The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-04-20

with II sympathetic blush. Ask her,
madame, ask her if l may abduot her.
l desire 10 more. "
well, So be it, monsieur. l have
only the interest of my child at heart
Six days from today then. return for
your answer "
''Six days from today, madame. p"
Raoul bowed and departed.
Raoul, Gomte do Malplaquet. had
really been. up to this hour-so Maitre
Pitou, Is Rue Bonjard. said, whose in
como WAS large from his care of the
comte's estate, and larger still from his
care of his morals, according; that is.
to tho report he gave of them-a young
man of the steadiest habits, wholly ig
norant 81 the taste of absinth-in his
bitters, ut least-his fortune reality;
briefly, a rara avis i'll the matrimonial
market.
1t WAS only this crazy abduction
scheme Of his that worried good Mme
Champonnet, with her old fashioned
way of regarding things. Still, after
all, It was merely IA pretense, the fool
ish notion Of IA romantic lover, mock
abduction, i'll truth, since she. fore
warned of it, WAS an accomplish i'll it,
Then the title of eontesse and 20, 600
francs II year falling to the lot of de-
seendant Of the hardware trade certain
ly merited some little concession in the
way of maternal scruples.
She decided to lay the whole matter
before Georgette.
"Abduct me- cried she, "like real
LochinYar Why. mother. how charm
ing"
And You are sure, you aro sure,
Georgette. the mother continued, de
termincd IA do her whole duty to her
child, that you have observed this
gentleman sufficiently to be certain that
he will he agreeable to you?'
Observed him sufficiently when he
has followed mo like my shadow every
day for IL month past -
Naturally, therefore, when Raoul ar
rived promptly to the moment ut the
appointed hour there remained only
the preliminaries to settle for the affair
Which will take place. madame. -
Raoul concluded, "on Friday next ut
the midnight hour =
The hour of erimol''
For me the hour of happiness. On
Friday, then | say, at / 80 p. M, 1
stop under yuur window. The sound of
u mandolin played by me will be tho
signal. The dead latch will be- up, and
you will ho sleeping-like tho dead.
madame. Geargette will descend we
lDripp a tln pa,rIaUa. I'll huWa II IN
waiting; gAllop To the station, jump
aboard the raptdc, and next day find
ourselves the leading article in the
morning papers You, by noon, will bo
interviewed by all the reporters of tho
city, visited aud condolod with by all
your enemies, and day or two later
Will receive from as letter detailing
our happiness. Now, as | hnve still
many things To do before my dcpaI ture.
| bid you an revoir.
Without seeing Georgettet"
"To keo IA gin am going to ahduot
would be improper, madame.
And kaoul, the ease won, withdrew.
on Friday, then, at midnight, tho
abduction, rs arranged came of, Mime.
Clamp0nnet. even by happy fore
thought and an eager desire to increase
the comfort of tho affair, having dis
patched, secretly, of course, to Rnoul y
address trunk containing Georgette's
handsomest and Utmost clothing. II
was always 30 hot i'll Spain
Spain: Picture then, her consterna-
ton, her maternal despair, to receive
from--N0rway. IA whole month, too,
after the abduction had taken place, tho
following telegram:
did not 90 to Spain ut all. Too hot.
Here we ure freezing. You ought to
have sent n bcarskin in the trunk. Not
married yet. The religion here is Prot
estant Tomorrow we start for Asia
to warm ourselves. Wa do not know
the religion there From the French.