The Penn's Grove record., 1895-10-11

accomplished a wonderful change. The
wild life of the country began to at
tract the young Frenchman. In his
own country his naughty spirit had
been hampered. Conscious there of his
poverty and forced to depend upon the
charity of bis irascible kinsman, to
whose unreasonable dictates he was
bound to submit, under the influence
Of this uncivilized spot his nature ex-
banded and the feeling of a new free.
dom awakened his patriotism.
Love is strong" he would say, "but
liberty is dearer."
So here the Frenchman made his
! abode. he lived a wild, reckless, al
most savage existence, and of the pass
ing of the days took no account save
that they brought him a greater sup
ply of game, for his love of the chase
was great.
Nor did he take into account the
warmly worded letters coming at dis
tant intervals from the old Vicomte de
Boufeuillet. At first the old man ad-
dressed himself affectionately, telling
him to make great haste to bring back
the money, that his Golfers might again
be filed and his shattered fortunes
strengthened.
1.-THE old fool, he little wots Of his
error" said the young a But 1
shall not inform him better. His grace
will soon be as dead as a pig, and l
will come into his possessions-and his
daughter"
More vehement and frequent came
the letters of the Vicomte de Boufeuil-
let. His rage brlstled forth, but it did
not affect the complacent recklessness
of his kinsman. The young man gave
little heed-not even when word came
one day that the yicomte himself had
set sail for Savannah, and Louis laugh
ed right heartily at the thought of the
old man appearing in that vast wilder
ness.
But laugh as he might, there came at
times a serious presentiment to sadden
his spirits. 1t was not that he knew
Of the CONSERVATION In the hall of the
old Vicomte-not that he had heard
how his grace had belligerently defed
the su%pplications of his fair daughter
and had sworn to cross the waters,
where he would find for himself the
riches he sought so eagerly; 1t was not
that he had seer the ship set sail bear
ing the old mar and his retinue-it was
not that he knew all this, but there
were times when the wonted levity of
young Louis relaxed and he grew grave
and contemplatlve.
Grave was he that winters morn
ing as he stood on the bold sea bluff
and watched the ceaseless breaking of
the pillows, and graver still when
through the thickness Of the fog ap-
peared the outline of a vessel.
The Vicomte de Boufeuillet was
there. His coming was like the sud
den bursting of a simeon, and the fury
of the storm was not greater than his
wrath. The thunder Of his voice rose
above the sounding of the surf.
ut Is one of his bad moods. The old
man Is crazed, but this wildness will
soon pass away" thought the young
Louis.
But he reckoned not of the violence
Of the old mans passion, nor did he
know that bitter disappointment grief
and rage had for the nonce unbalanced
him in mind.
Therefore was he amazed when the
vicomte flashed his sword above his
head and called upon him to draw his
own blade quickly or die.
Louis would have walked away, mol
would he have shown his steel except
for defense, but the Vicomte was rush
ing upon him.
Draw, dog, for by my head thou
shalt die for what thou hast cost mel"
So saying, the Vicomte made q furi
Qua lunge, but Louis parted well and
could have thrust back his own blade
in a vital spot, but would not. His
carelessness cost him dear. The OLD
Frenchman had recovered his guard
and like a fash had plunged his blade
10 the hilt deep into the side of his
young kinsman, who fell there on thu
sand and died. Sudden remerse seized
the Vicomte. The horror of his deed
brought back his scattered senses
Gladly would he have lifted the head
OF the dying man and called him bach
to life, and he grieved to think ther'
vas no recall.
He FASTENED to Savannah with thu
purpose Of returning Immediately II
France, but at that town his going wal
intercepted by officers of the law, wht
took him into their custody. Great wa
the indignation at what was though
to be a murder without cause, and IL
spite of his high station 1t seemed tina
the life of the Vicomte de Boufeuille
was in peril. for then the English Law
was enforced with upswevering seyeri
" in Georgia.
And la Belle Marie"-she, too, hat
made 4 pilgrimage. OF the killing sh,
had heard, and sailed at nee to tn
Georgia coast to grieve alone and shet
her tears in solitude where the body o
the brave Louis lay buried In its sepul
cher by the sea
The vieomte de Boufeuillet was
prisoner of the State. He was in tn
fast clutches of the law, and to plea,
his cause before the magistrate he EN-
ployed John Clay, whose descendant
will reside in the same city.
When the question Of fees came u
the old Frenchman was prepared.
~ have no silver or gold" he said
"An my possessions are In lands ia
away from here, but l am rich in tn
possession Of a daughter, the mos
beautiful of her sex, and should ! b
; scquitted, she shall be yours to wed"
1t was the hope of having this beau
tiful creature, Of whom he had heard
that led the lawyer to urgent effort
and his speech at the trial Of the fol-