Year: 1863

decided at once what she should do


which was to send the girl out Of the
! room


"You know that dish my husband


likes, said she, without be,raying her


alarm by The least change in the tone OF


her voice, ought to have remem bered


to have got it ready for supper. Go


down stairs and see about 1t at once"


" Does not madame require my help


here, as she generally does %


No, no, | will a.end to everything


myself know my husband would not


be pleased if lie was to come home after


his ride in such bad weather, and not


find good supper ready"


Alter some delays, which increased


in the lady's mind that suspicion which
she was forced to conceal, the girl left
the room The noise of her steps on the
stairs died away gradually, and Madame
Aubry was left alone with her child,
with those two feet, moionless at their
post, still peeping out under the u'tan.
She kept by the fire, with her child on
her lap, continuing TO caress it and sing
to it, almost mechanically. The child
cried it wanted to be put to bed. but
-. Il, IL
dreadful feet how could she find cour-
aye to 60 near them At last she made
a violent effort. Come. my child,
said she, and got up. Hardly able to
stand erect, she walked towards the al
cove, close to The robber. She puts the
child in the cradle, singing it to sleep as
usual We may imagine how much in
clnatiou she had to sing. Wien the
child fell asleep she left it and resumed
her seat by the fire. She did not dare
TO leave he room it would arouse the
suspicious of the robber and of the girl,
probably his accomplice. Besides, she
could ncl bear the thought of leaving
her child, even il il were TO purchase her
own safely. The clock pointed 10 seven.
An hour yet, whole hour, before her
husband would come Her eyes were
fixed on those feet, which threatened her
with death at any moment. with sort
Of fascination. The deepest silence
reigned in the room. The infant slept
quiely. We do not know whether even
an Amazon, in her place would have
been bol9 enough 10 try a struggle with
the robber. Madame Aubry had no
arms besides, she laid no claims to val
or, but oily TO that passive courage ioun-
ded on reflection, which is far the rarer
Of the Two. Every lew minutes she
would hear noise in the garden. In
that noise a ray of hope shone on her Tor
a momenl--it WAS her husband, il was
del,yerance But not was only the
wind ana rain, or shutters cresklng -
What m age every minute seemed to be.
Oh, heavens the feet moved Does
the thief mean TO leave his hiding place?
No. Il was only slight. probably in
voluntary movement, TO ease himself BY
changing his position, The clock strikes
only once-it is the half hour only
and the clock is too fast besides. How
much anguish, how many silent pray ers
in these irving minutes. She took up a
book OF devotion and tried to read, but
her eyes would wander from the page TO
Tx on those heavy shoes. Al at once a
thought arose that chilled her 10 the
heart. Suppose her husband should not
come. The weather is stormy, and he
bad relatives in the village he went to-
Perhaps they have persuaded him il is
unsafe 10 travel at night with so large
sum about him; perhaps they have
forced him, with friendly violence, 10
yield TO their frieadly invitations to wait
ill morning 1t is striking eight--and
nopody comes. The idea we have alud.
ed to appears 10 her more and more prob.
able Alter two hours OF such agony,
the unhappy lady. whose courage had
been kept up by the hope of final rescue,
feels her strength and hope fail her.
Soon she hears noise under the win
dow, and listens doubtlully. This time
she is not mistaken. The heavy outer
door creaks on its hinges, and shuts
with clamor well known step IS
heard on the stairs, and a man enters--a
tall. stout man. Ii is he--it is he AT
that moment, If he had been the worst OF
husbands. he would have been perfection
in his vife's eyes. lie had only taken
off his wei cloak aud put away bis pis.
tolls, aud delighted AT again seeing what
he mos! loves on earth. opens his arms
/ 10 embrace his wife She clasps him


convulaiyely. but in a moment recover.