The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-14

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ter of her promise-how she had agreed
that, If on the day of his return she
could say It am sure I love JEAN" she
might tell him so frankly and ask him
If he would have her for his wife. Then
together they went to Mr.. Scott and got
his consent He knew that Bettina
would never do anything that was not
noble and generous. The children who
had gone out came running back. They
had seen Jean on his superb horse Lou
lou, and he had babe them good morning,
but had not stopped to speak with them.
They were loud. as usual, in their praise
of Jean. There you go again. said
Mr.. Scott. Everybody here seems to like /,
him. And you will be like everybody
else when you know him." replied Bet
tina.
AS he passed the terrace where he had
seen Bettina a few mornings ago Jean
said to himself, IF you should be therel'
He both feared and hoped He lifted his
eyes and looked; she was not there. He
will never see her again, he thinks he
be exchanged to another regiment. The
regiment dismounted in the courtyard of
the barracks. Jean went to his apart
ment and wrote that he would not be
able to dine at the chateau that even
ing, as he must start at once for Paris.
He begged Mrs. Scott to remember him
to Mile. Bettina. How he fingered over
that name! He decided to go at once
and take leave of his godfather. He
went to a bureau drawer and the first
thing he saw was blN-tinted note. 1t
was the only one he han ever received
from Bettina
At the same time the Able Constantin
was tete-a-tete with the good Pauline.
They were looking over accounts. Pau
line was a little worried. DO you not
think. NJ lie Cure" said she, that you
are little too generous? 1t will presently
be reported in the neighboring districts
that charity comes easy here. And what
do you suppose will happen? People will
come to your parish to be poor" The cure
slenced her by giving her 80 francs to
take to a poor man who had broken his
As the Able Constantin sat in his par
sonage wondering why Jean had been
so short with him when he passed by on
his way to the barracks and had not
stopped even long enough for him to feed
Loulou the Jumps of sugar he always car
red In his pocket for that purpose. there
came a knock at the door 1t was Jean.
He came to tell his godfather of his Inn
mediate departure for Paris. The cure
was greatly disturbed He told Jean he
must have thought for his godfather;
that during his last few days left to
him by Gods mercy it was his great hap
piness to have Jean with him. Jean then
confessed that it was his love for Bettina
that drove him away The able could
not see the point. ut is her money!"
cried Jean. What matters her money!"
replied the able. Her money does not
enter into the case at ALL 1t is not be-
cause of her money that you love her;
it is in spite of her money. Your con-
science is easy in this respect
While the able was thus expostulat-
ing with Jean there came another knock
at the door. This time it was Bettina-
She rushed past the able and said to
Pardon me- M. lie Cure, If I greet him
first. I saw you but yesterday and I
have not seen him for three whole
weeks" Then Bettina went on to say
that she had a confession to make; that
neither Jean nor the able were to inter
rupt her Then she rehearsed in sim
pie, straightforward and girlish manner
the brief history of her meeting with
Jean and her affection for him, and ended
by asking Jean to forgive her for her i'm
petuousness and for /being possessed Of
wealth. Turning to the able Bettina
asked: "Should he not consent to be my
husband?' The able heartily agreed.
| Jean arose, went to Bettina, and, taking
her in his arms, imprinted his first kiss
on her forehead
About a month afterward, the 18th Of
in al simple bridal robe. stood before the
altar In the little village church of Lon
gueval A new organ, the gift of Bettina
to the Able Constantin, gave forth the
joyous notes of Chopin's "Reverie,"
which Bettina had played the first time
she had worshipped in the church The
old cure said the mass. Jean and Bet
tina knelt while he pronounced the bene-
diction, invoking all the graces of God
upon the heads of his two, children. This
time it was Bettina whose eyes were suf-
| fused with tears.
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