Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-07-04

her dreams. There was nothing
In the house /; the furniture had
been cold at auction in the market
place on a Sunday morning to pay
the paltry debts incurred by the
unfortunate woman. Only . few
bundles of clothes, which they did
not know how to dispose Of, had
been left and they were scattered
over the floor. Through q broken
pane in the window she saw with
horror the scene of desolation--
this house inhabited and Jet de-
sasfes and expecting 10 see the
spirit Of her dear mother appear.
An idea suddenly struck Fran
cine. She recalled that every year
about this time the magnificent
chrysanthemums in this garden
used TO excite her admiration. They
were almost at the entrance-quite
close to the railing. II by passing
her hand through the railing she
could pluck a few flowers to make
a small bouquet. But the chrvsan-
themums are too far from the rail.
ings she cannot reach them. But
her small and attenasted person
can easily squeeze between two of
the bars. The matter would be
easy enough, but there is a light in
one of the windows Of the villa, and
at the end of the garden. in the
lefthand corner, are the dog kenne
and the gardeners lodge. He is
no joke, this gardener In the
village he is considered brutal,
ferocious man. It seems this is
why the count thinks so highly Of
him. Ii the dog should begin
barking. he would awaken and
Francine would be found in the
garden.
Hating between such a prospect
and the overwhelming longing to
gather few flowers, her face press
ed against the railings-the beauti-
full yellow flowers hypnotized her,
they seemed to stretch out to her
their fresh tendrils and all at
once she made up her mind, slid
between two ratings, entered the
garden, and hurriedly plucked
some of the chrysanthemums.
Half a minute had not passed
when she grew pale aud trembled !;
the dog had just barked, and while
crouching down on the gravel walk
she saw in the framework of a win
dow of the first floor, which had
just been thrown open, a large
shadow standing out in relief and
looking dresdfully stern. She
wanted to run away aud trisd to
reach the railing, but fear paralyzed
her limbs. A shot rang ous. She
fell headlong into a clump of chry-
ssnthemums.
A few seconds later NJ. des Voz-
iers and his gardener saw a young
girl lying inan:mate on the chry-
santhemums bed, holding tight in
her left hand the flowers she had
plucked.
The count was the first to reach
her, recognized her, and uttered q
low cry. What was passing in this
mans mind at that moment !:
Even the coldest and the harshest
creatures have their times of tend
erness, a moment when a generous
impulse will possess the sonl hither-
to incapable of pity. Perhaps
some secret feeling of remorse was
awakened in his conscience per-
haps the piteous face of the girl
mother appeared to him, no longer
patient and resigned, but in q spirit
of indignation and protest.
NJ. des Voziers grew horribly
pale, picked Francine up and car
ried her to the villa. The gardener
followed silently and mechanically,
and helped to undress the little
girl and to lay her on a bed. They
had not exchanged q word. Bat
when he saw Frsncine's left leg
covered with blood and torn by q
bullet, the count frowned, a look
of fury came over his face, and in a
voice shaking With emotion, he
said:
"To wound a child for gathering
few flowers is the act of brute. /"
The gardener cynically mut.ered:
81 did not know | was firing at
the daughter Of" At this
moment Francine opened her eyes,
softly raised her head from the pill
low and looked at the two men in