The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1910-08-05

! verSatIOn gave MIN just the cleW he
wanted, and it became comparatively
easy to personate nephew who had
never existed. The supposed Paul
Leduc almost path etically protested
that he never meant to murder the
old man, but owing to his extra
ordinary passion for his diamonds he
was obliged to do so in order to get
! possession of them. The deed was
done in daylight, before the arrival
| of Mademoiselle Rigaud and Arthur
| Denstone; and in carefully chosen
moment, while the old servants were
making their sCanty meal, he had re-
moved the treasure to place long
chosen and prepared for it's recep
ton, meaning to return when all was
blown over to take it away with him.
But before he had long left the place
| a strange terror came upon him, and
he determined at once to fly to Bor-
deaux and remain there hidden till
the hue and cry were passed, or
rather till after the execution Of old
Battiste made it safe for him to re-
turn.
Arthur spoke with great indigna-
ton of the sentimental character of
the trial, of how the so-called Paul
Leduc drew tears of interest from
his audience, when, with despairing
gestures, he lamented the terrible
necessity that had lain upon him of
destroying two lives, and of the SYM
pathy shown him after all was over.
Mr.. Irvine asker ABOUT tie dia-
| monds, and Arthur told him that all
had been done with regularity and
order on Monsieur Tasset's return to
Goucy. They had had considerable
difficulty in finding the charcoal
burners hut again; but having done
SO, Tasset put an official seal upon
the case containing the stones, and it
had been removed to the bank, where
it was to remain until Antoinette
should be well enough to give direc-
tions as to it's final destination.
"And she is getting. better every
day now," said Arthur, almost gaily,
though DR.. Simon warns me that for
a long time she will need the great
est care"
Some days passed. Letters came
from England, from Tola, both to
Arthur and to Mr.. Irvine. Tola did
| not know how to accept the extra
! ordinary story that she had heard. 1t
| and fear. While feeling the deepest
compassion for Antoinette, she could
not help showing her keen anxiety
about her brothers future in every
I line of the letter.
In a few days more came the re-
! quest that Mr.. Irvine had been quiet
I ly expecting. Arthur and Antoinette
wished to be married at once, and
| begged him to perform the cere-
| mony. There was no reason for de-
| lay Their position in Bordeaux was
| a strange and anomalous one. Ar
| thur could not leave her in her deli
| cate, nervous state, and yet it would
| hardly do for him to linger on for
ever thus. A quiet, speedy wedding
seemed the only and best solution of
the difficulty.
So the very day on which Janet
and Colonel Curtis were married at
| Denstone Court, the little English
! Chapel at Bordeaux witnessed an
| other and very different wedding
scene. Mr.. Irvine married Arthur
and Antoinette, the only witnesses be-
ing the good doctor and his wife and
the Sisters of the Holy Cross, who
had nursed her through her long and
dangerous illness, and now, with
tears of emotion, dressed her for her
bridal.
After the wedding Arthur took his
wife to Biarritz for rest and change;
and Mr. Irvine went onWards, with
feeling of sadness and loneliness, to
try to forget home in wandering in
Spain.
The diamonds, by Mr.. Denstone's
advice, were returned to England,
and the whole fortune, under his able
superintendent, realized and rein
vested, the income, he wrote to his
nephew, being about thirty thousand
year.
Arthur and Antoinette did not re-
main long at BiarritZ. A telegram
summoned him home to the death
bed of his father, and, though they
Travelled rapidly, they arrived too
late. Antoinette bore the journey
| much better than Arthur had dared
to hope; and, indeed, she rapidly re-
gained health and strength and the
happiness of her new life brought
back the color to her cheeks, enhanc-
ing greatly her beauty.
The death of the old squire made
a considerable change at Denstone
Court. Reginald, happily married to
his Mrs. Grimes, declared that he
hated the place, and only wished to
be rid of it, and Arthur forthwith
purchased it. Janet and her husband
and Reginald wondered what he
meant to do; but he soon made it
evident. He and Antoinette meant to
make a home there with the poor
widow and all the children.
Painters and upholsterers and car.
penteTs were turned IN, and in a
snort time the whole place was trans
formed, gardeners engaged, horses
bought, all established on a new scale
Of comfort; and for the children suf-
ficient attendants and a good gov
erness were found.
One day Arthur found Tola stand
ing idly at the window, with large
tears rolling down her cheeks, and
he put his arms around her.
What is it, my little Cinders?" he
said; tell ne about it."
1t is nothing, Arthur; I am very
happy. AS for your Antoinette, she
is the dearest. sweetest creature in
the world and the children love her
so; and mother watches her with all
her soul in her eyes.
Then what ails my little precious
sister,"
"IdIeness, Arthur: Nothing else.
'Othello's occupation gone
That afternoon a visitor arrived
and asked for Tola. She went down
stairs with flushed cheeks and a little