The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-21

1888 chc e1iIeT-
famed him often at her country house
at Tivoli, ard in her com
pahE ne J~ourneyed to Naples Their
close Intimacy. while perfectly inno-
cent, would, II any other country than
ItaI3, nave occasioned criticism of the
most severe Kind, and Oswatd's Eng
ush Of thought told him that
1t was time full and free
We're made on both sides. II CorinDe's
past held nothing which would rem
der such a union impossible he wished
TO marry her, and Corinne had inti-
mated unequivocally that if, when
ne knew the whole story Of her life
he wished to make her his wife she
would consider that she had attained
the uInnit Of earthly happiness.
But to reveal that past she showed
a dlsincIination not unmixed with ter
ror of the consequences of betraying
such q knowledge to the man she now
SO passionately loved. On his part
oswald agreed to first make a state
nnent OF the life which had been his
before meeting Corinne, and to d.
Vnlge to her those haunting facts
which had undermined his health and
destroyed his peace of mind. It was
at Naples that they came to this
agreement and it was there that their
mutual revelations were made. Os-
valid told his story first.
When he was scarcely more than a
boy his father had picked out for
nm as his future wife Lucille Edger-
mond. the daughter of his fast friend,
Lord Edgermond. She was a child
then OF tender years, and it was re-
solved that for Il time Oswald should
travel on the continent. In France
he became acquainted with one Count
RAYMOND. a young man the perfect
model Of French character in its old
ROYALTY, OF French min in its new
cultivation. a warm friendship sprang
up between the two. Oswald was fas-
cinated by the giddy whirl OF the life
Of Paris, Where everything was SO new
and delightful TO him. He knew,
however, that his father, whose wish
was his law, look ed with distTust upon
Partisan life and character and would
not~have prolonged his stay in the
French capital had he not CHANGED to
meet ftain1ond's sister. the widowed
Countess dArbigny. Nine. d,Arbigny
~reseInbled her brother even in voice,
but with her there was more Of a
retiring caution. Her countenance
was Very agreeable, her~ figure all
grace and fs1Sltless elegance. She
expressed herself on tender subjects
as il trying 10 hide the feelings of
her heart.
Young Oswald became at once much
interested in the charming widow, but
when he mentioned something Of his
feelings TO RAYMOND the latter said
braveiy:: My sisters nature and mine
are not c~ongenial." After thai Os-
valid never mentioned the Countess to
his friend. though his intimacy with
Mime. d'Arbigny increased to a point
which alarmed even himself and made
him reflect that what he was doing
would surely meet with the strong
disapproyal Of his father. II he stayed
III France. However. he felt that he
aT1,f3 NM 1rcc,aor .. bSy,Snff fp,1sa tho
ENHANCEMENT.
He resolved to fly across the cham
mel, and RAYMOND seemed glad that
his friend was to return to England.
In a few months, he said, he would
be with him there. For France was
then IN the verge Of the revolution.
which destroyed the old regime, and
RAYMOND saw only too clearly the
abyss which the nation was approach
ing. The revolution came. Oswald in
London received. a letter from Nine.
O. Aubigny saying that her brother
RAYMOND had perished in defending
the Ta1ileries and that h herself was
III extreme dancer though living I'M
der an assum ed nafne IN q country
town. Raidnlond. she said, had taken
his own fortune and hers with the
intention Of transferring them TO Os-
valid III Lnndon Had Oswald received
the money? She conjured him by
the aEGCtlOfl WHICH, lie once pIOiS>SGd
for her and by the regard he held for
her brother to come TO France and
rescue her.
War was impending between revO-
lutiOnary France and England, and
Oswald had already entered the army. |
His father. he knew. would have for
bid den his returning to France. But
the call of the helpless woman could
not be disregarded. Writing 3 hasty
letter to his father, Oswald crossed |
the channel and found Nine. dAubig-
ny. That Willy woman had simply
lared him to France. Her fortune
proved to he safe. but siic kept the
young man dangling on ani on nnttI
at length he found hin2selI living with
her as with q wife ali! STRUGGLING
vainly 10 break the chains which
lIaaL AID reilnl. u Llll4Nd. |