The Jamesburg record., 1899-10-21
( AN ACT OF PROVIDENCE.
hNES," cried my friend Amory, as

WHIST. ana now tndt tne game was oNSl'
we four mad enjoyed social cigar be-
fore separating.
The talk had turned upon serious
matters, and Amory, an agnostic, had
advanced his favorite theory that
everything was governed by chance
alone.
Clark. who had studied for the min
istry, but was now in business, had
combated with him for vigorous half
hour. and as the night was old. and we
were about to part, it was evident from
Amory's last remark that he had not
been convinced.
For myself" said |. also rising, Il
have listened to you both. and have
said nothing; but if you will come to
nv rooms tomorrow night. agree to
tell you a story that bears upon the
matter, and then you can better decide
which theory is the right one"
It was agreed. and the next night,
after little supper, my three friends
settled themselves about my open fire
and told me to begin.
'You will remember my brother-in-
law. Merriam. Of the navy? Well, 13
years ago. he was in Paris, on leave. He
had a good-looking. smart valet, for he
knew but little of the customs of the
country, and needed some one to as
sist him. and he thought he had most
desirable servant. until one night he
woke to see the fellow at his cash-box,
with dark-lantern at one side.
"Ned did not wait. but springing
from his bed he seized the man, and
they had a handto-hand struggle in
the dark. for the lantern was over
turned the first thing.
Merriam was of good size, and 1t
was evident that he was about overpow-
ering the valet when the fellow stab bbed
him. and slipped from his grasp out of
the door and escaped. The wound was
not bad one. and as he had in turn
given the thief good pounding he did
not follow.
Upon examining his cash-box, he
found that the man had only taken
some 200 francs and handsome meer-
schaum pipe that he had recently
bought, and, feeling himself a stranger
in a strange land, he concluded to call
the matter square and not to go to the
police at ALL which conclusion he fol-
lowed, and he never saw his valet in
France again.
"When he returned home, naturally
he told of the experience and described
the pipe to me, as it was curious one,
and seemed to be the thing that he most
regretted losing.
"It was Turks head, small, and
with flowing hair and beard, with the
mouth open, as if laughing, and in the
back of the mouth the artist had in
serted one small gold tooth that could
only be seen if you knew where to look
for it.
1T was just the sort of thing a naval
officer would fancy and spend his mon
ey for, and ,as l say, it was the one
article that Ned most seemed to miss by
the robbery.
Five years after the occurrence that
1 have related, an old client of mine in
troduced me to gentleman one day by
the name of Dupray. He was French
man who had come to England to en-
gage in business, and in some way had
become acquainted with Mr.. Leroy.
Leroy was a merchant, rich, queer,
and with no family but his daughter.
Now this daughter, strangely enough,
was entirely opposite to her father.
HE was homely, she was beautiful;
he was queer and rough; she was one of
the sweetest women that l ever had the
good fortune to meet; he wanted every
thing his way, and she was willing to do
his will in every particular but one, and
in that | upheld her against her father,
and to his disgust.
"She wanted to marry young man
who was a doctor in neighboring
town, while her father desired that she
should make a grand match with some
one who should raise her from the level
on which she was born.
"A few days after my first meeting
with Dupray, Leroy came to my Office
In most merry frame of mind. and in
few moments announced to me that
the Frenchman was in love with his
daughter, and would marry her if he
would allow it.
1.-THE Frenchman was willing TO set
tie on her all the property that her
father might leave her, SO that he was
not after her fortune.
Hes a fine man, too, Hamilton
said the old merchant, rubbing his
hands; comes of one of the old fam
lilies, and has plenty of money. I
think we shall make a good thing of it
if Marcia marries him.
"'Well, I suppose she will, of course,
If yOu demand it said T knowing how
strong was his control over her, and
wondering whether she had given the
young doctor up. What does she say?'
'The old fellows face sobered.
"That girls the apple Of my eye, as
you know; but she's as stubborn as her
old daddy. She refuses unless | can