Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1895-04-18

very anxious to escape from me ~
she asked gently.
"Ah, no, madame, on the contrary
but-but. " he stammered, ~ am about
to leave Grillon."
"You also?n she said with some bit
terness. "Then the marquis hag told
youW
"He has told me nothing, but know
too well, and | cannot stay here and
witness his triumph, his happiness.
All, do not think l hate or envy him
the simple truth is, have been dream
ing such dreams of bliss that my heart,
in falling suddenly from the height of
its mad hopes, has received fatal
wound"
"What do you mean ?" said Eva sad
| ly, motioning him to sit beside her on
the sofa. "What has happened to
grieve you so? Tell me your trouble.n
| He took the proffered seat, and an
swered slowly,
"Do not mock me with your sympa-
| thy. That will only make my misery
more keen. Last night in the Park, l
heard a fragment of your conversation
with Raoul de Melchede."
"What then ?" she asked, and he
exclaimed eXcitedly,
"What then? Do you want to hear
me say that love you madly? You
know that, and SO you also know how
| suffer at this moment. / had hoped
to accomplish the impossible-I, the
poor artist, had dared to think that the
rich countess might be my wife. Fool
that l was, nothing less than hearing
my doom from your own lips would
convince me of my folly 7! All, fool,
fool ~
His emotion was so great that Eva
trembled as she heard him, and, striv-
ing in vain to speak calmly, she asked
in whisper,
"What did you hear last night ?'
II heard you say to him, why then
should L not return your love ? (" re-
piled the artist, and Eva smiled as she
exclaimed,
"But let me tell you, Mr.. Eavesdrop-
per, what the rest of the sentence was.
L said: But first / must tell you frank
ly that | have lately lost my all through
unfortunate investments, so that | and
my child will be entirely dependent
on my husband ?"
Her tone was so earnest and sincere
that Davanne was completely deceived,
as the other sutton had been, and he
with sigh,
''Such consideration could have no |
weight with Raoul, where there was
a question of winning you, madame"
Your friend the marquis" added |
Eva in tone of contempt, "asked me
to say the words once more, so great |
was his dismay then with deep bow
he told me that, although he adored |
me, he knew his family would not APP
prove of his marrying a woman with |
n Inyynr and with dam hn tnNl- |
his departure.
at is impossible said Davanne in
she never will relinquish |
yOu--n
"He has done it so completely that
he is now on the way to Paris, and
Grillon will see him no more" she said.
A ray of hope pierced through the
darkness of her listeners despair, and
he said slowly,
off you could but have confidence in
me, in my talent 1 promise you |
would make you rich, and happy, and
your child would be as my own"
At that moment the little boy looked
up at the distressed face of the speaker,
and, climbing up on the sofa, he said
"What is the matter? Are you going
20 cry? Look, mamma, he is so sad
Let him kiss you as l do and then he
will not cry -
Before his astonished hearers could
stop him, he put little arm round the
neck of each and drew their heads to-
gether till their faces met, and jacques
unable to resist the child's
touched his lips to the soft
cheek of the young mother. Eva de
Valrey made no demur when for the
second time in her life she was con-
quered by kiss, for her whole heart,
answering to the sweetness of the
caress, told her that now indeed she
loved