Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-09-20

"YoU ARE AN INTERNAL scoUNDREL."
SAID OLIVER.
You have made many enemies in your
profession; this will be their oppor-
tunity."
"Yor are an Internal scoundrell"
said Oliver, white to the lips. "If you
were anything but morphine wreck
would throw you out of my Office"
81 do not desire to quarrel. / am
sick man-much weaker than
thought" De Restaud paused and
wiped his wet forehead, breathing
heavily "This has been task. You
know the consequence; you persuade
my wife to come back to me, with the
aunt IL she desire, but my child, and
GO to France, or I bring suit for di-
vorce and the custody of my child and
tell all the facts"
'It is utter folly" cried Oliver
What can ] do? have no influence
over your wife; l hardly know her;
and the aunt will never permit her to
return"
THE old lady is strict she Is proud,
too; and young woman who has been
through divorce trial seldom comes
out with good name-not without
reproach. Consider it well, and write
Miss Patten what I say. Truly /
think my wife has a great fancy for
you"
Oliver rose and opened the door.
'Mr. de Restaud, will write you my
decision. / really must ask you not to
prolong this interview. There is
limit to my forbearance."
De Restaud bowed, mockingly. 81
shall look for your answer soon. Per-
haps the doctor also could influence
Mrs. de Restaud. I esteem the doctor;
he Is an honest man, and has been
good to my son."
With a polite bow the Frenchman
disappeared, aud Oliver went back to
his desk. What should he do? What
could he do? De Restaud would carry
out his threat, there was no doubt of
that. And, after ALL would it not be
better for his wife to return? IL the
family in France would care for her
and the child they would be safe, and
most women would look forward to
such bright future. If she refused
to come, trial, the publicity of a
courtroom, the newspapers, lifelong
something to be whispered about her
by some one who had heard. How ex-
plain that daring ride across country?
Viewed in tho cold light of reason it
was foolish thing; and he, Craig Oil
yer, must go on the witness-stand and
be questioned. A lawyer is poor wit
ness. and he would be. A man of his
age doing such romantic silly action.
Then that story to the conductor. The
other side would find him, of course,
and perhaps passenger who had seen
Minny's farewell. The whole thing
was unexplainable. Then his own past
the life of wifeless man of the
world-how would the jury of hard
working men view that? They had
families and no tempta ions, and he
was rich and had enemies. 1t was So
cial and political death to him, and he
knew it as he sat there, yet he did not
write.
A week later DR.. John came in.
There was no need of telling him. He
had met De Restaud, and had come to
see what Oliver would do.
81 have not written her" said Oliver,
awkwardly, except a little note
thanking her for her letter. | shall
not write what he wanted"
"I have, though" said DIR. John;
"both to Mrs. Minny and her aunt The
Frenchman cannot trouble them long,
and after a year or SO Mrs. Minny will
be a Partisan. All / know of Paris
and life there Is from novels. Cad,
think If they are true Mrs Minny will
be quite at home in France. She likes
things different, you know"
II should be coward to advise her
In this matter" cried Oliver. 81 shall
have nothing to do with it."
However, after an hours talk with
his sensible old friend he changed his
mind and wrote a severely formal let
ter to Mrs. de Restaud, advising her TO
return to her husband. Her answer
was a piteous appeal What did he
mean? After all that had happened,
did he think she should trust herself
with a man who everyone said was
crazy. DR. John read and shook his
head. "She won't come" he said;
'sbut you keep on writing, for the
'Frenchman means what he says. ]
see him often as he comes to my office.
She need not say three words to him,
and her aunt can be with her always
until she Is safe at his fathers"
This was duly written, but the an
swers both from Miss Patten and her
niece were unsatisfactory until few
days before the time set by De Restaud..
Oliver, maddened by her disregard Of
his warning, for he learned De
,Restaud had his lawyer engaged and
the case would be presented, tele-
graphed her: Are you coming or not?
beg YOU will come at once. We can
not face the consequences" He felt
like coward, but what else could he
do? Fight with a madman in a court
room? 1t was horrible. The answer
came promptly from Mrs. de Restaud;
she would start at once.
Oliver took the telegram and went to
find De Restaud. The suit for divorce
must be stopped. He had done his
part, and there was no need for further
anxiety. He drove to DIR. Johns Of
fee, but the doctor was up in the
mountains attending case. and would
not be back for a day or two. He knew
where De Restaud lived-a furnished
house he had hired for few months
and he drove there. After some delay,
Annette, more ,corpulent than ever,
opened the door in response to his
ring. She seemed worried and timor-
Gus In her manner, and looked at him
blankly as he asked her in English II
monsieur was at home. Then Oliver
remembered. and tried in imperfect
French She frightened up.
O"No, monsieur" she said. eagerly;
"he is seldom here; and Louis is al
ways away. I like the farm better. !
am alone always, always. Monsieur Is
SO bad, too-oh, dreadful even Louis
is afraid of him"
Oliver hesitated. The poor soul was
even friendly, she was SO lonely. Per-
haps she was not bad-bearted.
''Do you think it would be safe for
madame TO return?" he asked, slow
ly, recalling each word from an i'm
perfect memory. He repeated it, as she
did not comprehend; then her manner