Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-03-15
CHAPTER XVII.
TIE Hrna1H WIDOW.

most those things they have least
courage to attempt. Innumera BILE
Caesars are chained to plows by
dread OF unseen hordss OF Gauls;
endless rows OF would be Rothschilds
stand behind counters measuring tape,
not daring to leap over into the nuctu-
Rtins sea Of values. and Mirabeaus sit
mute at every country crossroads lest
the world shoula hiss, A brave act, .
bold venture, an earnest word might
win the prize, but the arm hangs, the
project iags, the lips are dumb In the
presence Of q possible negation. To
such what might be ever holds more
terrors than what IL.
Ard thss tie native hrs Of resciution
Is sickAsd Ger with the pale cast Of thought,
And snesrPrises Of great pith and moment,
With this regard. their currents turn awry
And lose ths name Of aetion.
Evaristo OakfeIl was thus Effected. He
had rushed int dissolute ways to profit
oy the avn talents or nls prsSner-s rec
He had reeklsssly embarked In Guile
bert's perilous and piraSical commerce
to enrich himself. He had ruthlsssly
spurned the love Of q lien hearted We
man to be untramneled In the pursuit
Of shrinking maiden. without COM
junction he had traded with a villain
for the proofs OF a guardians infidelity
to his trustIn order to cosrce the sub
mission OF the ward. UnnInehingly
had he suppressed the true will of his
brother and propoundsd q forgery to
render defenseless her whom that
brother had loved and sought to pro-
tect.
All these had he dared and done
and had experienced no trepidation or
sting OF conscience. But that to which
they had reference only, that to which
they were designed az mere aids, ap-
palled him. His mind by day and
night reveled in magininEs OF joyous
life with Esteile his welded wife. A
hundred times he set forth determined
to make his bliss assured and returned
with void yearnings and nothing more.
BE dared not hear refusal from her
pale lips. Could he brave that the
course Of cruel duress and compulsion
he had prepared would be easy, swift
and grateful to his temper. But his
vanity shrank from her rejection. he
sought to convince himself that she
would not, could not, say the dreaded
word, and yet be knew she had loved
Horsce and feared she would be loyal
to that love. Though armed with the
instrumentalities for forcing her con-
sent, he was unable to expel the un-
quieting belief that the frail, gentle
girl was In character such as Carlyle
describes his wife, "In her bright ca
reer she had more sorrows than are
common, but also soft invinclbility, n
clearness OF discernment, a noble 10y
atty OF heart, which nre rare"
Impatient, fretting, chatting at his
timorousness. he nurtured his design
upon Estelle-it was destitute of the
tenderness and generous warmth OF
love-until 1t became a mania. Yet he
fingered, held back, deferred the tent of
his fate, not noting the fight OF time.
The dirge Of the Confederaey was sung
at Appomattox, and still he halted.
But another spirit more masterfuI
than his rebelled against this procras-
tination.
do you know the war is endeAr'
said ouillebert, appearing at "L'Esper-
ance" for the first time during his resi-
dence in the parish.
Yes" Evarists replied uninterest-
edly.
Then the period has GENE when /
must wind up my affairs here and 20
back to France, for time at least II
not permanently" Quillebert contin-
ued. Some OF my Christian neighbors
are jealous to have the United States
authorities pry into my business. MY
absence will not facilitate them"
well, Constant, how can l speed
your
Settle our business first. 1 owe you
$4,000 on the last cotton sales. Which
dc you prefer, the money or the abso-
Lutte transfer Of those two LatiolaIs pn-
persT
"You said you would give me those
papers"
Il said I would put them at your
service free OF charge, but you have
never called on me for them, and
have no assurance you will ever use
them for the purpose which induced
my promise. That brings US to the
second thing you must do to speed my
departure.
what is thatF
Marry the Latiolals girl"
What bearing has that upon your
staying or goingT
"This-I have made up my mind that
Laure must go with me-"
GAS your wifeP' inquired Evariste,
aroused.
mot at first; later, perhaps" replied
Quillebert. "But she knows too much
about my business to be left here"
''True enough" Evariste said. "But
what has my marriage to do with
thatT
Everything" Quillebert said en-
phatfcally. 81 am not a fool. / can
see my nose at midday without a can
die. She win not bulge an inch while
you remain unmarried. / know her
thoroughly. She is as set as the rock
Of Tenerife. When you marry, can
control her, not before. She believes
she can prevent you, but she cannot.
This matter must not longer be put