The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-06-08

"Wss;i, SO be it, monsieur. 1 have
only the interest of my child at heart.
Six days from today, then, return foz
your answer"
Six days from today, madame.
Raoul bowed and departed.
Raoul, Comte de Malplaquet, had
Aeally been, up to this hour-so Maitre
Pitou, 18 Rue Bonjard, said, whose in
come was large from his care of the
comte's estate, and larger still from his
care Of his morals, according; that is,
to the report he gave of them-a young
man Of the steadiest habits, wholly ig-
norant OF the taste of absinth-in his
bitters, at least-his fortune a reality;
briefly, a rara avis in the matrimonial
market.
e was only this crazy abduction
scheme Of his that worried good Nine.
Champonnet, with her old fashioned
way ot regarding things. Still, after
zan, itwas merely pretense, the fool
ish notion Of romantic lover. a mock
abduction, in truth, since she. fore
warned of it, was an accomplice in it.
Then the title ofcomtesse and 20, 600
francs year falling to the lot of de-
scendant Of the hardware trade certain
siy merised some little concession in the
way OF maternal scruples.
She decided to lay the whole matter
before Georgette.
aAbduct me, cried she, t.like real
Lochinvari Why, mother, bow charm
ing.''
And you are sure, you are sure,
Georgeste, . the mother continued, de-
termined to do her whole duty to her
child, that you have observed this
gentleman sufficiently to be certain that
he will be agreeable to you?
st Observed him sufficiently when he
has followed me like nay shadow every
day for a month past.'
Naturally, therefore, when Raoul ar
rived promptly to the moment at the
appointed hour there remained only
the pre1ininaries to settle for the affair.
g Which will take place, madame, y
Raoul concluded, s.on Friday next at
the midnight hour
The hour Of crime!''
s. For me the hour of happiness. On
Friday, then, I say, at 11:30 p. M, I
stop under your window. The sound Of
a mandolin played BY me will be the
signal, The dead latch will be up, and
Jon Will be sleeping like the dead,
madame. Georgette will descend; we
spring to the carriage; I'll have it in
waiting; galIop to the station, jump
aboard the rapide, and next day find
ourselves the leading article in the
morning papers. You, by noon, will be
interviewed by all the reporters OF the
city, visited and condoled with by all
your enemies and 3 day or two later
will receive from us q letter detailing
our happiness. Now. as I have still
many things to do before my departure,
Z bid you au revoir. .
" Without seeing Georgette?''
To see a girl / am going to abduct
would be improper, madame -
And Raoul, the case won, withdrew.
On Friday, then. at midnight, the
abduction, ss arranged came off. Nine
cs1amponnet. even By q happy fore
thought and an eager desire to increase
the comfort Of the affair, having dis
patched, secretly, Of course, to Racul's
address trunk containing Georgette's
handsomest and thinnest clothing. It
was always SO hot in Spain!
Spain? Picture, then, her consterna-
ton. her maternal despair, to receive
fom-Norway, whole month, too,
after the abduction had taken place, the
following telegram:
Did not so to Spain at all. Too hot.
Here we are freezing. You ought to
have sent bearskin in the trunk. Not
married yet. The religion here is Prot
estant Tomorrow We start for Asia
to warm ourselves. We do not know
the raligion there. From the French.
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