Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-03-22

tnere my soul Will soonest be chaSten.
ed and released"
II fear 1t is the latter hope which
most recruits the order" sighed the
priest.
LET not the subject disturb you fur.
Their for the present. father" she said,
"for will stay by my poor GRANDPA.
Their to the end, as promised, and pos
sibly then L may be able to see as you
do. Will NJ. Quillebert, you think, be
cruel enough to disturb grandpere while
he is so illF'
Cruel enough, yes, but scarcely bold
enough to risk the indignation of the
people"
"And can you believe NJ. Evariste
will fulfll his threat OF coming here
again and repeating his demand upon
me? Can you believe he will after
what / said TO him, as have told your"
Il fear be will have the hardihood
and meanness to do so. Whatever of
manliness and generosity he may have
had In former years seems to have
been educated out of him by his tute-
lage to Quillebert," answered Father
Grhe, with bitterness for which ne
atoned that night with 30 Ave Marias
and three readings of the daily office.
Then, 1 pray you to stay here, IA
ther, as late as you can. L will not ask
you to be present at the dread inter
view, but / shall have courage from
knowing you are near"
Fear not, daughter. 1 will remain"
ooh. 1 wish 1t was over" she whis-
pered, shuddering.
A shrill scream at the gate startled
both to their feet to see Odette dart
| down the road like q bird of fight.
what can have happened to the
| girl7" exclaimed Estelle, alarmed.
Stay here. 1 will go and see," said
the priest, and he hurried hatless along
| the gravel walk to the gate and out into
the road.
A strange sight met his gaze. The
| primitive mail coach from Red River
Landing, on the Mississippi. with its
leather curtains down and drawn by
| two lean and weary ponies, was APP
| preaching. 1t was surrounded by a
score of men on horseback and afoot,
crowding past each other and eagerly
| peering through the front and the sides
OF the ancient vehicle. all speaking at
once, so that their excited voices pro-
duced an unintelligible hum. Odettc.
with her arms round his neck. appear
ed to be dragging a handsome dark
man, whose arm was about her waist,
toward the coach, entreatlng wildly:
make him get out! He must get
cut! Do not let him go by! Help him
down. Lead him in! He must not &C
byr'
Father Grhe rushed through the
group threw aside the curtain, looked
within and fell back step. his face
radiant with ecstttic establishment
Raising his eyes heavenward and
spreading his open palms. he said sol
EMMY:
Blessed be the name of the Lord
now and foreverv'
Instantly every head was barred and
reverently bowed, and from Incl. the
old schoolmsster, came the response:
"From the rising to the setting sun
blessed be the name of the Lordw
Selling the bride bits, the priest pull
ed the unwilling beasts 10 the gate, tore
of the curtain and extending his arms
within, said:
Come. your duty stops you here,
The merciful and mysterious God has
sent you. Conner
In affectionate embrace he tenderly
lifted from the coach frail figure clad
In faded. threadbare gray. The left
arm chung to the priest for support; the
| right hung limp from dropping.
shrunken shoulder. The dark man step
| ped quickly to the MANNED side and
| passed one arm about his body. AS
the emaciated face turned In mute and
kindly recognition a mighty shout OF
joy and welcome went up from the
men on horses and echoed far into the
still forest. At sign from the priest
the company halted at the gate while
he passed in with his lettering burden
and proceeded slowly up the path.
0dette ran to Estelle. who stood on
the veranda bewildered, and, seizing
her hand, said:
/ Come, my mistress, but be calm.
Come, mistress"
"What does it mean. Odette?' asked
Estelle, trembling from head to foot
Come, mistress, but be calm. Come,
Gomez" Odette repeated and led her
down the walk.
| AS he drew near the man in gray
raised his head and disengaging the
unwOunded hand held it out to her and
L said:
"Estelle, sweet angel, conner
She threw a quick, Intensely search
ing look into the pallid face smiling
through pain and in an instant was on
her knees kissing the thin hand that
closed upon hers.
MY love, my hope, my life! Oh, how
wonderful and good is Godp' she sob
bed.
1.-The Lord lifteth up them that are
cast down; the Lord loveth the just {"
exclaimed the priest, down whose
cheeks great tears of Joy were cours-
ing, and led his charge to the veranda.
The return of Horace Oakfell seemed
i a veritable resurrection of the dead.
But there was no miracle. 1t was all
explained by the story of Leon, who
told It at Oakfelps request and told it
with modesty and self negation rare in
heroes even Of less merit:
E'Mr. Horace fell nv tho Snrino al