The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-07-23

AT GLANCE HE RECOGNIZED THE PAPER.
affixed his notarial seal, and domestics
were called in to witness the sigma
ture. Then the lawyer, who was in a
hurry as every one in Paris was at
that time, went away at once The
marquis followed him to the door. At
the same moment door or window In
another part OF the house was opened,
and since the day was blustery a
strong draft swept through the cabi-
net. When the marquis turned to
his desk he found most of the papers
on the floor. Gathering them up, he
placed them in a tin box, from which
they had been removed, and put the
box in his safe.
The next visitor the marquis receiy-
ed was Mile. Natalie Villaret, young
lady about twenty years of age and of
prepossessing appearance.
"My DEAR" he said, 81 have done
inform you. Knowing that Victor's
life would be bllghted If he should be
unable to claim you for his wife and
having a strong feeling that 1 shall
not live through the terrible times
upon which we are entering, realizing
that should Victor be deprived of my
property, which should be his at my
death. and knowing further that in
that event your father would not con-
sent to your marriage with my SON
realizing all these as I do, / have
signed paper putting him in posses
sion Of all my property from this day.
In case he lives to return and finds
that l have succumbed tell him that
he will find the paper in a Tin box in
the safe"
"Oh. marquis" exclaimed the young
girl, throwing her arms around the
old mans neck, "how thoughtful you
are for our happiness! Danish these
forebodings. certainly expect to
have you at our wedding"
"No; my grandfather died on the
guillotine during the reign of terror
My father. who in '4S was an invalid
was so worked upon by his fears.
remembering what he had passed
through as a child, that he was
overcome by mental distress. When
we get rid of the Prussians-if we
ever do-there will be more trouble
and | do not care to live to see the
end of it."
A shudder passed over Mile Villaret [
for she, too. realized that when the
coming storm had blown over many a
o. T. Lea II,
mourning. Indeed. her lover was even
now constantly meeting the periIs OF
war.
The German army had marched
through Paris and was on Its way
back to the fatherland The COM
munists had sacked Paris and burned
many public buildings, including the
historic palace of the Tuileries The
republic had been esta blished, and
once more quiet was restored to
France. The Marquis de la Ferriere
had succumbed to the horrors of the
commune His son had returned, had |
been wounded in the defense of Paris. |
had been nursed by Mile. Villaret and
had recovered. The day for the we'd
ding of the young marquis and his
fiancee had been fixed, and the shadow |
that hung over France in their case
had been frightened by their coming |
nuptials.
When the day arrived for the mar
riage settlements Victor went to his IA
TIERS safe to get the paper that had
put him in possession of his Inherit
ance. A suit had already been COM
menced to deprive him of it, but he
had no fear but that when it became
known that he had been the owner for
some time before his fathers death 1t
would be withdrawn. Opening the
safe, he took out the tin box and be
gan to hunt for the paper he wanted.
1t was not to be found. Again and |
again he went through everything In
the box, but nothing transferring any |
property to him appeared. Beside |
himself with anxiety. he examined
every document in the safe. Not a |
scrap of a pen either transferring or
bequeathing property to him was there. |
Fastening to Natalie, he asked her If
she had not been mistaken in the place
his father had told her she would find