Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-03-14
TMBER THIRTEEN.

' nce was betr0thed to NJ. Moran, ai !' aan7e necessary to celebrate the
 e ian go bv q little family supper. |.'F x ~bon 1g Mme. Verne had counted a an she found, to her horror, that # numbered thirteen. She be-
 Inf her to invite Nj. Roden, the < wb0 had christened little Hor, " N Roden was invited, and all 'sssssUell until two days before the
 s,ssar when an unimportant young sx 1s5s bethought him to break a limb, '# reduce the party again to thir-
 rs time was short, but madame
 zp the best of it, She invited the .s ':s|o teacher, who accepted with de <, Matters were arranged once ' ssS when a message came to Uncle 'ssTe which demanded his presence zeE Ehere.
 s@ain there were thirteen guests, 'asbut half a day remaining. Mime. sS1e was equal to the emergency. |s sent q note to deaf gentleman sher acquaintance, begging him to ,s,e And now all was well again. rhe ladies were adding the finishing sabes to their toilettes in the dress s4oom, when suddenly screams were ar1 to resound through the house. nAe maiden aunt, Mile. Rosine, had .8ebt her dress on fire. It was ex- Finished before she was hurt; but sH dress was spoiled, her nerves up- E and she coul1 not and would not mhin to the supper.
 hTnp. Verne was in despair. Sud-
 stg she remembered# her notary. X ee was at the door. She tossed
 haod and shawl and hurried in- I8 was only five minutes ride to < building in which the notary's iee was loeated-a many-storied edi- a of which he occupied the second 9n the first were situated the apart snts of NJ. Moran-Hortense's be- ,Ihed husband. As she hurried past sn door Mime. Verne glanced toward sm and saw q lady dressed in black zsking to a servant, who, at the Ia instant, shut the door in her Hines Verne, having mounted the |hs, was doomed to q disappoint-
 nt. The notary was in, but he was Bring from an attack of the gout. Never be could give her the direc- J to a quortohzieme, who, if he was Engaged, would be happy to hire aself out for supper time. |s she reached the foot of the stairs, Fever, she paused. \ woman, #sed in black, sat upon the lower rocking herself to and fro and hning. She touched the figure upon #heu1der and said. My poor child, 8t is the matter3
 have come from the country; 1 San orphan: ! have no relatives; 1 De to find a friend who promised me sything; know no one here. Hterday spent my last sou. Is He NanYthing f4H me but the TiFerY bddenly an idea flashed upon the 6ame's mind.
 At least you shall earn your sup. S' she said Come with me" Dc hurried the girl into the carriage drove away with her, explaining #hey rode the emergency in which Hound herself.
 You will wear. 9 dress of my grand Ighter's, she said. "A black lace ich may be thrown over your own. hd with these words she led the into her home upstairs into her apartment, where she adorned her haste and led her out to the table, lovliest guest there-loYlier far D than the golden-haired Hortense.
 bsorbed in her duties as hostess, 1ame Verne did not notice, as the ers did, a strange thing that took De as NJ Moran saated himself and nced toward the strange guest. As
 F eyes met each turned deadly pale, | each seemed to find it impossible pol away.
 bee only did the strange girl speak whisper to Nm. Verne. This is q betrothal feast, madameP Res, my child.H
 bur granddaughter, the beautiful Thg lady yonaers IS to marry II. bye Moran?"
 Precisely; in two months.' fter this she said nothing more.
 | last they were about to leave the le. and the old grandfather arose. had something to say to the young ple-kind admonitions to him who about to take her into his keep but he ended thus
 But I give her to you gladly, my D Octave, for l know you to be an lorable man; and I believe you will her a heart as pure and fresh and |unwritten as the one she gives to a heart worthy of her acceptance"
 $ he uttered the last sentence Oc- Moran had slowly turned his face, Though attracted Joy some mesmeTic hence, toward the. stranger. Their B had met and fixed in a strange re; the other guests were all star lat tlfeTn..+aas tddeniy Octave Moran started to feet and dashed out of the room. Ire were thirteen at the table. Dmethfng flashed into the hatfd or pale woman, at whom all gazed she fell forward uDon the table.