Semi=weekly graphic., 1899-04-05
TMBER THIRTEEN.

nxoe yerne's granddaughter
 Enen % Tas betrothed to M. Moran,
 Eense necessary to celebrate the 1 ee,rD sIon by a little family supper; GsslOn on Mme. Verne had counted $ WIS she found, to her horror, that 'Ep all, ,,Ta bered thirteen. She be- Il her to invite M. Roden, the 1slgns .bo had christened little Hor'
 e' Roden was invited, and all
 Da. 1roll until two days before the 81 when an unimportant young
 psl' sa 'bothought him to break limb, s Fir poguee the party again to thir- & &Po time was short, but madame
 le le +ba best of it. She invited the W io teacher. who accepted with de- f4 Matters were arranged once
 s Tban q message came to Uncle .rro which demanded his presence eYhere. n,4 a.o,4a l hnt half a day remaining. Mime. [np was equal to the emergency. sent a note to q deaf gentleman aber acouaintance, begging him to ba And now all was we'll again. Sbe ladies were adding the finishing .cbes to their toilettes in the dress roon when suddenly screams were ,rd to resound through the house. ibo maiden aunt, Mile. Rosine, had .rb+ her dress on fire. It was ex- gnished before she was hurt; but dress was spoiled, her nerves up- and she could not and would not hain to the supper.
 lime. Verne was in despair. Sud- ply she remembered her notary. A Eriage was at the door. She tossed
 2 hood and shawl and hurried in- it.
 was only five minutes ride to building in which the notary's ce was located-a many-storied edi- ], of which he occupied the second Dr.
 )n the first were situated the apart nts of M. Moran-Hortense's be- fhed husband. As she hurried past jr door Mime. Verne glanced toward m and saw lady dressed in black .aking to a servant, who, at the ne instant, shut the door in her e.
 Ime Verne, having mounted the irs was doomed to disappoint- nt. The notary was in, but he was fering from an attack of the gout. weyer he could give her the direc- l, to a quortohzieme, who, if he was engaged, would be happy to hire lself out for supper time. $ she reached the foot of the stairs, yeyer, she paused. A woman, ssed in black, sat upon the lower j, rocking herself to and fro and aning. She touched the figure upon shoulder and said: My poor child, at is the matter?'
 I have come from the country; 1
 an orphan; have no relatives; I le to find a friend who promised me rything; I know no one here. ;terday I spent my last sou. k re anything for me but the river? an idea flashed upon the iame's mind.
 At least you shall earn your SUD- :" she said. Come with me" he hurried the girl into the carriage
 drove away with her, explaining they rode the em ergeney in which
 found herself.
 You will wear a dress of my grand ghter's," she said. "A black lace eh may be thrown over your own. nd with these words she led the
 into her home upstairs into her l apartment, where she adorned her taste and led her out to the table
 lovliest guest there-levlier far D than the golden-haired Hortense. bsorbed in her duties as hostess lame Verne did not notice, as the ars did, strange thing that took ,e as M. Moran seated himself and lced toward the strange guest. As T eyes met each turned deadly pale,
 each seemed to find it Impossible Ook away.
 nee only did the strange girl speak whisper to Nm. Verne. This is betrothal feast, madame?" Yes, my child"
 four granddaughter, the beautiful ng lady wonder, is to marry M. ave Moran?"
 Precisely; in two months.' fter this she said nothing more. last they were about to leave the e, and the old grandfather arose. had something to say to the young admonitions to him who about to take her into his keep
 but he ended thus:
 5ut 1 give her to you gladly, my Octave, for I know you to be an orable man; and I believe you will her heart as pure and fresh and unWritten as the one she gives to heart worthy of her acceptance" he uttered the last sentence Oc- Moran had slowly turned his face, hough attracted by some mesmeric lence, toward the stranger. Their had met and fixed in strange e; the other guests were all star at them.