Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-01-11
CHAPTER XIV.
NV TATI

away from early morning TIL dark
and neither Coralie nor her father APP
peared at the breakfast or dinner
table.
"De ole massa powerful sick in de
night" said one of the women who
waited on me. "'Pears like he done
git no sleep, and Missy Coral up an
down',wid him. Tell us what we do
for(yo', sab, an we do UNI"
| strolled down to the bayou and
strolled back tried toget interested
In n book, and threw one after another
inside. Was IL the natural longing for
her who had now become necessary TO
my existence2-or was IL the restless
ness provoked by the shadows Of com
ing events?
Coralie-always Coralic She had
taken possession Of me; ! could think
Of nothing else. have vcnturCd upon
no description Of her face and form; !
will not. She was all that Mr.. Dorion
had said of her, and more.
But who was II that thus thought Of
her and hoped for herr A poor advcn-
turcr, with few paltry dollars in his
pocket; n dependent at this moment
upon her fathers hospitality.
Aye, indeedl-was that my position?
he IL so. The other side OF the ques-
tion quickly appeared There WINS
danger threatening danger to Cornlie.
The very air was full of IL. since the
ill-omened visit Of the previous night.
"Did he say anything about you, Corry?''
was her fathers anxious question.
What might he have said?-what could
he say?-what was II That he had
threatened 20 tell all through La
Fourche?--the threat of which had
forced Mr. Bostocl, TO the humiliating
confession that this scoundrel was his
son.
Evidently the mysterious terror that
brooded at Pierce lIostoclt's heart
largely concerned his daughter The
man who sought her must seek her
under this cloud. lie must take his
risk. Was prepared TO do this?
Was prepared2 Ycs a thousand
times yes would face anything,
dare anything, for her ] cSultcd,
with fierce eXultation, TO know that
there must be some sacrifice on my
part. | wanted something TO darei
something to suffer for her sake.
The parting words of lie Fovre ON
the previous night required 20 me.
"The old man couldn't live without
her. I've sometimes thought that the
love of her is all that keeps him nlivc.
Many promising young fellows, the
sons of the wealthicst planters about
here, have tried to court her, but he's
driven them all or. lie has seemed To
be in perfect terror Of her falling In
love with anyone. But he needn't
have troubled himself 80 far. She
hasn't cared n straw for any of them.
Would II not hc so with me, both a.
TO the father and daughtcr3 ! could
not tell. But / resolved TO quickly
find out Events were fast shaping
my course, and the startling occur
renee of the evening before had EN-
boldened me to speal, out
IL was almost sunset when she came
down from her fathers chamber
wearied from loss Of sleep, languidly
beautiful In her white wrapper, with
her blacl, hair unbound and fastened
back with net She came and sat 10y
me on the sofa.
'ne is asleep now" she said, antici
pating my question. 81 hope IL will
last long enough TO rest his poor dis
tracted mind and his weak body. II
all comes from the shock of that bad
mans visit last night He viii moi
talk with me about it-but in his slceI
he cries out his name, and prays hin
not TO speak OF me-and O., Non D'cu
II is horriblcl Can IL be that this hid
eous man is my brother2"
81 fear il Is 80, Mr.. Dorion told m
so. lie said that he came TO the plan
tation near Nicksburg when you wer
an infant, with your father; that h
was always called n son; and that
was supposed, when he went ava
during your childhood, that ON uccouu
of his evil course your father had hire
him TO leave"
"Ah, mel have no memory Of hin
Why does papa fear him?'
~ wish knew"
"These things are dreadful. WIN
are we to do-what win become OF u.s.
"Do not despair. We may never heu
of that man again"
"Ah, you do not know the conditio
that poor papa is in! It Is pitiiul to $50
him. lie begs me not TO leave him; /
calls on Conrad not to betray him.
"Ile is dclirious."
"No, no; IL is in his sleep, Since la
night, II has seemed to me rs II / cou
never be light-hearted or happy agai
IL seems us though some drcadi
calamity was threatening u.s."
"You want rest and sleep yoursel
You must not be so sad"
"Am sad? Well think OF II. lie
Is papa, sick with fright from that ma
he win die suddenly, some time, q
doctor says-and then there is nobo,
to protect me or care for me, Mr.
Fevre, perhaps-but he is so roup
though his heart is good d
troubled"
All this was merely the natural OF
pouring of the heart, by one whose l
had always been sunny, who had l
known what grief was. IL was my
portunityi could not neglect H.
heart beat fast as took the plunge
"There is one TO protect you, Coral
there is one who would die for you, l
who hopes TO live long for you, lla
you not thought of me in d
trouble2"
She looked down; her long blr
lashes lay on her fair face.
81 did think of you,' she said ~
did not know how you felt tow
me-"
"Not know" l echoed. "Coult
have told you palmer than by
looks, my actions, my very silen
Shall tell you now that ! love !