
blood, and shed by whom? Herself the
victim Of a false accusation. Then a
fugitive, fleeing to save her child from
the degradation of being born in prison.
Then the agony of that mother who
abandons her child to strangers to save
it from possible future of misery and
crime. And then the weary years that
followed - hunted, suspected hungry
and foOtsOre, friendless and fOrsaken-
living in hourly terror Of seeing again
the face of him who had been the evil
genius of her life.
"Ah, my God!" she cried in low tone
of horror, startled from her reverie and
looking round her, her eyes dilated and
her hollow cheeks blanched with unut-
tarahle terror