Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-12-15
ment ring" she continued. Henri has

|
can be the meaning of all this! Her
mind is unbalanced through her grief!'
But Judith's eyes were quite sane and
| full of womanly tenderness as she tried
to comfort him.
BE patient. dearest" she said. Il
! shall try to be true to you, and when
| Henri comes, as he will soon shall eX-
| plain it all to him and it may be he
will release me from my promise did
| not mean to be false to him; oh, noi
! never meant that! But after papa's S
| second marriage, when | was so happy
! with mamma Henri seemed to leave me
| altogether. and | thought he had for
gotten all about me. And then you
came, and | loved you sol" And now
it was Brownies turn to offer comfort,
as Judith buried her head in his shoul-
! der, sobbing piteously
when Henri visited me again" she
| continued after a few moments, Just
! a short time after papa died. he was
much changed. lie was boy when we
! parted; now he is a man, and rich one,
| at last, but he is lonely and needs me,
! he says. Oh Charles. it is so strange
| that no one else knows Henri! cannot
| understand it. But it will all be clear
| Henri is coming for me soon. He will
arrive on the Nereus.'
! The Nereus! That is due next week!
And if he does not come, Judith, what
| them"
He will come. Charles; I know he
! will,' she insisted and nothing Browne
! could say could shake her confidence
! in the arrival of her mysterious friend.
The Nereus is in. Judith" Browne
remarked as he greeted her few days
! later.
yes, know, dear" she replied quiet
! ly but her voice trembled with excite
! ment and her eyes burned feverishly.
81 am expecting Henri every moment
| Don't leave me. Charles. | am little
nervous to-day"
''Sit down dear. Wait for him here" {"
ooh no. | can t sit down. | cant stay
/ still! Come out on the porch with me. ;"
Soon it will be all right. dearest" ,"
| Browne reassured her, as they stood to-
| gether looking out on the street. But
]
as excited and anxious as Judith herself,
| for he felt his life and hers depended
upon the issue of the present crisis A
| few moments passed in silent waiting
! A cab came slowly into view. To
Brownies surprise. it stopped at the
| gate.
Does Miss CIermont live here?" the
cabman inquired.
Yes" Browne replied, "have you
news for her?"
The man did not reply, but lifted on:
! and slowly bore up the steps the un-
| conscious form of a handsome French
man. For a moment Judith seemed
! stunned. then she quietly led the way
| to bed room, and asked that her mother
and a physician be summoned A for
! eigner who had assisted the cabman In
bringing in the body remained in the
room. watching the scene, his face full
| of sadness.
"Who is this?" Browne asked him.
pointing to the quiet form over which
Judith bent.
He is my friend. Henri lie Blanc"
answered the man in low tones. We
came on the Nereus this morning: he is
to be married. Henri is a good fellow"
! At this moment Mrs. Clermont en-
! tered with physician and for hours
! they labored over the unconscious lie
! Blanc, Judith moving about as in a
| dream.
| He was struck by a wagon" the for
eigner explained to Browne "He did
not see it coming; he seemed to be in a
! dream. He never was like other people.
| II he were not so good, | should think
| he had devil in him. he is so queer.
! He talks when no one is near him and
| acts so strangely. But Henri is a rich
man now. so no one speaks i'll of him.
! When he was poor,-ugh! no one would
! associate with him then, said he was
| crazy"
Have you known him long?" asked
Browne
"Oh yes. all my life He made me his
slave, but | love him. He always was
| good to me. | wish to drink, to gamble:
ehe stops me when | am a hundred miles
away from him! ! am about to commit
dreadful crime. have to give up and
go to Henri, and he all the time far
away from me! Oh, Henri has saved me
many times Then he made me come
over to America with him to see him
marry this young lady here"
ut is no use" said the doctor. He
is gone now. He seems to have been
all nerve and brain, and no vitality poor
| fellow"
Henri gone!" cried the little for
| eigner. Mon Dieu, | must go. too!"
| And his small body rocked in paroxysm
of grief. Gently Mrs Clermont led him
away, and Browne and Judith were alone.
! looking down at the quiet face and
| folded hands Of the dead Frenchman
! Suddenly Browne started.
Look Judith" he exclaimed, ''the
same little ring you wear. See, five lit
| tie garnets!"
Dnt =; o+ ;,,,