Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-09-02
CHAPTER XIV.
NY FATE

MY FATK
Until nearly evening Of the next I
day was solitary in that house. Un-
usual out-of-door labors kept lie Fevre |
away from early morning till dark; !
and neither Coralie nor her father APP |
peared at the breakfast or dinner
table.
''De ole massa powerful sick in de
night" said one of the women who
waited on me. "'Pears like he done
git no sleep. and Missy Coral mp an
down wild him. Tell us what we do
for yo', sab, an we do um."
strolled down to the bayou and
strolled back. tried toget interested
in book, and threw one after another
aside. Was it the natural longing for
her who had now become necessary to
my existence?-or was it the restless
ness provoked by the shadows of com
ing events2
Coralie-always Coralie. She had
taken possession of me; could think
of nothing else. I have ventlred upon
no description of her face and form; 1
will not She was all that Mr.. Dorion
had said of her, and more.
But who was it that thus thought Of
her and hoped for her? A poor adven-
turer, with few paltry dollars in bis
pocket; a dependent at this moment
upon her fathers hospitality.
Aye, indeedI-was that my position?
Be it So The other side of the ques-
tion quickly appeared. There was
danger threatening-dang to Coralie.
The very air was full of it, since the
Il-omened visit of the previous night.
Ibid be say anything about you, Corry?"
was her fathers anxious question.
What might he have said?-what could
he say?-what was it that he had
threatened to tell all through La
Fourche?-the threat of which had
forced MIR. Bostock to the humiliating
confession that this scoundrel was his
son.
Evidently the mysterious terror that
brooded at Pierce Bostoclx's heart
largely concerned his daughter. The
man who sought her must seek her
under this cloud. He must take his
xisk. Was prepared to do this?
Was / prepared? Yesi A thousand
times yes / would face anything.
dare anything, for her. ! exultcd,
with q fierce exultation. TO know that
there must be some sacrifice ON my
part ! wanted something to dare;
something to suffer for her sake.
1.-The parting words of lie Fevre on
the previous night required to me-
"The old man couldn't live without
her. I've sometimes thought that the
love of her is all that keeps him alive.
Many promising young fellows, the
sons of the wealthiest planters about
here, have tried to court her, but he's
driven them all OH He has seemed &c
be in a perfect terror of her falling in
love with anyone. But he needn''
have troubled himself so far. She
hasn't cared straw for any of them.
Would 1t not be so with me, both a,
20 the father and daughter? / could
not tell. But resolved to quickly
find out Events were fast shaping
my course, and the startling occur
renee of the evening before had EN-
boldened me to speak out
1t was almost sunset when she came
down from her fathers chamber
wearied from loss Of sleep, languidl.
beautiful in her white wrapper, wit
her black hair unbound and fastene'
hack-with a-net- She came and sat b.
me on the sofa.
HE is asleep now" she said, antic1
pating my question. II hope it vii
last long enough to rest his poor dis
tracted mind and his weak body.
all comes from the shock of that ba
mans visit last night He will nc
talk with me about it-but IN his slee
he cries out his name, and prays hin
not 20 speak of me-and o. Non Dies
it Is horriblei Can it be that this hiS
eous man is my brother?"
~ fear it is SO. Mr.. Dorion told N
so. He said that he came to the plal
tation near Viclzsburg when you wei
an infant, with your father; that /
was always called a son; and that
was supposed, when he went ava
during your childhood. that on accouI
of his evil course your father had hire
him to leave"
"Ah, mel have no memory of hir
Why does papa fear him?"
~ wish | knew"
These things are dreadful VIII
are we to do-what will become of us
do not despair. We may never he'
of that man again"
"Ah. you do not know the conditiC
that poor papa is inl 1t is pitiful to S
him He begs me not to leave him;
calls on Conrad not to betray him"
HE is delirious-"
mo, no; it is in his sleep. Since Ia
night, it has seemed to me as if ] cou
never be light-hearted or happy agai
It seems as though some dreadt
calamity was threatening us"
You want rest and sleep yourse
You must not be so sad"
Am ! sad? Well. think Of it. BE
is papa, sick with fright FROM that ms
he will die suddenly, some time,
doctor says-and then there is nobo
to protect me or care for me. Mr.
Fevre, perhaps-but he is SO roul
though his heart is good.
troubled"
All this was merely the natural O
pouring OF the heart, by one whose
had always been sunnys who had !
known what grief was. 1t was my
portunity; could not neglect it.