The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-11
CHAPTER v.-CoNTINUED.


powered him. but ne was at heart
courageous boy. and chiyarous one.
and he thought It would be eowardly to
run eff; so he stood, or rather sat his
ground with apparent boldness, but his
face was reddening and his heart
humping as his father and mother ap-
preached. Lucie, however, was not at
ali tmid, and when she saw Nj. and
Nine Verney coming so close. asked
Paul VINO they We're
at is my father and mother" said
Paul In a shaky voice. opening his book
with much embarrassment and turning
over It's pages.
II think they look very nice said
Lucie, and see, they are smiling at you.
I think they are smiling at you because
you are talking 10 me-
Paurs head went down still lower on
his book. and his face burned crimson.
fueie, with great self-possession, got up
from the bench. and. making a pretty
little bow TO NJ and Nine. VeTney,
skipped back 10 Harper
II. Verney. a pleasant-faced man
of fifty prodded Paul with his cane.
What charming young lady was that.
my son. with whom you were speaking?''
Mile Lucie Bernard" Paul managed
10 articulate.
And very pretty little thing she is!''
said Nine. Yerney. who was, herself
pretty and pieasant-looking. sitting down
on the bench and putting Pauis blush
ing face upon her shoulder. For shame.
Charles, 10 tease the boy sou
Paul hid his face on his mothers
shoulder, meanwhile screwing up his
courage TO its ultimate point, Then,
raising his head and looking his father
directly in the eve. Paul said:
When I grow up, I mean 10 marry
Mile. Lucie."
The boys clear blue eyes looked direct
" into his fathers. which were also
clear and blue and between the boy
md the man a look of sympathy. of I'M
Outstanding. passed. His father might
laugh al him. but Paul knew that It
was only Joke. after all. and as long
as he behaved himself, no unkind word
would be spoken to him by that excellent
father.
"Ohor' said NJ. Vergen 10 Nine Yer
ney, so We are promised a daughter-in-
law already
That pIeases me very much" said
Mime. Verney. smiling Il hope that
Mile Lueie will grow up as good as she
is pretty. and then I shall be very glad
TO have her for a daughter-in-law.
Then his mother kissed him. and Paul
got up and walked on with his father
and mother. holding a hand Of each and
wondering If any boy ever had such a
kind father and mother. They jOked
him about Lueie. but Paul did not mind
that. He rather liked 1t. now that the
murder was out Presently. when Paul
had gone of 20 play and the Verneys
were sitting at a little table by them
serves On the terrace, NJ. Xe-ney sud
denly fell into a brown study, and,
after a few minutes, bringing his fist
down on the table and making the
glasses ring. said TO Nine. Verney:
II know who that little girl is now
could not place her at first. She is
the half-sister Of Nine Ravenel. The
child Is allowed to visit her once a year
what can the family be thinking of to
permit it7'
Nine. Verney knew Sophie RaveneFs
history perfectly well. as did everybody
IN Bienville, and she knew more than
most people; for she said TO NJ. Verney:
AT the time when Nine. Delorme left
her husband for Ravenel this child,
whom she had brought up from her birth,
was taken away from her by her grand
mother. their fathers mother, who Is
also the grandmother of Nine Ravenel.
This little girls mother was an Ameri-
can, I am told. The child, know, has
been permitted to visit Mime. Ravenel be-
fore, but this will scarcely be allowed
after she is two or three years cider
have also heard that she has large
fortune through her mother in her own
right"
At this the great maternal instinct
welled up in Nine. Verneys heart Why
should not her Paul, the best OF boys,
marry a girl with a large fortune and a
position like Lucie's, which was far
above Paurs? She began 10 dream about
PauTs matrimonial prospects-dreams
which had begun when he was a little
pink baby lying in his cradle The Yer
neys were not rich, nor distinguished
nor was there anything except love
which would be likely 10 provide Paul
with a wife suitable 10 his merits Nine
Verney, following up this dream concern
ing Paul, began secretly TO pity Nine
Ravenel, and argued that. after all. moth
ing about that unfortunate lady could re-
fleet on Lucie.
Meanwhile Lucie. kneeling down on the
edge of the fountain, looked into it and
saw there a church brilliantly lighted
With no Inns and Aou-ars al ahofff and
fun of gayly-dressed ladies and officers
in uniform. And then the organ sound
ed and up the aisle came marching her.
SELF In a white satin gown and lace
veil; and she leaned on the arm of a
young officer with a sword and a helmet
with a horse-hair plume in il, and he had
the honest eyes OF Paul Verney.
At the end of the week Lucie vanished
from Paurs sight, but not from his mem
DRY. According to all the laws of fitness
Paul, the most honest, straightforward
matter-of-fact, obedient little fellow IN
the world should have found his counter
part In the shape of another Denise
Duval Of his own class: for little Denise
was as honest as correct, as matter-of.
fact, and as obedient as Paul Verney
But, Dehold how it works! Paul fell ii
love with the vivacious. sprightly, charm
ing Lucie. while Toni had determined to
link his fate with the irreproachable and
demure Denise.
CHAPTER VI.
The summer waned and the autumn
began and then great shock came tC