Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1901-10-25

visitor was announced Capt Paul
Heaurcgard. an officer in the Freach
Guards lie was an intimate friend Of
De Graniicr. rs well as OF the lady,
and scarcely a day passed without
their seeing him.
Ny husband. Have you seen any
thing Of himg" she asked.
Il have been with him all tbse 3. o.
ing. natanie.r ser .
Where is ne? w, smV1 he not re-
tam with yong. gasg mas he been en-
saged? ~
! ',.'....s. ~ .segard replied to the las,
qa'-ss.iia: siia:
In an affair Of honor. madame"
a duel?"
Yes; and he has been wounded.
thought it best 10 prepare you for the
accident.
He is dead. shrieked the unhappy
lady as she fell back in commissions.
for she had read the truth in the cap
/ tain's face
Beauregard rang the bell and left
her in charge Of her maid, while he
went into another room. 1t was agony
bitter rs the pangs OF death to listen
TO her walls and sobs and shrieKs; but
in an hour FIorette. the waiting maid.
pale, frightened. with swollen eyes.
for she, too. had been weeping bitter
ly. came to say that Madame de Gran
Tier was caImer and desired to speak
with the captain
The officer found the lady white as
marble. but strangely quiet and col
lected.
Hector is dead?1 she half asked,
half asserted
Her friend drooped his eyes. The
answer was sufficient.
Now tell me how this happened.
said the lady. Hector was kind and
gentle and courteous. He had no enc
my-how could he have for he never
wronged a human being
That did not prevent his having an
enemy-a mortal foe-wbo last night
publicly insulted him and thus forced
a challenge from your husband
''Ay. honor compelled Hector 10 draw
the sword. But tho name OF that vii
iain-the murderer"
.Raoul Msltravers.
He. the man whose hand rejected?
Oh. my poor. dear murdered Hector.
Why did We ever meet Fatal was the
hour ia which yol saw and loved me.
Often have your lips told me that I
bad made you the happiest OF men.
Little did you dream that would givs
you leath as well as love"
4 implore yol. madam. said the
saptaln not to view this tragedy III
that light An Unforeseen calamity
has fallen on you and my heart bleeds
at sight Of your distress. Bgt can
do more than pity: I lan and win
agepge Hector RaOul Maltravers dies
by my hand
Hold" cried the widow, with sud
den and startling energy. 4 forbid
you to esrouse this quarrel | have
my own purpose OF vengeance. and no
man. not even YOU. shall be permitted
to stand between me and my predcs-
tined victim. He has robbed me Of
more than life. but will requite min
| was a fond, weak. gentle. loving
happy girl They who know me hence
forth will know me as a tig,ess thirst
ing for human blood. But no word Of
this to others. Bo my friend in this
extremity, as you were his true and
ioval friend to the last moment and
conduct the funeral rites. Ycu see how
calm I rrrbr Z H.
words without commissions
When Nictorihe was alone with her
dead sic had a wild outburst Of pas
slOnste grief. but it rapidly gave place
to calmness SO stern that II would
have appalled, an observer had there
leen witnesses in the chamber OF
death.
Hector de GTantier. she said, adj
dressing the cold clay, III my Creator
spares my life. your sou, whom your
eyes were never to behold. shall be
your avenger. | will rear him strong.
valiant. skiillul, and teach him to look
for no happiness, no rest. no employ
ment until he has slain the man who
has robbed you Of life, me OF a hug
band and binseif Of father"
Two months after the funeral the
friends OF the family were aDprised
that the widow lady was the mother OF
a--daughter. Shortly after this event
she retired with her infant child to an
estate in Brittany.
sixteen years passed away and thea
Nine. de Grantier. still wearing Wild
ow's weeds. again resumed ner resi-
denee in Paris. She lived in fashion
able quarter. but in great privacy. re-
ceiving only relatives. making no ac-
qlaintaRees. Her daughter. Claudine.
had grown up a beautiful girl. the pie
ture Of health-a bright flower to
bloom in the almost conventual gloom
Of her mothers house
Tie only frequent visitor was the
Young Chevslier de Hauteyille. a cou-
sin 1f cisldine. and strange to say. a
perfect image Of the girl-the same
height, features and complexion. The
gossips OF the neighboFhood said they
were born fof each other and predicted
marriage between the parties But
the servants OF tine family asserted that
the old lady would never. for some rea-
sen u her own. probably that Of near
ness OF blood permit the alliance. and
that the young people rarely If ever,
met. It was observed that whenever
Clsudine had gone to church the che
valieT was sure 10 make his appearance
and when he was in the drawing room
she vas always absent Whether this
was arranged by the mother or wheth-
er this young woman and this young
man. 50 strangely alike, cherished an
antiDalhy equally strange. was a mys-
terry. like almost everything else in
this mysterious household.
Had the widow. foiled in her plan af
vengeance by the sex Of her offsprine.
forgotten or forgiven Raoul Maltra-
Ners? No one knew. but no one ever
heard her pronounce ais name
Meanwhile Raols Aaltravers had LETT
the sea, not being particularly fond Of
the music Of heavy guns. for though
Z