Evening star., 1898-08-27

MARIE is true 10 the core, Tor you trusted
her, till chance circumstance turned you
against her. And. let me add, Armand is
true to the core, for no man would reveal
to me an idea like this-it Is one of the
grand inventions of time, 1 tell you-if he
We're at all hostile to me and France. Very
we'll, then, Armand and Marie are true;
that's settled. Now, suppose / go and visit
Armand without any human being but you
and them two, knowing of it; then think
l shall be in a position to defy your plot
Eth! What do you say, nowg'
She had nothing to say. She buried her
head on his shoulder, murnurtng, God
preserve my deart'
Vansittarts reasoning about Marie and
Armand was good, and, indeed, infallible.
He was not aware, however, of the strange
will of NJ Carhaix, and the legacy of strife
and bitterness which this gentleman had
left to his nieces.
By / o'clock Evelyn had written to Marie
The more direct way would have been to
write to Armand, but time pressed, and
there was the probability that Armand, a
man and bachelor, would be away from
home, without having left behind any indi-
cations of his whereabouts. She chose her
messenger with great care, a man OF pru-
dence. whom she knew and trusted. She
described Marie miEutely to him, and told
him on no account to deliver the letter into
any hands but her own.
At that time Vansittart did not imagine
that the enthusiasm of the Parisians would
finish the work on the railway SO early as
1t would be done. At about 10 he might set
| cut for the station with all secrecy, for he
lad no intention, if he could help it, of be-
ing assassinated on the way. Armand s
lodging lay in obscure street not far
from his route. So he told Evelyn to make
the appointment for 10:30.
This, then, wrote Evelyn. Marie, on the
receipt of the letter, was at once to run and
find her lover, tell him and bind him to ab-
solute secrecy. She, Marie, as soon as she
had read the letter, was to tear 1t up and
scatter the pieces. She was warned that III
she mentioned the matter even to her
closest relations she might do infinite harm
to her friends. The messenger had hint
20 await and see that the letter was de-
stroyed before his eyes.
little after l he reached No II Rue
Pigalle. He rang the bell and the wicket
was opened by Jeanne. Evelyn did not
know, had not suspected, that Marie went
out to any business.
Il want to see Mile Marie Carhaix," said
the footman. He had livery, he was
in plain clothes Some one wishing to see
Marie was a rarity. Jeanne was Infinitely
surprised at once, spurred to the very acme
of curiosity. But she did not show it. She
only said:
"She is not at home, monsieur
Can you tell me where she is?
But, yes, monsieur. She is at her work.
! am her sister; if the matter is not pri-
vate one, you may tell me what 1t is, and
/ will tell her when she returns.
Perhaps it might be better If 1 saw her
herself the man said. Can you tell me
where one may find her?
But, yes, monsieur. 1t is in the Rue de
Bac, between the Quay d'Orsay and the
Boulevard st. German, at No. pa
vacherie."
Thanks, ma m 'selle."
No more-the man turned away. Jeanne
looked through the wicket and saw him
step into a fiacre. Then, she, too, stepped
out, got into another facre, and gave the
driver the same address. At the entrance
f.anf-
man by that time had entered the vacherie
and asked for Marie Marie was not there.
Madame, the proprietress, told him that
Marie had asked leave to be out for an
hour that day. She might, however, be eX-
pected back within five ten minutes, if
he would wait. Jeanne, hanging behind the
large column of a house frontage, saw the
man come out of the shop and stand wait
ing at the door.
Marie away from work in the middle of
the day? What, in heavens name, could it
all mean? The light of tiger cats eyes
cleaned greenish in the woman's intense
glanceS. Her heart beat high with excite
ment.
In five or six minutes Marie came run
ming with hot face toward the door of the
vacherie. The messenger knew her at once.
He stepped toward her
Are you Marie CarhaiX?"
She started.
Yes, sir
He took the letter from his breast pocket
and handed 1t to her.
A blush of vivid crimson deepened in her
flushed face as she ran her eyes over the
letter. Here was joy beyond dreams, and
communion with the great ones of the
eartht Twice, in a treInor of happiness she
read it. Then Jeanne saw her deliberately
take the sheet and tear it into the minutest
bits, some of which she cast into passing
hay cart, and some On the breeze and some
down a grating in the street nearby.
The man smiled, and bowed, and turned
away.
She called after him:
Say it will be well - and a thousand,
thousand thanks from the grateful heart of
! Marie"
He bowed again, and walked off
Marie was duo In heI shop, but the shop
tt day was out of the ql estion. Instead of
entering it, she got into a cab. She had
just left Armand She knew where to find
him. In another cab Jeanne followed her.
This. for some reason or other, was day
OF festival and la1ge-hearted liberality with
Armand. Yo.der at the restaurant au Re-
gent in the Rue Gironfiet, red that day
flowed the wine. At the back OF the house
there was a large open yard; at the back
OF the yard an arbor.
Today it was the very home of riot As
Marie sped down the little lane that led
from the wicket beside the restaurant
proper, burst uprn burst of merrtment from
within this temple of pleasure greeted her.
That morning Armand had scribbled down
the score of a song, which was afterwari
to be famo Is all over France, and he had
managed to dispose of it TO a music dealer
on the Quai st. Michel for napoleons.
Never millionaire rolled and luxuriated In
the consciousness of inexhaustible opu-
lence as ar nand with napoleons in his
pocket. How to dispose of all this excess
and superhuity of wealth? With one-half
of 1t he bought a cheap wedding ring. Then
he sat down and commenced writing out
fantastic Invitations.
What was the cause of the fete? Per-
haps only one of the wild whims of the in
calculable Armand. Nc one knew. Armand
guarded 1t in his bosom, a sacred secret.
Sober-minded Marie had insisted upon re-
turning to her work. When, after short
an interval, she put her head inside the
little gothic door, there was a shout. and
unquenchable laughter-that kind of laugh
ter which has in it the gurgle and eciat of
bright wines. Every one now was fuddled,
and the girls had begun TO lean their heads
or their neighbors shoulders. Marie en-
tered with a smile Of comprehension and
indulgence all round, and a bow and look
of love at Armand. He leaped toward her.
with flushed face. One of the girls had
picked two or three tendrils from the
creepers, and crowned his head.
She led MIN at once by the sleeve down
to the back Of the arbor, where there were
no tables. The Ioise and the laughter Of
the others went on meanwhile.
She was bursting with the news. Joy
darced in her eyes.