Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-08-01
CHAPTER XVI.
CONTINUED.

lap with girlish tenderness and fond
ness, soothing herself by caressing her
friend.
Mrs. Vernon took Mademoiselle de
Sezannes's hand and stroked it. The
three were drawn close together in
striking group near the center OF the .
room whose windows were festooned /
inside with almost priceless tapestry
and outside with blooming vines. De
spite the chill OF the December air, I
with It's searching dampuess, the per
fumc OF roses and violcts were sweetly /
prevalent throughout the house.
"Whv, Won have lost the set ofyour .
ringl" Ms. Vernon exclaimed, as her +
fingers touched the little circle of sold .
claws that had held large diamond +,
in l place.
eyes. Seer
NIademoisello looked down and
turned pale.
And 1t was the ring he gave me-
my
''Nour engagement ring,"
For the time they forgot war and
its terrors IN their Consideration over
"a lost baublc; but, then, the bauble
stood for so muchi They sprang 90
their feet, and the diamond set rolled,
flashing. on the carpet. All three
stopped 60 pick 1t up, and so pressed
aud crushed themselves together IN
beautiful disorder. actually laughing
and calculating gayly.
"Oh, ] could not could not lose
thisr cried Mademoisclle de Sezan-
mes.
She kissed the stone and londled il
agains. her cheek
lyon know j lost the large ruby
ont OF my fan on the night Of your
party" she went on TO say. "Tm
having bad luck with my jewels"
do you mean to say that you lost
the Caribbean ruby. as you called
it," inquired Mrs. Vernon.
eyes. the buccaneer. You recol-
lect, Pauline. that Mr.. Parker adj
mired il SO much that evening. 1
was nearly heart broken when / found
that it was gone. Though 1 would
rather lose a hundred like 1t than this
darling set" And again she showered
kisses on the diamond
IL would have been q tribe startling
70 the ladies could they have been
informed Just then that mixer, alias
John \. Murrell, had sold the ruby
in Memphis and made merry with
friends in expanding the money re-
ceived for it,
Dir Vernon came In presently, wet
and chilled He went directly TO his
own room 10 change his clothes and
be rubbed by a servant.
When he appeared again il was TO
inform his wife aud his daughter that
they were to be sent TO the plantation
10 remain till after the impending
battle hal been fought Preparations
for the move would be made immedi-
ately. Lapin, the cverseer, had been
notified, and would come early on the
morrow with the proper vehicles for
taking such things as would be needed.
The ladies' would so in the family car
riagc.
SO sudden an announcement at such
n time. added much 90 the feeling of
dread and 10 the confused apprehen-
sions with which Mrs. Vernon and
Pauline were already oppressed. 1t
had in it the terrible reality OF imme-
diate and dire urgency. A Whit of
battle-smoke waited through the
house could not have been more
startling.
ooh, il I could go with you ~
cried NIadcmoiselle de Sezannes. 1T
will be awlull'
"But. you can 60 with us, SAID
Mrs. Vernon. "Why notg There i.
room Ia the carriage"
My dear child, yes" added Mr.
Vernon, with serious smile. III
would be so good CT you To go and
be company for Pauline and Madame
Vernon.
But, papa and"
"Oh. there Is no hurry. You car
go home and confer with your father
1t will be safest for you 70 be with IN,
family, i am very sure. Tell you
father that / advise it aud insist upoi
it. The city will be no place for II
if the English defeat Jackson an,
come in.
In some way, through a medium
thought at the time TO be sufficient,
autheatic, the story bad come to Nel
Orleans that the British officers la
promised their men the freedom @
conscienceless conquerOrs should the
capture the city. As the rumOrs q
their approach aud of the OverwhelW
ing numbers they could oppose 10 ia
little handful OF Americans weY
coupled with a report OF such dar
significance, the IA raders were r,
garded as savages worse IN every II
spect than the red men who had bee
80 recently conquered by Jackson.
thrill ct apprehension shot throue
the heart of the cltV. but the heidi