The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-10-02

mine through my sudden movement
II was N. DO Mcrtons hand. and BIO
held tho foriy-pound note which ho
bad just taken out OF my hat Tho
wretehed mans face was eonvnlsod
Rith emotion. Our eyes meti his
we're dilaiod with terror, aud there
was look in them that seemed 10
hold me spcll-bound.
"M. dc Mertons is my partner,
said, haughtily, 70 the man who had
warned me; and am surprised that
you should dare to bring such an ac-
eusation against a gentleman whose
reputation Is 80 well known.
"The individual who had called out
had never been to the club before, and
did not know NJ. de Mertens at al.
We had al been standing round the
table close to each other, and on sec
ing another player putting his hand
into my hat, It was very natural that
the man should have thought It his
duty 70 warn me. On hearing my
explanation he apologized most hum
bly, to NJ. de Mertens, and several ac-
quaintances Of tho latter gathered
round and expressed their regret that
such an insult should have been Of
fered him.
1--WE then continued our play, and
NJ. dc Mertens soon after left the club.
Three days passed, and / heard moth
ing more Of the young man. Inshield-
ing him as had done. my first
thought had been OF his father
and had determined to save from
disgrace the name of the brave sol
der Of Magenta. OF course, I could
quite understand that the young man
should now shrink from seeing me
again, but still it struck me as rather
strange that in some way, either di-
rect or indirect, he did not attempt to
express his thanks.
zone evening, however, just as I
was going out to pay some visits, my
orderly informed me that a lady
wished to see me. / went into the
drawing-room, and there / found a
woman Of about forty-fve years Of
age. She was very dignifed.looking,
and there was an open, honest express
sion about her face which fascinated
me.
q" I am Madame de Mertens, she
said simply. MY son told me every
thing about the affair at the club, aud
have come to thank you With all my
heart for having preserved for us in
tact the honor of our name.
"Madame--' 1 began; but she
interrupted me in her emotion and
nervousness.
"'My son had got entangled in
various ways, and in desperation had
taken to play, 1t appears he had
lost every penny he possessed that
night. You know the rest, alasP
II felt very much embarrassed, for
the poor mothers griefwas terrible to
witness. She was still standing there
in front OF me, her face was deadly
pale, and the tears were trembling on
her long, dark eyelnshes.
"'He is young, madame; you must
not take it to heart so, l stammered.
1T was just moments weakness.
will see your son, and
"'No, Captain, she said, shaking
her head sadly, he is no longer here
he has enlisted, and is already
on his way with the regiment.
We had all been listening attentively
to Captain Joubert's story, and wheI
he stopped speaking there was silenct
for few minutes.
"And what happened to M. De Mer
tens, captain?" asked one of GU
group. "Did you ever hear?"
''He is dead. Six months ag,
I received a letter from Keluug--t
pitiful little letter written with YER,
pale ink, and on a sheet Of paper tina
, was all crumpled and yellow with age
There were only few lines for me t.
, read. l know them by heart. The,
q were as follows:-
81 am mortally wounded
! Admiral Courbet has just brought IN
! the cross; but / am dying.
am sending it to you, my poor ores