West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-12-26

4
mn HALUEv CAs
D. !. ! 1.
gf/iIslA @kcm taut day for
HtMB 81 milliner, at
f-~> - She was
seated at about ten in the morning in
front of her window, which faced on
the Rue des Charrettes, busy shaping
and trimming superb bonnet, when
Mime. Dufresnes, her employer, opened
the door suddenly and, fiourishing n
paper burst into the room.
"Henriettel Hcnriettel Haven't YOU
read IL? Don't you know" shouted
she, out OF breath. Look, see"
And she thrust tho paper--the Petit
Rouennaie-under her eyes, pointing
out notice on the fourth page rs fol-
lows:
Mime. Henriette Emilienne Bar
donnel, daughter OF Pierre Augusta
Bardonnel, late piano tuner Rue do
Grand Point, at Rouen, Is requested TO
send her address TO NJ. Thiebault, law
yer, SO Place du vieux-M arche, Havro
property"
you must write the lawyer at once,
my dear-at once"
Yes, am going 10, of course,
Nine. Dufresnes, right off," said Hen
riette.
The following evening, in reply TO
her letter, Mile. Bardonnel received
word from NJ. Thiebault asking her to
come at once to his Office.
To pay current expenses check for
hfty francs was Enclosed. Decidedly
things were looking well, and Nine.
Dufresnes remarked upon Il.
You were born with n silver spoon
In your mouth, my dear. / have always
said so. And M. Leonce-he, too, is
very happy, is he not? is he going with
you 10 Havre?'
M. Leonce, or Leonce Lecarpentier.
was the son of linen draper In the
Quai aux Meules, promising young
bachelor OF twenty-eight, blonde and
hearty, but as gentle and timid as a
lamb.
Employed In his fathers shop, for
Papa Lecarpentier did not believe any
more than was necessary In throwing
his money into the gutter. Leonce
could only indulge rarely his passion
for the pretty little milliner A brace
let or a gown on her birthday or at
New Years, few picnics on Sundays
during the summer and few parties
occasionally, and that was all.
Restrained, however, by paternal
and business exigencies. Leonce had TO
let Henrietta take the journey alone
from Rouen to Havre.
The lawyers Office was In the second
story OF an old, dilapidated structure
at the end of n courtyard.
M. Thiebault, thin little man, with
bent figure, sharp eyes under his large
copper-rimmed spectacles and black
velvet cap on his head. motioned 10
the young girl to take a seat on his
left opposite the window.
Mile. Bardonnel, suppose?"
Eyes, sir"
"You have taken care to bring your
certificate of birth, as suggestedp"
Here IL Is, sir"
The lawyer unfolded the paper and
carefully read the statement
Pierre Auguste Bardonnel--so far
so good. Correctl Your father left
France about 1860, did he not, miss?''
Yes, sir. / was then five years old.
We were going TO meet him In New
York. My mother has often told me
the story. He wrote us three or four
times, rs nearly as can remember.
But we never received any further
news from him--never. My mother
has been dead six years, and have no
living relation except a cousin at FL
beuf."
Your father, miss, died on January
%, 1879, in South America, leaving a
fortune valued at ono hundred and
twenty thousand piasters, or six
hundred thousand francs, of which
you are the sole heir. To enter into
the possession of the whole of this
fortune 1t will be necessary for you 70
go there In person In order that you
may sec my colleague, M. Guastella,
who is the executor"
go way down there. But, mon
sieur, r.
I've shall advance the necessary
amount. Have no fear on that score. /"
"And when must startp"
Let us see-the Eurydice-the
Meuse-Friday, Saturday All, here IL
is-the Iberie, for Buenos Ayres. You
will sail next Monday That's rather
soon. You have Just time TO get back
TO Rouen and make your preparations.
shall expect you then, mademoiselle,
on Monday next without fail"
twenty-five days after Henrietta
Bardonnel, fortified with NJ. THE
bault's instructions and suggestions,
and with the address OF NJ Guastella,
Anibal Guastella, abogado, 1s2 Bolivar
street, In her pocket, landed at Buenos
Ayres, and repaired, with her trunk,
10 the hotel, 50 favorably named De la
Bonnie Soupo.
Within an hour after Henriette's ar
rival, and before she had finished her
dinner all her neiQhbors at the table,
as vol as the proprietor and three
servants. who spoke French. we're al
ready informed Of the motive and tho
object Of their journey.
One of her neighbors, the one on the
right, was an elegant and seductive
Spanish gentleman OF thirty years,
who murdered French dreadfully. lie
answered TO the name Of MauOel Al
varez, and lived NJ MOutavideo. WHARF