The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-22

oMsly playing the piano, making diacords,
which showed that his occupation was
only pretense.
'WAell-what's the mattery' said Nine.
DnrrieuX. s. S ,ss$.. ..s
Her husband raised his hands to
heaven, loosened his cravat as though
he could scarcely breathe, and, gasping,
said: ASK your niece" sfE s az. -
+ Her niece, with her hands on her head,
leaned her elbows on the. piano, iprodllc-
ing about as much harmony as a moment
before, her plump and graceful shoulders
neutrality-suspicious. with sobs, PERHAPS
with suppressed laughter; it was hard
to tell. ), . 1.
last succeeded in controlling himself,
your niece went out during your alb
sence, and where do you think found
her?" -...%,.s:' Ets,.-II -. ',
Rracing himself. with his feet spread
apart and his arms crossed, he conf
menced swinging backward and forward
like the pitching of boat at *sea, and at
last said: Where do you think r. .sssv
How should / know? You make me
uneasy; has anything happened to her?'
u found her at her lovers Office
Nine. Durrieux rushed to- her niece,
seized her by the arms, and turned
about, exposing a roguish face, young
ter Of an hour it was impossible to tell
just what this pretty face expressed
CONFUSION, remorse. or the torment a
smothered laugh inflicts upon one who
tries to control it.
DO You mean to tell me- you have a
lover?" said Nine. Durrieux.
she went to his office" interrupted
her uncle.
You went to his office!'
She even resorted to his house," again
answered her uncle.
You will be good enough to-
But the child had had time to catch up
her handkerchief with deft hand and
cover her face under pretext of weeping:
thenceforth it was vain to try to question
her.
You little rascal!' Durrieux took ad-
vantage of this to exclailn. ''She does
not wish to answer. because she has
nothing to say; she does not wish to tell
the name of her lover, because we do not
very one have forbidden her. 1t 10 Il
lover whom l decline to sanction, and
they are both aware Of it. It Is n lover
to whom both YOU and have closed our
notary
He might just as we'll have called him
executioner; he could not have alluded
to the suitor's profession in a more dis
paraging manner.
"a child l looked upon as my own
daughter he began again in mild
tone. II discover at the notary's, in
clined to revolt at her aunt's authority
of us: She cannot staY with us after
such an insult. It will be necessary
for her to leave the country. But the
scandal of her misconduct will reflect
upon us.
Did anyone see her?' said Nine. Dur
rieuX, frightened at the gossip that
might ensue.
''She may have been seen. or she may
not; but, my dear, in our little COM
munity everybody knows such things as
that. How unfortunate that this scoun-
drel. Levignard, should have such Il
cursed reputation. l should say that
they ought to marry at once, without de-
lay: He is of good family, and later
Will inherit some property: besides, he
already has an established position
which may become brilliuht. But to
give him our niece would effect upon
us. and surely do not wish that-no. it
would be better to exile this unfortunate
young girl :.
, What are you dreaming Of: Are YOU
crazy? \ marriage would be preferable
to all this scandal. Go and bring that
scoundrel of Il notary and let's make an
end of all this
Il will not
II insist
~ repeat whit l snid, my dear: L.
Will-not. That ends it,
"Ho,-will-not! shall send the
maid for him." and the inperious WON
an ran to give orders about the mes
sage.
After she had gone. both uncle and
niece sank into their chairs, exhausted
from their efforts to control their iaugh.
ter.
But. iinrie,'' said the notary's future
intended. when poor Levignard finds
out that he has compromised me he will
protest his innocence and my aunt will
accuse Ills of deceiving her.
Don't distress yourself about Leyiy-
nard.' returned Durrieux; 81 have
warned him. From the French of Jean
Destrem in San Francisco Argonaut.