The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-08
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Our Daily Short Stories
A NOBLE CONVICT.
BY HENRI CHEVALIER,
Isl llg5zaHEi
Copyright. 1901. by Authors Syndicate

( with the landlady's daughter, but he
\ dared not tell her of it on account of
MS dark past. Every glance that 9TH
ers bestowed on her cut him to the
QUICK, but the greatest blow to him
was When ne saw Jean pay court to
her. Henriette Salon was somewhat of
| hlrt ands Charles saw that. though
she accepted jeans presents, her affec-
ton for him was not very strong. Yet
II was believed that the couple loved
each other dearly and that a betrothal
| would soon be announced Henriette
was delighted with the fineries and
! Jewelry which Jean bestowed on her.
but Charles knew that his young friend
| was spending his last sou to keep her
heart
The day before the betrothal when
| Charles came home from a hard days
work, he was surprised to hear a loud
quarrel in his room. One of the lodg-
ers, an old miser, was upbraiding the
landlady because his trunk had been
broken open and three louis dor had
been taken from it,
II am sure" he cried, that one of
your dodgers has taken them. l insist
on thorough search and if they are
not found l win call the police!"
| Charles Bravure remained on the
stairway holding his breath. His GRIM
L
came almost dazed with fright. Then
he thought of the diamond ring which
Jean had bought for his sweetheart the
| night before.
The landlady and her daughter obey
| ed the fniser, who was shouting like a
madman. At last one of the louis dor
was found in an old vest of Jean
| Marchand.
"Ah. the hypocrite," cried the miser,
hn xxyrr l,oxv a. Y i
| sooner have suspected his black beard
| ed comrade"
| AT these words Charles returned to
his senses. Jean was just coming up
| the stairs. There was no time to be
lost. He rushed into the ROOM. and,
| confronting the miser, exclaimed:
Il am the man who stole your money.
Ny conscience burns within me. L can
not bear to see my young friend pun
ished for my crime. l took the money
! and hid part of it in his old vest.''
| At this juncture Jean entered, and,
| believing that his theft had been dis
covered, was about to break down and
confess all. Then Charles whispered
in his ear to be silent.
Call the police" said Charles. 81
am ready to be punished for my theft,
but leave me here for a few minutes
with Jean. Don't fear, you can lock
the room. I will not run away" .
| There was something irresistible in
| the command of Charles, so while the
miser went out to summon the officer
the lanlady and her daughter retired.
| TIL have none of this" said Jean.
Listen to me-" replied Charles. You
stole this money to buy the diamond
/ ring for Henriette. This makes you liza
| BILE for a years imprisonment. o, my
! God, | say for year; l mean for life;
| for there is no hope for a convict in
! France. I will tell you my secret. 1 was
| seven years in the House of Correc-
| ton, one year in Saint Pelagie, three
| years in Toulon. You could not bear
| the treatment. Never mind, it is all
| fixed. I take 1t on my shoulders"
Never" cried Jean.
For your parents sake, for Hen
| riette's sake, keep still. l am happy to
| be able to do some good in the world.
Promise me that you will never steal
| again, and keep on the straight and
narrow road, and 1 will be happy in
| prison. I love both you and Henriette,
! and to see you happy would be my
| greatest joy. l see you are repentant,
and 1 know you love me like son. So
! there; kiss me before I am taken and
promise me to be an honest man"
| Just then the heavy tread of the
| gendarmes was heard on the stairway.
| Charles drew Jean to his breast,
pressed kiss on his forehead and
| commanded him to be silent. When
| the officers entered the room, the no
BILE ex-convict offered his hands to be
manacled, and then, half laughing, he
shouted to them:
forward, march, you rascals!"
Charles Bravure is in Cayenne to
| this day. where he was sent for life as
| a habitual criminal.