The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-12-20


of misery and suffering.
She had watched him take the child
and had listened till the last echo of his
horses hoofs had died away. Then she
had set out again and with much toll
and suffering had dragged herself bac..
to the house which she had left She
had accomplished her object. The child
was saved from the stigma of being born
in a prison, the offspring of Il felon, and
her great desire now was that her friend
" guardian should not suffer on her &C
count. 1t would be ruin to him If it
were found that his laXness had led to
her escape. So, at all costs, she must re-
turn. Once there, she cared not how
soon she died. Death indeed would be
Il welcome deliverance from her misery.
But death does not always come to those
who long for if.
Her absence had been discovered, and
men had been sent in different directions
to look for her, though indeed the SER
geant himself was half sorry to see her
return. His wife did all she could for
the poor creature, who was in pitiable
condition, worn out with anguish both
of soul and body. Of course her hostess
discovered what had happened, but
Marie refused to give any account of
what had befallen the infant to which
she had given birth except that it was
in place of safety. The worthy couple
decided to keep their own counsel on the
subject An inquiry into the matter
would only have brought on her the sus-
picion of having made away with her
infant, and things were bad enough for
her as it was-and they were sorry for
her, poor soul!
1t was some days before she was i'll a
state to be moved. She was then taken
to Grenoble to be 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, i'll pursuance of a plan he had
matured while following the wagon.
He knew that the old man had large
sum Of money i'll the house besides that
which Marie had been accused of steal
ing. Of this he determined to get pos
session.
He had no fear about returning to the
farm-in fact, he thought he would be
safer there than anywhere else, as it
would be the last place where they would
think of seeking him, and as the money
was all in gold there would he no dan
ger of it's leading to his detection
Under cover Of the darkness he made
his way safely back to the farm and had
lurked round until all was quiet. His
knowledge of the house had enabled
him to effect an entrance without any
difficulty.
He 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 it turned out.
killed him with a blow on the head from
Il heavy iron bound sabot, and then made
off with his booty The outrage vas not
discovered till the morning. and then its
perpetratOr was not to be found.
There We're traces found, however
which proved his guilt beyond adoubt--
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 collision with and
screening her husband. with whose pre-
vious history she was accused of beng
acquainted, the upshot Of the business