St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-05-27
Margariton,' replied the girl, shyly.

MaIsdrlton, replled the girl, Shyly
as she nodded her head in consent.
The next day Margariton was promp
at the meeting She had not said any
thing to Yves of her chance encounte
with the stranger, nor OF her promise
Not that she felt that she had don,
wrong, but from quick instinct of pru
| dence, as it it were a presentiment OF tn,
pain she might cause her brother, Il
was the first secret there had ever beer
| between them.
A week passed, and still another week
ana II the portrait had not advanced il
was dlHerent with the friendship be-
tween the artist and his model Friend
snip? Nay, Jean Iermeuil knew well
enough it was no mere feeling of friend
snip that made his heart beat SO hard at
the sight of the beautiful girl.
He loved her with all the strength of
MS being. and resolved that, could he
win her love, he would marry her. But
what of the brother Yves, to whom Mar
CARTON owed such debt of gratitude
What would he say?
The villagers, who had known from
the first OF the meetings at the spring,
TOOK care that Yves should not be left
IN ignorance. What terrible vengeance
would the hated Yves, they asked one
another, take upon the painter? They
ala not know, but they awaited the out
burst of his wrath with cruel anxiety
But there was no l.i-1 on his face,
Whatever he may have felt Only that
hl2ht after he had kissed Margariton
good night the young girl heard him
toss uneasily upon his rough couch
before she went happily to sleep.
The next day his mind was made
up. In the afternoon, when the
young girl went singing to the tryst-
ing place, Yves, hidden among the
rocks, was present at the meeting.
Not detail of the pretty courtship
escaped his jealous eye-the warm
hand clasps and the tender glances
which, better than words, BETRAYED
their passion
And no one heard the bitter sigh
when Margariton, radiant in the won
derful happiness of being loved by the
man who made earth a paradise to
her, cried:
Il must tell my brother Yves that
you want to marry me; me. a poor
girl, penniless and without education!
He will be glad, too, but not as love
you, Jean, my Beloved"
Yves had changed greatly during
the last weeks. He no longer ate or
slept, and his eyes burned strangely
in his pale face. Margariton in her
happiness did not see the change, nor
did She notice, when she took her
brothers hand in hers and told him
her secret, that he braced himself |
against the wall to keep himself from |
falling.
You love him and you ask my con-
sent, Margariton? Yves asked, hoarse-
y. You are free, little one, to do as
you will, but l am gratified that YOU
lid not forget me utterly. You are
he one being on earth that l love;
you know it we'll, and your happiness
S all seek. Marry the man you love,
title one; be happy always"
1
Yves placed a bag of gold in her
land.
This is for your wedding Dress"
le said. Il have had it ready fer YOU
! long time"
Then, with a long kiss on the girls
orehead, Yves went out, but this time
le did not turn at her signals of fare
veil.
Sitting proudly erect in his boat,
alancing easily with the rise and fall
t the waves, a single fisherman was
arkly outlined against the sunset col
red waters of the bay. Alone upon
he beach, Jean Vermeuil watched
i'm in admiration.
What a splendid fellow" he cried.
l must ask him to pose for me some
ay"
He watched the boat glide easily
pom the surface of the water. car
led by the current out toward the
pen sea and to the heart of the gold
sun. Soon the man was but a
lack dot on the horizon. Then he dis ,
ppeared forever.-From the French
Detroit Free Press. !