The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-07-04

duuaNlly NdS HOl Ills Idull. Cue re-
piled, however. that she was quite sure
that monsieur would say nothing that
was in any way unbecoming either for
him to speak or for her to hear.
Madame, may 1 have ground to hope
that such may be your sentiments after
have spoken. Madame"-and now he
went down, absolutely on his knees, on
the hard stones; and Mrs. Thompson.
looking about into the distance, almost
thought that she saw the top of the
guides cap-"Madame. 1 have looked
forward to this opportunity as one in
which l may declare for you the greatest
passion that 1 have ever yet felt.
Madame, with all my heart and soul I
love you. Madame, l offer to you the
homage of my heart, my hand, the hap
piness of my life, and all that possess
In this world and then, taking her
hand gracefully between his gloves, he
pressed his lips against the tips of her
fingers.
If the thing was to be done this way
OF doing it was. perhaps, as good as
which left no doubt whatever as 10 the
gentleman's intentions Mrs. Thompson,
could she have had her own way, would
not have allowed her lover of fifty to
go down upon his knees, and would
have spared him much of the romance
of his declaration. So also would she
have spared him his yellow gloves and
his polished boots. But these were
part of the necessity of the situation,
and therefore she wisely took them as
matters TO be passed over with indiffer
ence. Seeing, however, that NJ. Lacor-
daire still remained on his knees. it was
necessary that she should take some
step toward raising him, especially as
her two children and the guide would
infallibly be upon them before long
M. Lacordaire." she said you sur
prise me greatly; but pray get up"
But will madame vOuchsafe to give
me some small ground for hOpe2'
THE girls will be here directly. NJ. La
cordaire; pray get up. I can talk TO you
much better if you will stand up. or sit
down on one Of these stones"
NJ. LacOrdaire did as ne was bid; he
got up, wiped the knees of his panta-
looms with his handkerchief sat down
beside her, and then pressed the handle
of his cane to his heart.
You really have so surprised me that
1 hardly know how to answer you" said
Mrs. Thompson. Indeed. | cannot bring
myself TO imagine that you are in earn
est"
''Ah, madame. do not be so cruel! How
can 1 have lived with you so long. sat
beside you for so many days, without
having received your image into my
heart? / am in earnest! Alas. / fear
too much in earnestr' And then he
looked at her with all his eyes, and
Mrs. ThompsOn's prudence told her
that it would be we'll to settle the mat
ter, in one way or the other, as soon as
possible. Long periods of love making
were ht for younger people than her
self and her future possible husband.
Her object would be To make him COM
Portable if she could, and that he should
do the same for her. if that also were
possible. as for bookings and sighings
and pressin.s of the hand, she had gone
through all that some twenty years
since in India, when Thompson had been
young and she was still in her teens.
But, NJ. LacOrdaire there are so many
things to be considered. There, I hear
the children coming. Let Us walk this
way for a minute" And they turned
behind a wall which placed them out of
sight, and walked on a few PAGES till
they reached a parapet. which stood on
the uttermOst edge of the high rock.
Leaning upon this they continued their
converse ton.
There are so many things to be con-
sidered." said Mrs. Thompson again.
Yes. of course" said NJ Lacordaire.
But my one great consideration is this
that l love madame to distraction"
Il am very much flattered of course.
any lady would feel. But, NJ. Lacor-
daire-'
Madame. I am all attention. But, if
you would deign TO make me happy, say
that one word Il love your M La
cordaire, as ne uttered these words. did
not look, as the saying is. at his best.
But Mrs Thompson forgave him. She
knew that elderly gentlemen under such
circumstances do not look at their best.
But if l consented to-to-to such an
arrangement, 1 could only do so on see
ing il would be beneficial-Or, at any
rate, not injurious-tO my children; and
that il would offer to ourselves a fair
promise Of future happiness"
"Ah. madame! it would be the dearest
wish Of my heart to be a second father
to those two young ladies'; except. in
deed" and then NJ. LacOrdaire
stopped the flow of his speech.
I'm such matters it is so much the best
to be explicit at once" said Mrs. Thomp-
son.
"Oh yes; certainly! Nothing can be
more wise than madame
And the happiness of a household de-
ponds so much on money"
'Madame!'
Let me say a word or two, Monsieur
Lacordaire. 1 have enough for myself
and my children; and should 1 ever
marry again, l should not. / hope, be
felt as a burden by my husband: but
it would. of course, be my duty to know
what were his circumstances before
accepted him. OF yourself, personally,
l have seen nothing that / do not like"
"Oh, madame"
But yet 1 know nothing of your
circumstances.
NJ Lacordaire. perhaps, did feel that
Mrs. Thompson's prudence was of
strong, masculine description; but he
hardly liked her the less on this account.
To give'him his due. he was not DESTROYS
Of marrying her solely for her moneys
sake. He also wished for a comfortable
home, and proposed to give as much as he
got; only he had been anxious to wrap
up the solid cake Of this business in a cas-
ing Of sugar Of romance. Mrs. Thompson
would not have the sugar: but the cake
mo, madame; not as yet; but they
shall all be made open and at your dis
posal." said M. Lacordaire: and Mrs.
Thompson bowed apprOvingly.
II am in business" continued NJ. La
cordaire, land my business gives me
5000 francs a year"
-Four times eight are thirty-two," said
Mrs. Thompson to herself. putting the
francs into pounds sterling in the man
ner that she had always found to be the
readiest. Well, so far, the statement
was satisfactory. An income of 1920
year from business, Joined to her own.
might do very well. She did not in the
least suspect NJ. Lacordaire of being
false, and SO far the matter sounded
well.
And what is the business?" she
asked. in a tone of voice intended to be
Indifferent, but which. nevertheless,
showed that she listened anXiously for
an answer to her question.
They were both standing with their
the town of lie Puy; but they had so
CT Cd hot ooh f1aa OIL av.fc