Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-06-04
CHAPTER VIII,

CHAPTER VIII.
. Gran1et went out. As soon ms the
door closed upon Grandct. Eugene and
her mother brcathcd more freely. The
girl had never felt cOnstraint In her
fathers presence until that morning: bst
n few hours had wrought rapid changes
In her feelings.
Mamma. how many louis Is hogs
head of wine WORTH
"Your father gets something between
n hundred and hundred and fifty francs
for his; sometimes two hundred. be-
licve. from Whit have heard him sny."
And would there be fourteen hundred
hoGsheads in n vintngeY'
81 don't know how many there fre.
child. upon my word: your father never
talks about business to me-"
but, anyhow. papa must be rich"
MAY be. but NJ. Cr,ichot told me
that your father bought Froidfond two
years ago. That would he a heavy pull
on him."
"1lc did not even SO much MS see me.
the poor dear" said Nnnon. entering the
room. ale is lying there Oh his bed like
calf. crying. you never saw the like.
o'i s'uhk Nuut Cuil Dc TIE
ter with him."
LET us 20 up mt once and comfort
him. mamma: il we hear u knock, we
will come downstairs"
There was something In the musical
tones of her daughters voice which Nine.
Grandet could not resist. Eugene was
sublime: she was girl no longer. she
was woman. With beating hearts they
climbed the stairs and went together tn
Charles room. The door was open. The
young man saw nothing and heard moth
ing; he was absorbed In his grief.
"HOw he loves his father" said Eu-
genie In n low voice. aud In her tone
there was nm unmistakable accent and
hopes Of which she was unaware. Nine.
Grandet, with the quick instinct of Il
mothers love. spoke In her ear.
"Tnke care" she said, ''Or you may
love him."
"Love him." said Eugene. "!Ah. II
you only knew what my father snid."
Charles moved slightly us he lay, and
saw his aunt and cousin.
IL have lost my father" he cried: my
poor father! IT he had only trusted me
and told me about his losses. we iniga,
have worked together, to repair them
My kind father! was SO sure th.t
should see him again. and ! said goc~i.by
NO cnrclessly."
I'VE will surely pray for him." said
Nine. Grandet. submit yourself 30 the
will OF heaven"'
Take courage, cousin" said Eugene
gently, nothing can give your fathe,
back to you: you must now think how
to save your honor"
A woman always has her wits abou,
her. even In her capacity Of comforter
and with instructive tact Eugene sough,
TO divert her cousins mind from hi,
sorrow by leading him to thing abou
himself.
"My honor?" cried the young man
hastily pushing bnck the hair from III,
eyes. lie sat upright upon the bed. nnt
folded his arms. "Ah! true. My incl,
said that my father had failed. Leav,
me! leave me! Cousin Eugene" he on
| treated. "Oh! heaven forgive my faith
or. for he must have been terribly I'm
happy"
There was something In the sight o.
this young sorrow that was terribly en-
gazing. 1t was II sorrow that shranl
from the gaze Of others. and Charles
| gesture Of entreaty was understood b!
Eugene and her mother. They went ri
lently downstairs again, and ssweu OI
| for nearly an hour without a word 4
| each other. About 4 o'clock n sharl
| knock Mt the door sent a sudden thrill
of terror through Nine. Grandet.
"What can have brought your fathe
back!" she snid to her daughter.
II have hooked them, wife," said tn
vine grower. In high good humor. :"
have them safe. Our wine IL sold. Tn
| iSelgians were setting out this morning
| hung about In the market place In from
Of their inn. looking as simple as could
| 4 man came M to me. All the hes
growers are hanging of and holding thei
vintnges; they wanted to wait. and s.
they can. ! have not hindered them. On
Belgian was ut his wits end. ] saw that
So the bargain was struck: he IL takin
the whole OF our vintage at two hun
dred francs the hogshead. half OF 1t phi,
down ut once in gold. aud have prom
issory notes for the rest. There nre MI
louis for you. In three months tim
prices will go down."
The last words came ont Iuietl
enough, but there was something so m,
donic in the tone that IL the little knot
Of growers. then standing In tho tw,li2h
In the market place of Saumur, In dis
may mt the news Of Grandet's sale. ha
heard him speak. they would have shud
dered; there would have been panic %
the market-wnes would have falle
fifty per cent
You have n thousand hOhsheahs thi
year, father, have you noti' asked II,
genie. THAT will mean two hundre
thousand francs!"
"Yes. Mademoiselle Grande'."
"Well, then. father, you can east
help Charles
The surprise, the wrath and bewi'lel
ment with which Belshazzar beheld Men
Meme Tekel Upharsin written upon hi
palace wall We're rs nothing compare
with Grandet's cold fury; he had fsrgo
ten all about Charles. and now he foun
that all his daughters inmost thought
were Of his nephew, and that this aritl
metic of hers referred to him. II wa
eXasperating.
Look here" he Numbered; ''ever sine
that scapegrace set foot In my house e'
erything has gone askew. You take
upon yourselves to buy sugar plums. an
make great set-Out for him. will M
have these doings. should think, ut m
age. ! ought to know what Ia right an