The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-06-23
sept III grand style.

4 SAAS
the other, in an elegant carriage
drawn by magnificent animals, ana
driven by coachman in livery Ny
wife was mad with joy; she kissed me
over and over again, and chinked
handfuls Of gold in my face. l felt
as foolish as an honest husband who
finds money in his house which he
DIDN'T earn himself. Seeing how I
felt, Claudine hoping to racify me
resolved TO tell me the whole truth
See here, she said to me" Lerouge
stopped, and. changing his tone, said:
"You understand that it is my wife
who As spealting?'
Yes, yes. &C N. :"
"She said TO me. shaking her peck
ct full of money See here. my man,
we shall always have as much of this
as ever we may want, and this is why:
the count, who also had legitimate
child al the same time as this one,
wishes that this one shall bear his
name instead of the other; and this
can be accomplished, thanks to me.
On the road, we shall meet at the inn,
where we are to sleep, M. German
and the nurse to whom they have in
trusted the legitimate. We shall be
put in the same room. and. during the
night, am to change the little ones,
who have been purposely dressed alike.
For this the count gives me eight
thousand francs down. and life an
nuity of thousand francs.'"
And you!" exclaimed the magis-
trate, you who call yourself an hon
est man, permitted such villainy, when
one word would have been sufficient
to prevent it?''
Sir, beg of YOU" entreated Lee
rouge, permit me to finish
We'll, continue"
Il could say nothing at first, was
so choked with rage. | must have
looked terrible. But she who was
generally afraid of me when l was in
passion, burst out laughing, and
said, What fool you are. Listen,
before turning sour like a bowl OF
milk. The count is the only one who
wants this change made; and he is
the one that's to pay for it. His mis-
tress, this little ones mother, doesn't
want it at all; she merely pretended
to consent, so as not to quarrel with
her lover, and because she has got
a plan of her own. She took me aside,
during my visit in her ROOM aud, ar
ter having made me swear secrecy on
a crucifiX, she told me that she couldn't
bear the idea Of separating herself
f.om her babe forever, and of bring
ing up anothers child. She added
that if l would agree not to change
the children, and not to tell the count,
she would give me ten thousand
francs down, and guarantee me an
annuity equal to the one the count
had promised me. She declared, also,
that she could easily find out whether
I kept my word, as she had made a
mark of recognition on her little one.
She didn't show me the mark; and
have examined him carefully, but
ant find it. Do you understand now?
merely take care of this little fellow
here; tell the count that have
changed the child n; we receive from
both sides, and icques will be rich.
Now, kiss your little wife, who has
more sense than you, you old dear
That, sir, is word for word what
Claudine said to me-"
"What Claudine proposed to me,
was villianous. She proved to me
that we were wronging no one, that
we were making little Jacques for
tune, and was silenced. At evening
we arrived at son village, ana wnc
do you think We saw That scamp
oefmalA, Win . nmso carrying
child dressed exactly like the one we
had that was startled. A suspicion
crossed my mind. How could l be
sure that Claudine had not invented
the second story to pacify me? l re-
solved not to lose sight of the little
bastard, swearing that they shouldn't
change it; so kept him all the even
ing on my knees, and to be all the
more sure. l tied my handkerchief
about his waist. All, the plan was
well laid! After supper, some one spoke
OF retiring, and then it turned out
that there were only two double-bed-
ded rooms in the house. The inn
keeper said that the two nurses might
sleep in one room, and German and
myself in the other. AS for me,
upset that arrangement. pretending to
be too jealous to leave my wife a
minute. They were obliged to give
way to me. The other nurse went up
to bed first. Claudine and followed
soon afterward. My wife undressed
and got into bed with our son and the
little bastard. l did not undress. I'm
der the pretext that l should be in
the way of the children, installed
myself in chair near the bed, de-
termined not to shut my eyes, and to
keep close watch. Toward midnight,
heard Claudine moving. held my
breath. She was getting out of bed.