The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-02-19

CHAPTER VII.

gether without friends; IN Lnelr soci-
ETY. I will endeavor to forget that IN
my aged uncle l had hoped once more
to find a parent"
only stay" said old Battiste, i'm
ploringly. Listen! My master IS
very old, he has grown very nervous
of late, so nervous that my good
Nanon thinks he must have some
thing on his mind. He is afraid OF
being murdered; but what GOOD
would it do to murder him, the poor
dear old gentleman? Nevertheless, it
grows upon HI.
"Is that why he keeps that villain
Gus brute?" said Paul Leduc, with
the air of one trying to master his
impatience to listen to the old ser
wants garrulous talk.
. Yes, yes; and he has had double
doors of new oak put to his room'
and he spends hours there, and JOCKS
himself in there at night. You see,
Monsieur, 1 say all this not without
motive. Be persuaded, do not go
away; perhaps in day or two he
may come to feel what a comfort 1t
would be to him to have a young gen
tleman like yourself about the place "
1T cannot be said to be an inviting
place." said Monsieur Leduc.
mo, no; but blood is thicker than
water" said Battiste; "and there l.
not a more friendless man on earth
than my old master.
II will think about it," said Paul,
turning on his heel, and with a short
nod to the old servant he walked on
rapidly toward Goucy.
What were you saying to that
one?" said old Nanon, who was hang
ing out couple of blouses on the
strings in front of the house.
Who? To Monsieur Paul, and
Mademoiselle's only SOM"
He in no way resembles his
mother" said Nanon, sharply. What
were you saying to him?"
II was consoling him for the bad
reception he met with from the only
relative the poor lad has left in the
world"
so the master received him bad
ly?" said Nanon, with chuckle.
"Well, I'm not sorry. If he can't re-
ceive his own flesh and blood here
what should he do with strangers?"
Battiste knew that Nanon's heart
was sore because she had allowed
herself to dwell on the hope that this
time Monsieur Rigaud would have
brought home her precious darling,
Mademoiselle Antoinette; so he held
it a bad moment to tell her that he
had been persuading the nephew not
to go away, only he showed her the
napoleon; but even the sight of the
gold, rather to his discontinue, did
not restore her equanimity or give
her a more favorable opinion Of the
donor.
Monsieur Rigaud heard the retreat
ing steps Of his nephew, followed by
the servant He sat still, but was
annoyed by the franctic displeasure
of the dog. His appetite was small;
he had hardly touched the roll OF
bread that lay by his plate. He took
it up peevishly and threw it to the
dog. The half-famishe brute leaped
upon it with a snarl of enchantment
and tore it to pieces.
Nanon came in to clear away the
breakfast.
Monsieur has fnished?" she said.
He nodded. "Nanon," he began,
suddenly, Il think I want my daugh-
ter"
Nanon gave a cry of delight.
~Thanks to the good God!" she ex-
claimed. AT last He answers my
prayer. Nature awakes at last, you
recognize that you possess one that
owes you all duty, and who will give
you love"
you answer for it? She will love
me, Nanon?" Nanon threw out her
arms with a large gesture. "The
love of a woman is as wide as the
sea-" she said. "Is she not the child
of the sweetest woman that ever
found her home too soon in heaven?"
II will send for her," said Mon
sieur Rigaud. "She will protect me,
and" he went on muttering to
himself so low that Nanon could not
hear his words, Il feel the need of
protection, if only from myself. All
is safe, all is secure yet. Sapristi!
What has come over me?" After
Nanon had left the room he got out
his writing case; the ink had grown
thick and dry; he poured little
water into the bottle and shook it.
The writing it produced was pale and
weak.
My Dear Daughter-During the
past year 1 have sacrificed my own
feelings to your interests and kept
you at school and away from me. Our
circumstances are such that I felt
that a good education might be of
service to you in the future when I
am no more, and you may find it the
easiest mode of gaining your bread.
But now / have returned home, and
I find that my health is not what it
was. I have grown nervous. One
can do we'll without women when one
is strong, but when you are not well
one wishes for them. Your mother
has been dead a great many years.
Had she lived, l should doubtless
have recovered Immediately in her
society the sense of security and
peace that has unaccountably desert
ed me. Therefore, l wish to recall
you. You can doubtless content your
self with the peaceful pleasures and