Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-01-21
"T never liked anything ugly

Very well. Enjoy yourself for an
other two years. Then we will scrtis
matters"
At the end of two years Merseins
senior raped on the door Of his sons
studio.
"Have you sitting7" he asked.
els any pretty model here? II so tell
me and I'll come another time"
"No, father; you can come In.
had row with the last. She was .
red-haired-"
"Your love-affairs do not interest
me-" replied Merseins senior; "all
have to tell you, my boy, is that you
have had your fling and the time has
come for us to settle accounts"
Paul had no mother and all his love
and respect was lavished on his
father.
Really" said Paul in surprise.
eyes, two thousand francs to pub
lish your book. Here is the bill from
the publisher"
eyes, but how many copies have
they sold ? My royalties, you know"
"They have sold fourteen copies"
Paul gave long, soft whistle.
Your music cost me almost a.
much, and what with your monthly
allowance Well, it is time you gave
up. painting, music and literature and
did something worth while"
II ask nothing better, because"
Because what?" asked the father.
''I'm hard hit this time, dad"
what do you mean7 Is It seri-
ous?"
"Never will be more so. It Is VAL
entine Farades-you have met her 2"
"Why, yes, and have done busi-
| roce with hor fofber couar,1 occ.
sions. Valentine is lovely girl and
| just the very one should like to SEQ
my sons wife. But you know, my
boy, you can't ask girl to marry you
until you can show what you can do.
| can get you a good position on the
Bourse. Will you work 2"
Paul stretched out his hand to his
father.
"Try me father" was all he said.
At the end Of six months Paul Mer-
seins had settled down to business
| and was to be seen daily ut the
! Bourse. He had shown his father
what he could do, and the old man
was well satisfied.
1t was the day that che crime NJ
Boulogne had been discovered. Paul
had just finished his business and
was hurrving to catch the train for
Auteuil. He intended that afternoon
to ask Valentine Farades to become
his wife. No news Of the crime had
yet reached him. When he arrived at
the garden gate he was surprised to
find policeman there.
r Nobody comes in here" said the
officer rudely.
"But want to see Mile. Valentine
Farades," said Merseins.
UCo lnnr than Chaps n,
there"
MerseinB was surprised, for he
knew that the two families were not
on friendly terms. However, he rang
the bell next door and sent in lis card
by the servant. Valentine and Jeanne
were sitting together.
at is Paul." Valentine munnurod,
glancing at the card. Jeanne, how
shall j tell him."
"Hide nothing from him; just tan
! him everything frankly" Jeanne an
! swered.
Valentine. Farades went into the
drawing-room and in a few words told
Paul Merseins that her father and
uncle were accused Of murder.
His eyes which had lit up as she en-
tered the room seemed tranfixed with
horror. Her father murderer
Instinctively he recoiled, but 1t was
only for moment. Then he took her
hand in his.
"Poor little Val, this is terrible" hs
said. "Do you know why came
down today? l was so full Of hope.
You can guess what it was that ]
wanted to ask"
For a moment she was silent; hel
long fringed eyelashes had dropped
| H. Whn,, che HftnA
them to his face, she said quite aim
"Yes, think / know what II WA,
Paul, but it cannot be now. II was
just dream, you know, and it must
end"
"'t is no use. There is nothing that
can alter my love for you. Now just
tell me everything; there may be
some way in which l can help you" :"
Valentine told him all the detsilss
not forgetting to mention that the
victim had been accompanied on hls
journey by man named Jacques Vo-
lizay, who was foreign buyer for an
important Paris house.
"Well, I'll go to the morgue new,
said Paul as he had noted down ali
that she had to tell him, "and I wiz
do all 1 can to prove your fatheTs
innocence; but whether can clear
your uncle, is another matter. How
came the victim to be in his garden 7"
"Uncle and father are 10th inno-
cent" cried Valentine. at is all Some
terrible mistake; but Paul, l cannot
be your fiancee. Your father would
never consent to your marrying girl
whose father was accused OF mar>-
der"
valentine, II we are engaged thsA
gives me the right to help. You love
me and / love you; do not maNs
things harder by having such AbguSs
scruples. Now good-by sweetheszs