Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-03-15

Laurs Lsnssv here with a fun history
Of the Geographic will" Quillebert's
face grew hard and srusl. His enun-
citation Of this threat was like the click
Of the cooking Of Q rine-
God above ~, Constantl" exclaimed
EvaristN trsnbling violsatly. You viii
not Dc thatf"
81 certainly WILL" ounlsbert said
savagely.
"she win not be believed. The origi.
nal was destroyed" said Evariste in
desperation.
"PsrhaHA Nevertheless. she could
make great use OF the story" guile
bert replies, with a vicious nod.
The torture inflicted upon him by
this menace and the prospect II opened
before hin appeared TO deprive Eva
Tiste OF the power Of speech. With
terror depleted In his face he stared at
his torneater until the latter stirred
aim, saying;
"WeHY
81 accept ysvT proposition" he said
family. within 90 days Estslls La
tiolais shall be my wife"
'Honcr gruntsd Quillebert "Set
about 1t Mt sRcs."
81 win begin tomorrow"
"GesdT Quiilsbsrt rose. Reaching
the door. he stepped and said: IAN odd
thing has occurred. Ny little pistol,
the enc kept under nay pillow at night
and In the arneir during ths day. has
dissppeareA."
Whom de yen suspectr' Evariste
asked, forcing q shsv OF interest
II do not suspect any one yet Laurie
10 the only ether person who knew
where the weApsa was. But 1 will
discover the thief" aald QuIliebsrt con-
Silently. and mounting his horse, he
reds away.
Hvsriste returned to his room to
breed over the particulars OF this most
disturbing interview. Ths Importance
which Lsurs had assumed az q factor
In bis life startled hln "a he new real.
ized 1t. The nentisa OF ase aams ~
connection with ths missing pistol
caused him an uneasiness. zoe. ne iould
not shake OF. Her passion, srSteSta.
tiens, warnings and prophecies pre-
scented her to his sarasssd thoughts as
an fmpsdtnsnt to ais purpose. mex.
orabls and mysterious.
The self dsaials imposed on the peo-
pie by the conditions OF civil war be
had escaped through means OF the
contraband trade so successfully prose
cutsd BY the genius OF Quillsbert. From
France ho stocked his lerder and buf-
fet; from Paris he supplied his ward
rsbe. Hence, when, after q night OF
fsverish unrest, he set out In quest OF
his bride he was arraysd. primmsd and
psrfumed a. became q gallant OF the
boulevards, offsnsiveiy incongruous to
the nsishbors clad in homespun, the
broken fences and grass grown nelds
be passed on the dusty bayou road.
There was unrest, too, at the La
ti0lais homo. Age, dissipation. hyp-
notics and rsmorse were Fastening the
grandfathsr 10 wreck and miserable
death. Night after night he walked his
room with shaking step, sleepless and
henoanina his impotence to rscoup his
own and Hstolle's estates or conceal
the unworthy methods by which he
had incunbsred them to crafty his
low apPetites. Her written authority
to mortgage fer maintenance, uaquss-
tioringly conferred on his advice, he
had meanly used TO protect his gam
bling debts aAd bills for rum and NOR
phins, leaving the legitimate accounts
unliquidatsd, unsecured and bearing
ruinous interest His psrndy would be-
come known to Estslls and the world
at his death, now fast approaching;
his memory would be exeerated by all
honest ronj his Erandshild would In
herit emily poverty and his disgrace.
The ssle escape lay In her preceding
him 10 the grave; his only hope was to
die before the storm broke. These
goading, unrslenting thoughts banishsd
sleep; distress gave free current to his
tears, whether alone or in the presence
OF Estelle; the coma or opium was his
refuge.
When Odette announced Evariste,
Estelle, tenderly ministering to the ven
cradle sufferer, was on the point of
leading him to stroll in the garden
among flowers she herself had planted,
nursed and reared into loneliness. At
the name of the visitor a tremor passed
over the wasted frame of the old man,
NNN AS ASOASN bCoCCShlu6ly Ut Ills GULL
panion and said:
go to him, child, and receive him
pleasantly. He has been our very
solieitous friend. Do not keep him
waiting. Odette will assist me into
the house when become fatigued."
She left him with Odetts and pro-
ceeded to her parlor.
She was gowned in simple white. A
deep collar about her neck was clasped
by medallion portrait Of her mother
In miniature. The pale brow deepened
the hue Of her soft brown hair. The
eyes OF dark hazel, large and liquid.
the small mouth Of perfect curves and
the finely nodded chin gave a beauty
to her face which was eloquent OF Af-
lection, truth and patience-the beauty
which subdues by its gentleness, COM
pels by its sweetness, the beauty which