The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-01
on the w0man'S arm

on the w0man's arm.
" es, yes: will have courage II!
fly from Paris and from him. | wish |
could give my life for YOU Sh" said.
IS she took the hands of the t"o Or
phans and pressed them to her lips:
May Heaven bless yOu-farewe!i.
she SObbed as she turned 10 go.
But she had not seen the door OF The
cabaret open. nor did She see Jacques,
as he stood Just outside the door.
"Ah- ah,," he chuckled. "Madame
Marianne. at last
Then. aS he saw the woman moving
quickly away, he cried: "Marianne:
The sound of that voice was too
potent for that poor woman.
Where are you gOing?' demanded
Jacques. cOarSely.
Away from YOU, whom hope never
to see again" answered Marianne,
firmly.
Jacques went toward her quickly
and laid his hand roughly upon her
trembling arm.
Bah" he said, savagely, you don't
want to see me? Then why did you
stop when called? What makes your
hand tremble?'
1T does not tremble,' answered
Marianne, trying to appear firm. i
have found stength to resist you. l
am ashamed of the life lead, and OF
the infamr into which you have plung-
ed me-"
Nonsense" exclaimed Jacques, as
he went toward the door OF the cab
aret. Put all Of that stuff out OF
your head, and follow me-
Il will not" said the poor woman.
as she turned again to so.
You must" insisted Jacques, with
an angry gesture: and then, as she did
not move, he added: "Come-do you
hear:"
For a moment Marianne was on the
point Of Obeying linn: but one glance
at the two young girls. whower anXl-
OuSly awaiting her decision, seemed to
give her strength, and she answered,
boldly:
Yes, hear, and l refuse. 1 will
not obey you
You want me to persuade you in
the usual way, eh. do you?" cried JAG
QueS, brutally, as he went quickly to-
ward the shrinking woman.
You shall nOt-nerer again. eX,
claimed Marianne, as she endeavored
to escape from his cruel grasp.
But she was tCo late: Jacques graSped
her by the hair with one hand, while
with the other he claSped her slender
throat. and in a moment his brawny
hands would have choked her sense
less, but that he heard the heavy
tramp Of armed men approaching.
In an instant he had released her:
and Marianne, rushing up to the guard,
exclaimed:
Monsieur, arrest me, am a thief.'
Jacques was petritied with aStOnlSh-
ment, while the two orphans waited
with beating heart the denouement OF
this strange drama.
ARREST you? Who are you?" asked
the officer, in no little surprise.
My name is Marianne Vauthier.
Officers are in searchfor me. | escaped
from them an hour ago. said Mari
anne, hurriedly, as if she feared her
courage would give way. Now wish
to deliver myself to Justice"
She has gone crazy" calculated
Jacques, as he moved to a convenient
distance, in order to make his escape
should she denounce him.
Marianne Eautheir," said the Of
icer, reading from a paper which he
had taken from his pocket, "accuSed
of theft"
"Of which l am guilty." interrupted
the woman.
"Well'i if you confess it. l must take
you to La Salpetriere, said the officer,
half doubling her sanity,a ,as he motioned
her between two files of soldiers.
My expiation begins said Mari
anne, as she passed by where the two
orphans were standing. pray that
Heaven may give me courage to COM
plete it,"
The soldiers moved on, bearing the
self-convicted woman with them,
while Henriette and Louise could only
pray silently that her expiation might
be the means Of restoring her to the
place she had lost through her unhap-
py love.
Jacques remained looking after the
prisoner for few moments.
and then giving vent to low whistle,
Of surprise, regret and per-
haps shame, disappeared into the
cabaret, saying, as he entered:
ITO Salpetriere, She's fool,
And in few minutes he was joining
his comrades in their debauchery, with
not a thought Of the unfortunate girl
who, for his sake, had committed
crime for which she must now suffer
long, weary months, perhaps years.
And while he was thus occupying
his time, the two orphans awaited the
coming Of their relative.
To be Continued.