Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-04-20
ny uncle wields. He vii, bs tho die

tator, here at Grenoble. II we can only
move him from his bitter spirit OF re-
yenge, all will be well for everyone. We
have our own account to urge; surely
my mother and I. the only beings on
earth that he loves, may plead sue
cessfully. Put away your fears, Vio-
lante. and pardon me that in this hour
OF affliction wild Joy thrills my heart
with the hope that now / may win her
whom I have loved so deyotedly but
hopelessly."
Later, on that eventfui night, when
poor Violante's terrors were hanished
in the slumber the opiate had brought
to her exhausted frame, the cavern sa-
loon saw strange sight. There was
citizen Jean, who had preached SO fu-
flcsIsly to the mob for the downfall OF
the nobility, with his sister and his
nephew at his feet, clinging to his
handss and with tender appeals and
heart-wrung tears, imploring him to
'forego his fatal revenge. For a long
time he was implacable and obdurate.
At length his sister, in the wretched-
ness of despair, exclaimed frantically--
"Oh, Jean, Jean, It is in your power to
give me few peaceful days at the
close of my eventful life. You may
send me too to your dreadful guilio-
tine, for II the father. of my child per-
ishes by its fatal axe, / shall die Of
shame and horror and remorse."
Then the stern face quivered, the
fiery eyes lost their fierce blaze In a
gush Of tears, and NJ. Jean exclaimed
ruefully: ..-
"You have conquered, you shall have
your way"
And that way brought about, that
in the dead of night. two wretched
fugitives arrived at the cliff, and re-
ceived shelter and comfort within It's
hidden walls.
Count Beauvais, completely cured of
pride and obduracy, with tears of
thanksgiving, caught his recovered
daughter in his arms. and giving her
to Bernard, gave also his warmest and
most grateful blessing.
For Count Germain was in a more
ers and benefactors the wronged wife
and son was almost equal to ascending
the guillotine. But remorse and mis-
cry had wrought purifying work. Be-
sides he came there to receive their
pardon and die. The countess had in
some way obtained paper OF poison,
which she had administered to him as
well as herself. What was speedy
death for her was slower process
| upon his stronger frame. He died, pen
itent and hopeful, breathing his last in
the cavern, surrounded by his weeping
wife and forgiving son, and leaving
his papers to reinstate Bernard in his
| lawful position, If the bloody crisis OF
| the country should pass away. The es-
| cape Of the two counts was always a
| marvel, but rapidly surging events
swept it away from the minds con-
stantly familiar with new and as des-
perate tragedies, and no one had been
| bold enough to question NJ. Jean, the
noted Jacobin. No one either suspected
the existence of the wonderful cavern
which he had enlarged and fitted uI
| for the secure retreat Of his sister and
| her child. There Violante and hei
father remained in safety, until an op.
portunity came through Christophe's
sloop to escape to England with Ber.
nard, his mother and uncle. who, upor
the fall of Robespierre, knew that
France was no longer a safe retreat fol
him.
When prosperity and peace. under
Napoleon Bonaparte, once more
smoothed away the agitation Of the
land, among the first to return and
claim their estate and title was Count
Bernard Hugo German, with his youns
and lovely wife and her aged father
Count Beauvais. NJ. Jean was left be
hind in an English grave. The spiri
that had burned so vividly and chafet
and fretted against the bars of fate
was early exhausted and extinguished
Need add one Of the dearest spots u
the young heirs Of both Germain ant
Beauvais, was the romantic cliff tina
leaned over so frowningly upon tn,
blue rolling Isere?
THE END.1