Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-08-22
3Y WIL.hIE. COLLINS

left standing" said Lomaque.
Here is letter with all the particu-
lars. You may depend upon them, for
the writer is the person charged with
the letting of the house.
Trudaine looked over the letter
eagerly.
"The price is not beyond our means"
he said. after our three years econ
omy here we can afford to give some
thing for great pleasure.
ooh! what a day of happiness it will
be when we go home again. cried
Rose. pray. write to your friend at
once" she added, addressing Lomaque,
land say we take the house, before any
one else is beforehand with us''
He nodded; and folding up the letter
mechanically in the old official form.
made note on it in the old official
manner. Trudaine observed the action,
and felt it's association with past times
of trouble and terror. His face grew
grave again, as he said to Lomaque,
"And is this good news really all the
news of Importance you have to tell
us?"
Lomaque hesitated and fidgeted in
his chair. What other news I have
will we'll bear keeping" he replied.
There are many questions l should
like to ask first, about your sister and
yourself. Do you mind allowing me
to refer for a moment to the time when
we last metz"
He addressed this inquiry to Rose.
who answered in the negative; but her
voice seemed to alter. even in saying
the one word "No." She turned her
head away when she spoke; and Lo-
maque noticed that her hands trem-
bled as she,took up some work lying on
table near, and hurriedly occupied
herself. with it.
eve speak as little about that time
as possible" said Trudaine looking sig
nificantly towards his sister; "but we
have some questions 10 ask you in our
turn; SO the allusion, for this once. is
inevitable. Your sudden disappearance
at the very crisis of that terrible time
of danger has not yet been fully ex-
planned to us. The one short note which
you left behind you helped us to guess
at what had happened rather than to
understand it,"
II can easily explain it now" an
swered Lomaque "The sudden over
throw of the Reign of Terror which
was salvation to you, was destruction to
me. The new republican reign was 4
reign of mercy, except for the tail of
Every man who had been so wicked
or so unfortunate as to be involved,
even in the meanest capacity, with the
machinery of the government of Ter
ror, was threatened, and justly, with
the fate of Robespierre. I among 9th
ers fell under this menace of death. l
deserved to die, and should have re-
signed myself to the guillotine, but for
you. From the course taken by public
events, / knew you would be saved.
and although your safety was the work
of circumstances, still had hand in
rendering it possible at the outset; and
yearning came over me to behold you
both free again with my OWE eyes
a selfish yearning to see, in you,
living, breathing, real result Of the one
good impulse of my heart which | could
look back on with satisfaction The de-
sire gave me a new interest in life.
resolved to escape death, if it were pos
sible. For ten days l lay hidden in
Paris. After that-thanks to certain
scraps of useful knowledge which my
experience in the office of secret police
had given mel succeeded in getting
clear of Paris and in making my way
safely to Switzerland. The rest of my
story is SO short, and so soon told, that
one relation [ knew of in the world to
apply to, was cousin OF mine (whom |
had never seen before), established as
a silk-mercer at Berne. | threw my
self on this mans mercy. He discov-
cred that | was likely, with my bust
ness habits, to be of some use to him.
and he took me into his house. l worked
for what he pleased to give me; trav-
eled about for him in Switzerland; de-
served his confidence, and won it. Till
within the last few months l remained
with him, and only left my employ
ment to enter, by my masters own de-
sire, the house of his brother, estab-
lished also as silk-mercer, at Chalons-
SURNAME. In the counting house OF
this merchant | am corresponding
clerk; and am only able to come and
see you now, by offering to undertake
a special business mission for my en-
ployer at Paris. 1t is drudgery, at my
time of life, after all l have gone
throughput my hard work is limo
cent work. am not obliged to cringe
for every crown-piece | put in my
pocket-not bound to denounce, de-
ceive, and dog to death other men,
before can earn my bread, and scrape
together money enough to bury me. |
am ending a bad, base life harmlessly
at last. 1t is a poor thing to do, but
it is something done-and even that
contents man of my age. In short, l
am happier than 1 used to be, or at
least less ashamed when l look people
like you in the face"
Flush! hnshv interrupted Rose.
laying her hand on his arm. Il cannot
allow you to talk Of yourself in that
way, even in jest"
'I was speaking in earnest" answer
ed Lomaque, quietly; "but I won't
weary you with any more words about
myself. Ny story is told"
"All?" asked Trudaine. He looked
searchingly, almost suspiciously, at