Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-06-25
CHAPTER XII.

The rattle of the wheels In the streets of
sleeping Saumur grew more and more
distant. Then 1t was that a sound seem
ed to reach Eugenie's heart before II
fell on her ears, a wailing sound that
rang through the thin walls above-it
came from her cousins room. There was
a thin line Of light beneath his door; the
rays slanted cleaning bar along the
balusters Of the crazy staircase.
"IIe IL unhappy" she said, a. she
went up a little farther.
A second moan brought her to the
iaL,iing above. The door stod ajar; she
thrust 1t open. Charles was sleeping In
the rickety old armchair. his head droop-
ed over to one side, his hand hung down
and nearly touched the floor. His breath
came In quick, sharp jerks that startled
Eugene. She entered hastily.
'lle must be very tired" she snid to
herself, as she saw a dozen sealed letters
lying on the table. She read the ad-
dresses-AiM. Fnrry. Breilmnn Il Co.,
carriage builders; NJ. Buisson, tailor; and
80 forth.
"Of course. he has been settling his
AFFAIRS, so that he may leave France as
soon as possible" she thought.
Her eyes fell upon two unsealed let
tiers. One Of them begap--"My dear An
nette . ." she felt dazed. and could
see nothing more for a moment. Her
heart beat fast, her feet seemed glued to
the floor.
His dear Annette! He loves. he Is
beloved! Then there 10 no more
hopei What does he say TO
herT These thoughts flashed through
her heart and brain. She read the words
everywhere; on the table, on the very
floor, In letters Of fire. "Afust give him
up already? No. I will not read the let.
ter. l ought not to stay. And
yet. even II did read it?'
She looked at Charles. gently took his
head In her hands. and propped It
against the back Of the chair. He sub.
mitted like a child. Like a mother. Flu.
genie raised the dropping hand. and.
like Q mother, laid a soft kiss on his
hair. "Dear Annettew A mocking voice
shrieked the words In her ear.
Il know that perhaps may be doing
wrong. but l will read the letter." she
said.
Eugenie turned her eyes away; her
high sense of honor Reproduced her. For
the first time In her life there was a
struggle between good and evil In her
soul. Hitherto she had never done any.
thing for which she needed to bush.
Love and curiosity silenced her scruples.
Her heart swellcd higher with every
phrase as she read; her quickened pulses
seemed to send q sharp. tingling glow
through her veins and to heighten the
vivid emotions Of her first love.
my Dear Annctte-Nothing should
have power to separate US save this o. err
whelming calamity that has befallen me,
a calamity that no human foresight could
have predicted. My father has died By
his own hand; his fortune and mine are
both irretrievably lost. I am left an
orphan at an age when, with the kind Of
education have received, am almost a
child, and. nevertheless. l must now en-.
deavor to show myself man. and to rise
from the dark depths into which have
been hurled. II am to leave France az
an honest man. have not a hundred
francs that can call my own with which
to tempt fate In the Indies or In America.
Yes, my poor Anna. ! am going In quest
ofw fortune to the most deadly foreign
climes. 40 shall not return to Paris.
Your love--the tenderest, the most de.
voted love that ever ennObled the heart
Of man-would not seek to draw me
back. Alas! my darling, l have not
money enough to take me to YOU. that
might give and receive one Inst kiss. a
kiss that should put strength into me for
the task that lies before me. have
thought seriously over my position.
have grown much older In the last TWEEN.
ty.four hours. Dear Anna, even II. ia
keep me beside you. you were to give up
all the luxuries that you enjoy. your box
ut the opera, and your toilet, We should
not have nearly sufficient for the neces'
sary expenses OF the extravagant life
that I am accustomed to. and besides,
could not think Of allowing you to make
such sacrifices for me. To-day, therefore
we part forever
"Then this Ia to take leave OF her
What happiness!
Eugenie started and trembled for Joy
Charles stirred IL his chair. and Eu
genie felt chill Of dread. Luckily. how
ever. he did,not wake. She went on read
Ing.
EueenIc laid down the letter that
seemed to her 10 full of love. aud gave
herself up to the pleasure Of watching
her sleeping cousin: the dreams and
homes OF youth seemed to hover over hi'
face, and then and there she vowed Ia
herself that she would love him always
She glanced over the other letter: there
could be no harm In reading It. she
thought, she should only receive fresh
proofs Of tho noble qualities with which
womaniike. she had invested the man
whom she had idealixed.
my Dear Aiphonse." 20 II began. "by
the time this letter In In your hands
shall have no friends left. am counts
sloning you to settle some matters Of
business. have nothing. and have made
M my mind to 60 out to the Indies.
have lust written to all the people tG
whom any money IL owing. and the In
closed list In as accurate AZ ! can make
II from memory. ! think the sale Of my
hooks, furniture. carriages. horses ant
no forth ought to bring In suficient Il
nav my debts. ! only mean to keep bach
a few trinkets Of little value. which will
70 some way toward q trading venture
You might send my guns and anything
Of that sort to me here. And you mus,
take 'Briton: no one would ever give me
anything like 40 much as the splendid
animal 10 worth; would rather give hin
to you, you must regard him as thu
mourning ring which dying man leaves
In his will to his executor. Fairy, Breil
man & Co. have been building q very
comfortable travelling carriage for me
hut they have not sent It home yet; &c,
them to keep 1t II you can. and II they
decline to have It left on their hands
make the best arrangement you can fol
L. all 90 han