The Washington herald., 1919-08-12
Paul and Virginia
By SAINT-PIERRE
CONDENSATION by Irving Bacheller.)

daughter thinking it Gods will. con-
sented.
Paul was puzzled by all this secret
council.
Meanwhile Virginia's consent had
brought from her aunt gold to pay for
clothes and jewels and her passage,
and she was a transformed being. In
her muslin and taffeta, with her hair
in the manner OF the period, she look
ed the duchess. and Paul was thrown
into despair at sight of her beauty and
her alien magnificenCe.
Distressed by his grief and hop
ing to cure him of his false hopes.
Marguerite now told him that he
was only the illegitimate son of
peasant, while Virginia was the
daughter of a noble woman.
Paul. pressing her in his arms. as
sured her that as he had no other
relative. he would love her the more
But I see now why Madame de La
Tour avoids me"
As the thought OF losing Virginia
came to him. Paul lost control Of him
self. Clasping her in his arms, he
said: II am going with you. Moth
ing shall part us. I swear IL by the
sea that l must cross. by the air. 10
which I have never breathcd a lie"
Nevertheless. Virginia was taken
away from him while he was wan
derinE in the forest mad with his
fears. When he returned to the
cabin and found her gone, he rushed
to a high point from which the out
going vessel could be seen. and there
he stood till the darkness fell and
the night winds began to sing their
songs in his ear.
Thereafter when he saw the two
mothers weeping. he bitterly said.
Seek someone else to wipe away
your tears"
At last he turned his thought to
the garden and to a new task. He
determined to learn to read. He
wished to be able to read Of the
country TO which his love had gone.
In very short time he was able to
read, and when at last a letter came
from Virginia he was able to read it
for himself 1t was a sweet letter.
but not a cheerful one. The girls
heart was in her happy island. and
she asked Paul to plant the flower
seeds which she sent. upon the spot
where they had last talked together
"A place she called Farewell Rock.
AS the months passed. envious folk
began to whisper that Virginia was
about to marry a nobleman. and
Paul was a prey to doubt and de-
spair.
One morning at daybreak Paul saw
a white flag flying on Mount Dis
cOvery. 1t was a sign that ship
was in the offinG. \ little later a
letter from Virginia to Madame de
La Tour was handed to Paul. Rap
turously kissing it. he thrust it into
his bosom and FASTENED to his home!
To all the household madame read
the letter. Virginia was coming
home! She would soon land. Masters
and servants all embraced.
My SON." said Madame de La Tour,
go tell all our neighbors, Virginia
is coming home"
To this happy household a negro
messenger came to say that the ship
was in distress and firing guns for
help. A storm was approaching. By
midnight the sea was hammering the
rocks with fearful roar. The souno
OF thel signal guns was dreadful in
PaUTs ears. All night long he and
his faithful Domingo waited for the
dawn in silence and dread.
At dawn the governor with file
of soldiers arrived at a point near
which the ship could be dimly seen
in the fog. All signs pointed to a
hurricane. and the people gathered
in the hope of assisting the ship to
land its passengers.
At 9 o'clock a whirlwind swept the
harbor clear OF fog and the ship was
seen moOred near the rocks. Her
head was set toward the pillows
which rolled from the open sea.
Suddenly. in the midst of terrible
rush of sea, the cables parted. The
ship was thrown upon the rocks. A
cry Of despair arose among those
who stood on shore. Paul, in frenzy,
was about to throw himself into the
sea, when a strong hand prevented
him. In order to save his life, they
bound him fast with a long rope and
let him leap into the water. He tried
to reach the ship, only to be flung
back upon the sands.
The crew threw themselves into the
sea Those on shore saw a young
woman stretching out her arms in
piteous entreaty. 1t was Virginia. al
most the last to remain on board. In
moment she. too, was struggling in
the cruel sea.
Paul. unconscious and bleeding from