Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-11-04

dUOuU dill udy WILL Ay WAO NAAu Oe1OJ ~
that delightful solitude. To make
amends for our isolation, had tele-
phone line put up to connect with the
central office at Marseilles, and by it ev-
cry evening, as I sat in my bedchamber,
could learn what had been done dur
ing the day at my factory in Paris.
''Our peaceful life was interrupted by
q notice from my superintendent. By
making personal application I could
probably obtain an important govern
ment order. The weather was so fine
and Marcel seemed so well that Louise
decided to wait for me at Morande. But
on the eve of my departure for Paris
the rain fell in torrents When the
hired vehicle arrived before my door, at
sight of the immense blackness Of the
fields and woods I felt sudden grip
ping at my heart.
"sYou will be away only two nights,
Louise treasured me- 'Nanette will
sleep near my room. Blaise has your
gun, and from the house where he
sleeps he could hear us call, and the
dogs are an excellent guard. What
could happen to us?'
st kissed Louise and Marcel and start
ed on my journey. On the train I passed
a most uneasy night, and had no SOON
er reached Paris than I jumped out of
the carriage and fastened to a telephone
Office. Communication being establish
ed, heard, nasal and muf1ed, but still
very sweet to me, the voice of my wife.
g 'HelloP I called. How did you
pass the night, Louise? Were you very
frightened?'
Yes, ittle-Nanette especially.
We did not get to sleep until almost
daybreak because Nanette thought she
heard steps in the garden The dogs,
which we had forgotten to unite, had
been barking a long time. At last we
opened the window and called Blaise.
He took the gun, loosed the dogs and
made tour Of the house, but he did
not find anything suspicious. Baby,
who did not suspect anything, the fine
little fellow, has walked up and is call
ing me. Goodby. If you have moment
before dinner, call me up again.
"Only half treasured, plunged into
the business in hand and was not able
to go to thu telephone again until after
8 o'clock. / had to call long time.
Helloi Hellop called. why don 7
you answer, Louise? What is the mat
ter?'
Something we did not expect this
afternoon. The shutters had been fas-
tened, the dogs united, and Nanette had
put up bed for Blaise in the hall, in
order to save us the terrors Of last night,
when a boy from the village brought q
note for Blaise. His mother has sudden
~ been taken very ill, and she wanted
him to come to her immediately. The
boy, whom we had never seen before,
went away again as soon as he had de-
livered the note, without giving us any
further information. Blaise, who adores
his mother, was quite upset. He did
not want to leave us alone before day
light, but his sorrowful face told how
dearly the delay would cost him.
thought that if this woman dies tonight
l shall have prevented poor Blaise from
receiving her last blessing. So over
came my scruples and made him go.
He promised to return this evening, and
to save time he will drive back. I have
just bolted the doors after him. That
is why I kept You waiting. Now, how
is that business affair getting along2'
" Very well; but let us talk about
yourself. You should not have let Blaise
go. Even if he drives back he cannot
return before 10 or II o'clock. My sole
confidence was in knowing that he was
near you, and now he is gone. And
then that boy who ran away before you
had time to think of making sure his
news was true! At any rate Blaise has
left you the two dogs and the gun, has
he not?'
The two dogs are asleep ON the
porch AS for the gun, Blaise must
have left it in the hall. I shall go and
make sure Can you hear Marcel? He
is sitting in my lap and is saying good
night to you. Listen.
Good night, papa, good night
Good night, my darlings must
get bite of dinner now, and then
will call you again.
"Once outside felt oppressed with
what my wife had Just told me- I had
dissimulated my own anxiety in order
not to add to her fears, but that uneasi-
ness, which had hardly been q1ieted by
the first conversation, now waxed stron-
ger at the thought of this strange, in
credible letter which had taken away
my wife's one defender, the only man
in the house. My thoughts took so dark
a turn that by the time I reached the
hotel could not swallow mouthful.
left the table to return to the telephone
Office, but my agent found me and laid
before me a lot Of details which were
essential to the success Of my venture.
could not dispaiss him Immediately, and
1t was late when re-entered the tele-
phone office My heart throbbed with
impatience and my hand trembled so
that / could scarcely hold the receiver
to my eay. 1t was some seconds before I
could hear anything.
sHEllo, Louise, hellol cried. Are
You there? Answer me.
AT last heard her voice, but it was
low, q ,pressed, filed with terror.
"sQn, it's you at last! For the last
hour have been nearly crazed. could
not fin the gun-that boy must have
stolen it when he went away. Blaise
has not come back. They must have got
him on Of the way on purpose. Oh.
EVERYBODY Says 30.
fsaxf.a reta Candy Cafho,-f;r Che v,o.t ,,,nv,-