The record-union., 1897-08-08

through the skylight. The young wife
had undresSed and was on her knees,
saying her prayers by the light of a lit
tie lamp while her husband was seated
ON a portnanteau, with his head be-
tween his hands, watching her. Her
eyes, turned toward heaven, were still
wet with tears, and when she had fin
ished she made the sign of the cross
with smile as if she We're going to
paradise. Without saying a word. her
h1s band kissed her, and taking her up
in his arms, lifted her into her ham
mock as if she had been a child.
Then he said to his little wife: 7 no.
tice that whenever you say your pray
ers you always cry That worries me
thinking about, and I fear that you
regret having come with me-
regret!' said she, in distressed
voice, and starting up. Regret, too!
and to have followed you'll |, who am
your wife and who know my duty, al
though I am but II. Why, my mother
and my sisters all said it was my duty
to go with you to Cayenne. wonder
how you can think such a thing for
minute! How can you regret anything
when l am with you to help you while
l live, and die with you if you die!'
The young man heaved a deep sigh,
while he tenderly kissed the pretty
hand and arm she extended to him.
Laurette, my darling Laurette,
when | think that if we had only wait
ed for four days they would have ar
rested me alone, / cannot frogive my
self
Il have always slept with one of my
eyes open Gas we say aboard ship) and
it was not surprising that the sudden
cessation of all motion one fine morning,
about a week after my interview with
the prisoners, sent me on deck at once
to see what had happened. It was
nothing more nor less than dead calm,
the sea like a sheet of glass, and the
| sails looking as if they were glued to
the nlasts; and in answer to. my inquiry
the First Lieutenant at once informed
me that We had reached the first degree
north latitude and the twenty-seventh
degree of longitude. AS the officer read
the entry from the log in monotonous
| tone, sharp feeling of dread seemed
again to pass through me, ais / remem-
bered that the time had now come
when the sealed letter must be opened,
| and all doubt and mystery as to it's
contents forever cleared up. 1 went
down to my cabin and, taking the seal
ed letter from it's place of safety behind
the glass cover of the clock, [ gazed i'm
patiently at the great center seal
My fingers were under the envelope
and L was about to tear it open, when
again a tremor seized me, and I has
tlly placed it, muttering to myself that
there was no chance of the ships moy-
ing before the evening, and that my
duty would therefore allow me to post
| pone the opening for a few hours. I
avoided the young couple during the
day, but the time for the setting of
the sun was at last rapidly APPROACH
ing, which would probably bring with
! 1t a breeze from the westward. I
dared wait no longer, and rushing has
tlly into my cabin, and without looking
| at the seals, tore open the envelope.
L read it through and then / rubbed
my eyes, for 1 thought they were de-
| ceiving me. 1 read it again asAd again
and then l began at the last line and
read it backward. I felt my legs begin
to totter under me, and l was Obliged
muscles of my cheeks commenced as
1 glared at the letter, and 1 had to
rub them with some rum to put a stop
to it. The one word duty seemed to
| burn itself into my brain, and hastily
sluicing my head in the water Jug. I
went on the deck into the fresh air.
THE instructions, the sealed orders.
what were they? My prisoner was to
Ch nh oy1 IL
| ton l was to superintend
Il went on the deck. There was the
young man and his Laurette, hand in
hand, as happy as two children.
Tell me your story, my friend, and
what you have done to these dogs of
Directors. These lawyering fellows
have got pretty strong grudge
against you. What's the meaning of
it all, and what have you done?'
He shrugged his shoulders, poor lad
and said with a sort of bitter smile:
Not much, Captain, God knows.
Three silly couples, and very bad ones.
| in vaudeville But they made the
people laugh, because they were about
the Directory, and that's all!'
1mpossible!' said I.
It's true, L swear to you. The
verses were bad enough, as 1 have said
| but L was arrested on the 10th F'ructi-
| dor and taken to La Force | was
tried on the 10Th and condemned to
death, and the sentence was afterward
commuted to transportation
Good heavens, these lawyers are
precious thin-skinned Do you know.
my friend, that letter orders me to
shoot you here?'
He made no reply, and he took it
very well for young man of only
! nineteen years of age. He only looked
| at his Wife, and wiped away two or
! three drops of perspiIation that would
| have fallen from his forehead I had
| some on my face, too-and other drops
in my eyes, for the matter of that. I
went on:
1t seems these good citizens didn't
choose to murder you on dry land, and
| thought no one would hear much about
it if it were done out here It's an
awful affair for me, but must do my
duty. The sentence of death is in per-
feet form; signed, sealed and initiaIed-
nothing is wanting.
! He made me a bow, but his face
| flushed up.
I have no request to make to you,
Captain said he, in almost his usual
| tone of voice. I should not like to
stand between you and your duty. All
ask is to be allowed to speak to
Laura; and I beseech you to protect
her SO long as she survives me, which
don't think will be very long,
Be assured of that, my poor fell
low. Don't let that trouble you, for I
will take her safely home to her fam
lily on my return TO France, and I will
| never leave her Sn long &C she 11ricnnr