The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-12-10

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becomes what he is Well. time goes on;
| NJ sieu le comte--that God may forgive
| him-dies, M'sieu lives on in this soiituoe
| with the widow and child, he resolves u
| devote himself to the child; all the love
that is in him, almost. goes 10 the chiiu :
| he begins to take heart again. 10 nope
little. to lcok after the property-ill Tor
the child's sake. You see, mademoiselie,
our M sieu 10 baron is so proud, he felt
his disgrace more kceniy than another
| man would have done. AT first he refuS-
| ed to so anywhere, to see anyone-ir you
viii believe me, he led the life or a
| hermit
M sieu Raoul educated the child in a
| great measure himself, but sent him to
college when he was sixteen. Yes, by dint
of privations and economies, and unrc-
hitting attention to the estate, by that
time affairs at La Pepiniere were in bet
ter condition. M'sieu le baron had paid
all outstanding debts, and had even a
little sum in hand. When my nephew
succeeds to the property he will have
fewer difficulties to contend with even
than T. he used TO say. Yes, that was
the one thought-no matter what he him
self suffered or did without, his nephew's
future was To be secure. Does NJ Sieu,
then, never mean to marry l asked him
one day. 'Mseu is still young man;
why should life be ruined for him because
of another's fault? Hush, Justine. what
folly" he said, frowning. Everything is
over for me. / cannot take up my life
again for myself; though 4 can and do
liVc-for him.
We'll, after all that, my fine young
man turns out just such another as his
father. A mauvsis garnement! heartless.
foolish, denying himself nothing. Ah-h-h,
do YOU see mademoiselle L cannot contain
myself when l think OF him, NJ sfeu 10
baron did not find him out all at once
think even when he did he could hardly
bear TO believe the evidence of his own
senses"
But did he not reason with him-re-
proach him." cried Molly eXctediy.
Reason with him? i should just think
he did reason and reproach and tmplore
NJ sieu Castor. almost with tears, 10
! lead different life. Yes. and when all
else failed. l myself told him the story
of his fathers misconduct oh. he was
much touched, was NJ seu lie comte. He
had tears in his eyes, and declared That
he would never hold up his head again.
so deeply ashamed was he of Msteu son
pere. AS to proving ungrateful to so
good an uncle, only a monster could so
tar forget himself"
THE hypocrite"' exclaimed Molly with
flashing eyes.
Not altogether" said Justine. layin,
down her work and speaking meditative-
~. II believe that for the moment he
means what he says-he has really the
best intentions, only lie never fulfills
them Wen, little by tile NJ sieu Castor
got through his mothers portion (Which,
being settled on her, had formerly eS-
caped. OF course, when she chose TO
give it To him, no one could save It,
And then things went from bad TO worse
till now we are almost beSgared: or late
we have been living from hand to mouth;
how it is all TO end | know not. But it
is not SO much the poverty that NJ sieu
lie baron foels-though, mind you, as l
say. to n man of his temperament the
present state of things is far more pain
ful and humliating than il would be TO
one less proud and sensitive-but IL is
the grief and disappointment caused by
M'sicu Castor. His second bankruptcy
is worse than the first: for now he is
bankrupt in hope, in affectiOn-in all that
remained TO him in life. And here l am
mending that young good-for-nothinS
abominablc socks cried Justine. sud
denly breaking or n her recital and
dineing her work on the floor. why
do IL / don't know. The fact is we are
all ready TO do anything for M'sieu Gas
ton. We all love him, l believe, though
he is so bad. Yes, even think his uncle
loves him STILL though he Is often colo
and stern to him. and for that reason he
suffers all the more.
Molly was silent. After pause inc
other picked up the offending sock again,
muttering that If Il were not mended
Monsieur CASTOR would buy new ones.
and therefore, in his unclc's interest, II
was better to continue to darn.
Il am sure, Madcmoiselle," she OBJ
served All at once. that L can count on
YOUR discretion. No one knows this story,
N'sieu lie baron his nephew, you aud l.
| tell you. because" said Justine, thought
fully rubbing her nose with her needle,
"it appears TO me that YOU are interest
ed I'm Msieu lie baron, and beside, ma fol,
one must talk sometimes, and have car
ried about this secret for so many years
that my heart was bursting with it."
Molly suddenly turned pale. and was
struck with horror. What had she done?
What dishonorable part had she uncon-
sciously enacted?
..Oh. Justine" she cried. you should
not have told me, and l should not have
listcncd"'
! 1t is a little late to think OF that now.
Madcmoiselle, is It not?" returned the
other placidly. but do not distress your
The girl turned away. and, after mo-
ment or two. sought her own room,
prey to the bitterest remorse.
Could she ever look Raoul In tho face
again, knowing what she did, and having
become possessed of her information In
such a manner? How could she, she
asked herself in that paroxysm of wonder
with which she was occasionally con-
template our own actions, how could she
have stopped TO such conduct?
She had been so much interested In JUS
tines story, so carried away by the re-
capitulation of Raouis sorrows and by
her sympathy with them. that she liter
ally had not realized what she was doing.
After long and painful meditation, she
resolved to expiate il by full confession
to Raoul himself. Drawing his displeasure.
that she might gain her self-respect.
After dejeuncr, at which she cut a sor-
ry figure, she introduced the subject, look
ing so grave and perturbed that Sauvig-
ny's heart sank within him.
II have something to say to you,'' she
began. and then stopped. breathing hur-
riedy.
''She Is going to tell me she wishes to
leave thought Raoul. and he turned a
shade paler. and braced himself for the
ordeal.
II have confession TO make" went
on Mohy I'm a very shaky voice. II must
tell you that / fear-I know. L have TAX
en- advantage of the liberty you give me
i have betrayed your trust" hero she
came TO a standstill again. Oh, why
WOuld her Inns from blp So and yrhv did